how did you get sooooo pretty?

First off, thanks! Second off, thanks mom and dad. Most of this had to do with luck. ;)

Ask me anything

Do you know what excites me?

THIS!!

I am a rabid J. Crew fan. Even if my wallet cannot always support the habit, I am dually devoted. I have been stalking their dress selection for bridesmaid since I was pre-engaged and their extensive opportunities for stylizing should never be over looked. I cannot wait to schedule an appointment to see the bridesmaid dresses in person. I hope they are as gorgeous as they look online. We will also have so much fun with accessories! And suits! And shoes! Oh, my!

While I know a lot of ladies are waiting for the Anthropologie bridal boutique to open its doors, this has been such a long time coming for me! Sometimes I look at J Crew catalogs and say, "Yes. That makes sense." It would be my dream job to work as a merchandiser for le Crew (I mean...if I didn't already have my dream job as merchandiser for a Museum) and I would consider it a blessing if I could just have a smidgen of the talent their stylists have. Lime green jell-o, girls.

That's not even the full spectrum of the greatness of this launch. I feel like it could totally revolutionize the wedding industry. I'm sure Anthropologie wouldn't have jumped on the bandwagon had J. Crew not had success. In reality, it's simplifying a lot, bringing down costs and making things more accessible to a wide range of brides and bridesmaids. The economics of wedding attire could see a mighty, mighty shift.

I was going to play a game of: let's find my favorite things on JCrew.com but, MY PROOFING DISC JUST GOT DROPPED OFF!!

Let's Go Red Sox...etc

I feel like my weekends have been non-stop. I haven't been able to sleep in for probably a month now. Hells bells, I haven't been able to sleep properly for a month now. The past few weekends have been filled with friends and family and still it seems like I don't get to spend enough time with the people I care about. (I'm probably watching too much BtVS)

It's at a point where my weekends have become such a whirlwind of activity that I don't even know what to highlight....maybe nothing at all except a satisfied feeling of appreciation for everyone around me. I am a lucky, lucky girl.

I wish I could say that I will be spending this upcoming holiday weekend skulking around my apartment and investigating the empty city. Instead, I will be camping in Ithaca on a wine tour (boo-hoo, right?). I am really excited to join our friends up there and have a great time, at the same time: I wish I could curl up in my bed with a book for 12 hours.

A few of my favorite things...

I need a holiday, you? My high from seeing the Sox destroy the Phillies was swiftly snuffed by the lackluster and frustrating series finale of Lost (so, it was all for naught, jerks!?). As if that kind of disappointment wasn't a worse enough way to start off a Monday morning, I got iced last night by Emily Betty and Elise. Thanks, ladies - you iced me on a Monday. I don't really have a problem being iced, except when I don't have a way to block. Anyhow, the early week slump seems to have taken up residency in my pulled neck muscle - so what better way to combat cranky doom and gloom but with a few of my favorite (wedding related) things! The theme for this installment of My Favorite Things is: Etsy! Although I will be linking a lot of amazing things back to Etsy, this is just a crazy mix'em'up mesh of things. Trust, I could devote hours to cake toppers. One of these days, I swear it, I will get really good at microsoft paint. Until that day, here is my five star collection:

If you're not impressed with my collaging ability, I respect that, but look at this cute stuff!! I admit, I didn't stick to any kind of theme, rhyme or reason with this one. Next time, as I am looking for specifics and not just pretties, I probably will. Everything is from Etsy.com and I will make them as easy to find as possible, short of providing links (I'm bad, I forgot to bookmark). So, clockwise from upper left:

1. Garter in Something Blue and Orange by Piperewan, $40. Love, love, love! As a lady who is very anti-garter marrying a man who only put his foot down to defend this barbaric tradition, it was going to take something spectacular to get me on the bandwagon. Hello, spectacle! The softer versions of the colors we are using just seem perfect. It's simple and girly without overdoing it on the lace. My dress is 100% lace so I think a lace garter would be a touch over cooked.

2. Sophie, Made to Order Hair Piece by LoBoheme, $100. If there is one thing my mother and I will fight about (besides me buying my dress sans her opinion) it will be what goes on my head. She really wants me to wear a veil and I really want...well, the opposite of that! While we have some time to reach a happy compromise in the mean time I am going to drool over this kind of style - sans blusher and birdcage style attachments. "Look ma, no veil!"

3. Personalized Cootie Catcher by Katskrafts, $87.50/70 units additional pricing options. This is so cute! I would never supply it at my wedding but it is so adorable! The qualms it raises with my noxious meter are putting me off to it. While I think it's adorable to have something like this scattered about on various cocktail tables, some of the suggested uses throw me for a tail spin. Using them as ways to have your guests find out nifty factoids about your life together is pretty romantical. Using it as a form of ice breakers for the table? No, thanks. Your guests are adults - you shouldn't have cootie catchers daring them to get up and dance throughout the night.

4. Boutineer by SusieQScraps, $15. My heart be stilled! You can bet you bottom buttons that Jane is getting pictures of this. I love how elegant it is and how there is wonderful harmony between feminine romance and masculinity. Throw some navy blue or orange in there and you have yourself a deal!

5. Vintage Lace Ribbon Bridal Bouquet Wrap by GraceartandAntiques, $38. How gorgeous?! How fabulous is that touch of bling on the vintage ribbon. This may be my favorite of the bunch. I want it, I need it, I'm 100% inspired by it. My wildflower garden of gathered timeless flowers would love to be bundled ever so securely in such a demur and lovely wrap like that.

I think the lesson here is: thank you etsy! You are an overwhelming and wonderful resource of style and inspiration. Three cheers!

Also, three monumental cheers for Brian Ambrose Photo because they are sending me the disc soon! Hopefully I will have it by Friday! What started off as a cranky morning is turning into a slightly more enthused afternoon!

After Glow...

Ooooohmahgah, you guys! Our engagement session was seriously a blast. Brian and Kate got to our apartment around noon and we went to Cooper park (right down the street from us) to take pictures with the little derplings, Monster and Elvis. We got some great shots with the boys. Then we headed down to DUMBO. It was so relaxed and we had gorgeous weather, we took pictures between the two bridges and in front of some really textural graffiti. We also went to the Richardson, which is the bar that we had our mini-celebration with our friends at. It was all such a blur, I can't even anticipate what pictures we are going to love...which will probably be all of them. We held hands with Jesus - kind of literally! Brian and Kate were amazing to work with overall.

They were friendly but had their eyes on the prize and kept us on the ball. They have worked with so many couples it was really nice to get genuine feed back from professionals and also to get some inside tips on where, what and who to work with. I'm just over the moon about the whole thing! I can get awkward in front of a camera and from point A to B, they were able to relax us and put us at ease. Their incredible dynamic really helps make for a great time.

For prep: I picked out three outfits, which sort of turned in to four (I got to change my shirt on the side of the street, cause I'm a pro). Mani/Pedis with Colleen were the business. If I were told I had a pedicure addiction, I would not be surprised. I didn't want to go over the top with new clothing because I wanted to be me and be in my comfort zone, but there is nothing wrong with some new shoes...yes, I am wearing them to work today!

I ended up not using the false eyelashes. You would be amazed at how difficult those things are. Seriously, I was struggling with them. When I did manage to put them on they didn't look right. While I would love to blame my incompetence on Sephora's product I have to confess that my inability to use the lashes had nothing to do with their construction. The glue was reliable and the lashes were not wimpy or easily destroyed. I am definitely still considering using false lashes for the wedding day, but they will be adeptly applied by a professional and not my clumsy ass.

I have been spying some really awesome things on etsy recently and when I have more time I will post a bajillion thoughts about them. Until that, happy friday y'all. LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! (We do not want Steve to gloat all weekend).

Also, who else is hella stressed about the Lost series finale? Hear, hear, mates. Hear, hear.

Haterade

I don't know what is going on with my internal system but my sleeping habits have been struggling for the past two weeks. I go to sleep, it is completely unrestful and I wake up a cranky, haggard looking mess complete with under-eye circles and frowns. Then I chug a giant red bull to ease my exhaustion. This morning was no exception and I am full of cranky. My red bull is hurting my teeth, we were out of Claritin this morning and my Excedrin migraine has yet to kick in. Whine, whine, double whine. Feel bad for me! Please? At least today is like Friday. It's Shavuot so, I don't have to work tomorrow or Thursday. Thursday are our engagement pictures (so I better figure out a way to get a good night's sleep)!

Michelle is coming over tonight to start Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season 2 and watch Lost. FYI: I have a critical obsession with 1990's television. Right now I'm simultaneously re-watching all season of the X-Files and initiating myself into BTVS. I'm not an uber-dweeb, I swear (OK, yes I am). Before she arrives, I will probably be plowing through my wardrobe trying to figure out what to wear. Brian suggested one casual outfit and one dressier outfit. That does not help me, someone hire me a stylist!

Tomorrow Monster is getting his hair did and I am getting mani/pedis with Colleen. We will gossip about boys and be total haters and enjoy lattes. That is about as Sex in the City my life will ever get, I'm really not so chic. After lattes and manicures, Colleen is going to help me learn how to put on fake eyelashes. I did my usual product research and discovered that the bang for the buck is at Sephora. I got their brand of re-usable (suggested to be used 3-4 times if you're not using mascara, 2 times if you are) eye lashes. I have never worn fake eyelashes, but I wanted to try them out for the photo shoot. Why? Because it's fun! I'm pretty lazy when it comes to make up on the daily, so I think maybe a mini spruce up could provide me with some entertainment. I also want to get a feel for how I like them. I haven't even started looking for my hair and make-up artist for the big day but I want to know what I like and what I can handle.

So: wardrobe, fingers and toes, eyelashes....and beyond. I have a feeling that the eyelash experiment is going to be a hilarious (and possibly dangerous) one.

epic mini bride is epic.

We had a very eventful weekend and I am exhausted. The only thing I have the energy to say is, while walking around the King of Prussia Mall, there was one of those klassy portrait studios, you know the kind? They always have photographs that have been photo shopped to look like paintings and they do senior pictures for yearbooks or prom photos at High School gyms. Well, this particular studio paid homage to the mini bride phenomena, behold:

I feel like I have to keep track of this ever growing creeptastic mystery. More on this later...

hey, bartender!

That's me! I'm behind a bar. It was taken with a blackberry but look at how white my teeth are. Thank you, Crest Premium White Strips. I'm still not even done with them; I horded seven so that I can pump up the brightness in the few days before our e-session next Thursday. So excited!

I am not a bartender, so what am I doing behind that bar? Serving drinks for charity! That sounds more prestigious than it actually is because the charity was my softball team. We need money for equipment! Girl scouts sell cookies, we sell beer. This great Irish Pub, Gael, in the museum's neighborhood allowed me and Andrew (one of the team captains) to get behind the bar and pour some drinks. I was a natural at doing tap beers and I had a quite a knack with the mixed well drinks, but Kevin and Conor (the professionals) kept yelling at me for my heavy hand. Whatever, guys, all I'm saying is that people kept coming back to me! A great funk band started at 8pm and we had a mini dance party. All in all, I think it was an excellent exercise in building team spirit!

This weekend, we're going to Philadelphia to see Steve's sister graduate from college and say Happy Mother's Day to his mom. We're going to an art fair downtown so I am going to keep an eye out for unique reception decor. I am hoping to find someone crafty who can make some small-ish easels to hold our table 'numbers'. We're not actually having numbers, we're naming the tables after our favorite songs and then stuffing a mixed compilation of all of them in our OOT bags...(more on that later). Steve is going to use his artistic magic to create the signs and I am looking for some hand made type mini-easel to set against the center piece. I found some cool ones on Etsy, but I actually want to get my hands on something before I marry the idea. I'm also not sure what kind of look I want for them. There are two styles I have in mind:

I like the classic, kind of industrial, functional look of the one on the left, but the one on the right is a bit cleaner and  I think it has the potential to blend better with the rest of the table. Like I said, I really need to see something in person because I go bananas about it. Maybe I'll end up deciding on something 100% different. I really think that searching is the majority of the fun.

Follow up

But you totally thought I was kidding, right? Nope. Here is a mini-mini bride collage for you:

Yup, you can get matching mini bride dresses to be paired with your own bridal gown! And, here is anothering terrifying result for a search of mini brides:

Thank you, tackyweddings.com for that gem.

what the fuck is a mini bride?

This is a great question and I'm glad you (?) asked. A mini bride is about as creepy as it sounds.

I am not sure who came up with the concept of the mini bride; if you google it 80% of your results are going to be for "mini bride dresses". The overwhelming merchandise and retailer response makes me think that this is some kind of elaborate way to make people overspend on flower girl dresses, but here is the gist:

A "mini bride" is neither a flower girl or a Jr. bridesmaid. It is a little girl who is dressed in a (usually elaborate) mini wedding gown. She walks down the aisle separately from the bridesmaids and the flower girl(s) and carries a bouquet. I can't confirm what order these wedding party members walk down the aisle but I am pretty sure that the mini bride goes either right before the bride or right before the bridesmaids. The mini bride is given a ring (or a necklace) at the altar.

In most cases where mini brides exist, it is the daughter of the bride who is getting married for a second time. The mini bride then says vows to her future step-father. (yes, really) Essentially, marrying him, because then she gets her ring or necklace. Creepsville: population mini brides and their Step-Dad/Husbands.

However, I have read about instances where the mini bride was not marrying her step-father, she was just a mini bride for the sake of having one. (WHY?) On all counts of the mini brides I say: what the fuck indeed.

Ask me anything

Happy Mother's Day!

Did you take good care of your Mother?

My mom came to visit for the weekend. On Saturday night we went to this exceptional gluten-free restaurant called Pala. We had three delicious appetizers to share, then had their agnello pizza (lamb sausage, scallion, pecorino cheese and mozzarella cheese) and I will have dreams about that it, I bet you $5. The restaurant is wonderful because it has gluten-free, vegan, and just plain ole' normal menu options and they also have a wonderful cocktail list to accompany the food; I had the Pera and will definitely be trying to recreate it in my kitchen.

From there on Saturday we went to HiFi, an east village bar, to meet with my friends for happy hour. My mom ended up pool sharking the place. She hadn't played in years and was excited to hop on the table. Much to her surprise and everyone else's chagrin, she held the table all night as reigning champion. I made a couple of choice shots too, if I do say so myself. We went to Planet Rose Karaoke for some Crocodile Rock. I always get such a kick out of that place. It's like where serious people go to karaoke. There isn't a stage so half of the time someone is singing and you're looking around for to see who has got that voice and its just someone seated at the bar, chillin'.

Sunday we slept in and then went to Hare Field Road for brunch (Hello, Huevos Rancheros). Sunday was such a blustery day and we were pretty lazy from Saturday night (my mom totally raged) so we were up in the air on what we should do. We ended up stopping off at a jewelry store on the way back to the apt. I hadn't even thought about bands yet but saw some I liked. Steve and I got into a debate over what my band should look like. Disgruntled and determined to settle this mess we hopped in the car and over to the bridge to Little King. LK is where Steve had my engagement ring made. Not only did a find a birthday present for my dad, but I also found the perfect wedding band! I'm so excited. There isn't an exact picture of it online, but here is the general vibe:

A very lovely bezel set band. After looking over a bunch of pave settings, I ended up preferring the 360 degree diamond band. Also, with each diamond having its own setting you end up preserving the safety of the stones, which is nice and responsible, etc. The actual one I picked out is a lot different. The metal is somehow magically less visible around the stones and its engraved on the sides to give the ring a more textured feel. The diamonds end up with a weight of about .30 Carats. I don't even think I want it set in yellow gold, against my engagement ring the white gold looks just fine and the stones just really pop. Squee!! I can't wait to wear it. I'm so stoked. We obviously didn't buy it, but we took notes.

After trying on a bunch of jewelry and having a wonderful chat with the owners, we walked a couple of blocks to discover another new and wonderful Gluten Free gem, Tu-Lu's! I am serious, this bakery tops my previous uber-king GF cupcake from Risotteria. These cupcakes and cookies are so delectable - and they have vegan options. I am looking forward to going back to visit and try the paninis, too. We took home a mini-cup sampler and have been sneaking tastes ever since. Something tells me I see the possibility of a wedding cake...?

Probably! It was a really lovely weekend and I wish it hadn't ended. I am counting down until quitting time. I am exhausted! (...and I want a mini-cup)

Post Script

I am working on our StD list for December. Mostly, this means that I am e-mailing my parents for addresses. We're trying to be careful with who we give StDs to. We don't want to be stuck with people we sent StDs to and then don't want to invite. On the other hand, if you send them out to some friends and not others, feelings get hurt. To avoid both scenarios we are limiting our early announcements to family and OOT friends. If anything it will be our local friend list that changes in the next year. Now, no one can get ants in their pants if we just uniformly say that no one in New York will be getting StDs.

While wrestling with my excel document and color coding Steve sends me this link and I just have to share because it is awesome.

Gowns I love, but could never wear (pt 1)

I am calling this a part one because I'm sure over the next year I will see many more wedding dresses that I will love (but won't be wearing). Confession: I already have my dress. It's too early for this to be a fact, but it is. I found my dream dress online the day after I got engaged and there is a story that goes with it but I'm not going to retell it. We'll just leave it at this: I have the perfect dress for me. Here are four gorgeous dresses that are not the dress for me:
Clockwise from top left:
1. Cymbeline Paris, "Dolly", I actually tried this dress on. It's so beautiful in person and on the right girl, I can only imagine it would be stunning. It didn't look horrible on me, but it just wasn't right. I'm a small girl but I'm not straight, I have a bit of curve to me. The fringe (which is oh so soft and light weight) made my hips expand in the mirror. I still love this dress. My dress is from Cymbeline and all of the designs are gorgeous, the store in New York is also amazing. They have a great sales staff there and prices range from about $1,500-$5,000. They have a set alteration fee of $500.
2. Monique Lhuillier, "Venice", This dress is just breathtaking to me. It falls under the category of: I think it would devour me if I wore it. I love the ivory lace, very fitted bodice juxtaposed with the tiered pistachio skirt. It's unique and gorgeous at the same time, whenever I see it in ads I can't stop admiring it. Lhuillier's gowns start at $3,000 and end up around $10,000. This one is priced between $7,001-$8,500. (another reason why it is not for moi)
3. Jim Hjelm, JH8063, The beautiful organza flounce that this ball gown must have...wowee, right? What you can't see is that the back is open creating a perfect frame of classic lace. The flower accent on this natural waisted gown is so subtle that you can't even tell the extra fabric is there. My friend Amanda was married in a to-die-for Jim Hjelm gown and before I started trying dresses on, I was sure he was going to be my designer. I tried on about 6 Hjelm dresses and none of them were perfect. I priced out a few that I liked and from what I can gather he ranges from $3,000-$7,000. I'm sure he has some that go beyond that, but I haven't seen any. He also has Jim Hjlem Blush (see linked website) which features lovely, lower price point gowns.
4. Lazaro, LZ30006, I can't even say that this dress is too over the top for me, it really isn't. It has this understated extravagance that I love. It's all in the details. The ruffling is truly delicious. If I were a wedding dress designer, and I am not - I probably would have kept the neckline straight instead of adding the sweetheart. I think this would have kept the lines a little cleaner so that the skirt is the guaranteed wow factor. You don't need much after that! I haven't tried on any Lazaro dresses, nor have I priced any out, but from what I can gather most of his dresses are over $5,000.

That's that. Whose gowns do you love?

About last night (Op-Ed)

Michelle and I went to Sweet Ups (a lovely spot that I highly recommend) last night for some happy hour girl time. For a while, we were the only ones in the bar except for the owner and his brother-in-law (once removed)…? The conversation somehow went like this: Arnold Swartzenegger -> Keanu Reeves -> The Devil’s Own v. The Devil’s Advocate -> Weddings?!

Obviously, I was up to bat. Benjamin (Sweet Ups owner) was telling us how he was attending his fourth wedding this year where the invitations said *Please No Boxed Gifts*. My jaw was agape, I couldn’t believe it. Four in a row, he assured me. Michelle and Jeff were a little confused. They weren’t sure what that meant. Benjamin took the liberty of explaining that it meant they were asking for cash – on their invitation. When he received the invitation for the first wedding of this nature he went to, he thought that ‘no boxed gifts’ meant that the couple didn’t want people to physically bring the boxes with them. As in, send them UPS. Maybe if this were the case then it would be all right to have that little phrase in italics at the bottom of your invitation, maybe.* Alas, it has nothing to do with shipping methods. Benjamin discovered this when he went to find a registry and discovered its absence.

It is not OK to do this! It is so off-putting and tacky. I told them that if I ever received an invitation that said that, I would buy whoever did it a present and put it in the biggest box possible. Benjamin and Jeff asked if there was anyway to simply imply that you wanted cash over a gift. Is there? I’m not sure. I would think the only way you could imply that you only wanted cash gifts would be to forego a registry. Keep in mind; there are a lot of people out there who believe giving cash is thoughtless and impersonal. If one were to take this road, they would probably end up with a toaster (or five) and a lot of less desirable things

Personally, I think that implying you want anything is in poor taste. I am not putting down registries as they have a very functional value. Those same people who would prefer not to give a cash gift, want to be sure they are gifting something that can be used and loved. Having the ability to know what the couple needs gives them some kind of reassurance that their good intentions will not go to waste. Registries also make guests aware of what has already been purchased, so you don’t end up with those five toasters. The icing on the registry cake is the newly weds get a great opportunity to buy what’s left of the wish list at a discount (a lot of registries give the couple a year to finish off their list at 10%-15% off)! However, don't send your registry info with your invitations - this is also rude. Registry info goes on your website and with shower invitations (if someone throws you a shower).

Always remember, a registry isn’t statute law. If you get surprised by some odd-ball hand crafted fertility vase Aunt Bertha picked up in Uzbekistan last year, you have to write a thank you note and you have to be genuine. When in doubt? Remind yourself that you’re not inviting these people to your wedding because you think they will buy you a bangin’ gift; you’re inviting them because you love them and you want to share a special day with them.

After this address Benjamin and Jeff nodded in approval and understanding, their brides will never make the mistake of requesting *no boxed gifts*. My job was done and etiquette’s good name defended. We went on to discuss other wedding oddities like: what the fuck is a mini-bride and is it acceptable to register for classic safari outfits?

*Albeit this would be a friendlier meaning, it’s still not right. You cannot tell your adult guests how to behave. Your invitation should not include a list of dos or don’t or even maybes. I’m sure there are other ways to politely request that gifts be shipped.

Pineapple on pizza - yay or nay?

This question bums me out because I can't eat pizza! On the for reals (because I used to eat pizza) I would never order it but, I would never spit it out. Pepperoni and black olives are the best way to 'za.

Ask me anything

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/oxbox

My teeth! I think they definitely look whiter, no? I did them tonight, while I was watching Lost again.

It was a great Cinco de Mayo. My friend Michelle and I had "Tina Fey" s at a bar local to my house. We were on our way back to mi casa for some rock band, Lost re-runs, and Mike's Hard Lemonade. Then we stumbled upon Legion's $4 Margaritas. Well, we had to stop by for at least one $4 Marg. How do you deny that kind of deal? I think it may be physically impossible.

We watched Lost (a re-watch for me, first time for Michelle) and then after our Jears, Bears, and Mears, we managed to squeeze in the latest Law and Order: SVU. I am just watching the news and stripping my bottom teeth, but I felt proud enough to show off what was going on with the top - looks much better, eh?

PS. The news? Terrifying. I botched bomb attempt in Times Square this weekend and then tonight there is an abandoned U-Haul leaking fuel on the RFK bridge. It's been unclaimed for over an hour. The bridge is closed and who knows when it will be re-opened. Some people are saying that law enforcement is over reacting. I think after this weekend and the failed bombing, we should think twice before we question our police, but that's just me.

chit-chat

me: I think dyable shoes are ugly.
michelle: hahahahhahahahahaha
me: Why is that funny?
michelle: cus I forgot they existed and when you said that I remembered them and how atrocious they are.

Really though, I guess I can understand why people can appreciate dyable shoes (sort of)? No offense if you love them! Please, explain them to me, if your panties are bunched. Also, please, when was the last time you saw an amazing pair of dyable shoes? The composition of this ad even screams late 1980's. Can you pair that with a peach colored, hoop skirt, puffed sleeve bridesmaid gown, please? Or, maybe seafoam?

If you're going to make your bridesmaids wear these, you best be paying for them. It would be so embarrassing to force your closest friends to invest in such a small return item. I give the dresses that, "they can wear them again" defense - but dyeable shoes? Not unless you've registered for a time machine and y'all plan to host your "'80s Night Party" during 1987.

no double, but maybe a single

I was too consumed by Lost last night (wtf) to even think about white strips. There were tears; copious amounts of tears and I won't post any spoilers but, really?

I'm supposed to go to softball practice tonight but it appears someone has lost my glove. I lent to another girl on the team for our exhibition game that I was unable to make it to. Now she doesn't remember who she gave it to, frustrating. I lugged my sneakers and a change of clothes all the way to work. I hope she manages to find it before our official games start (5/11 - Let's Go Lions!). To be honest, I am trying to not let this bother me as much as it does. Missing practice is fine, but my missing glove kind of gets my goat. You would just think that people would treat a borrowed item with more respect.

Along the lines of softball, Steve got me the best birthday ever! We're going to the Red Sox (yay!) play the Phillies (boo!) later this month. We have great seats and I can't wait to go. It may be a little scary to be there in my Red Sox gear. Phillies phans can be really wild. We haven't been to a baseball game together so I'm very much looking forward to. Going to baseball games has to be on my top ten favorite things to do of all time so getting to finally go to one with my favorite person of all time is just that much more exciting.

Day Three.

It's Tuesday! Tuesday should technically be day four but I totally brain farted last night and neglected stripping. I put one on my top teeth this morning while I was getting ready for work. I will double up top/bottom tonight while watching LOST. So far, I am really happy with this product. I am already starting to notice a difference with my teeth and I only have some slight sensitivity immediately after removing the strips. I avoid antagonizing this tenderness by using warm water to rinse as opposed to cold.

Steve and I did not find what we were looking for on Sunday. He is applying for a new job and had to spend 85% of the day working on his portfolio; I managed to get him out of the house for an hour or so. I was hopeful but the venture proved to be fruitless. For the record, this is what we're looking for: These are going to be the 'vases' for our center pieces. After spending two hours with our florist (Jane) and coming to a lot of great conclusions, Steve and I both kept poo-pooing the standard glass square/bowl that typically holds lower arrangements. We're both very shabby-chic, vintage inspired, created by Brooklyn, type people and the cookie-cutter flower holders weren't lighting our fire. Jane had a cut glass bowl on her shelving and I said, 'Couldn't we do something like that?' She had never worked with such a vase - but that doesn't mean she wasn't excited about the idea of using them!

We're never going to be able to find twenty of the same bowl and that's half the fun of it. As long as they are vaguely the same size and shape, I think it will work out splendidly. I don't even care if they are all clear. These bowls - I'm sure you've seen them in your mom's garage? Come in blues, greens, clears, etc. Since our colors are navy and orange with yellow and green accents - whatever color the bowl is can be heavier in its complementary color. No two center pieces will be exactly alike! Jane has done this before and showed me the end result:
She is just so talented. I never thought I could ever be so excited about flowers. To me, the best part of this all is Steve and I have a year and a half to hunt and find the twenty perfect cut glass bowls for our Wedding. We figure we will just scout out flea markets, second hand shops, tag sales, etc. Jane is kind of enough to allow us to periodically drop the bowls off at her studio so that tragedy does not befall them in our apartment.

Advice.

Believe it or not, I feel like I am actually already seeing a difference with these strips.

I got some advice from some fellow Knotties and I think I am going to take it. Turns out, a lot of people don't even apply the bottom strip because you can't see those teeth as much. I don't know if I am going to stop stripping the bottom but I am definitely not going to do it at the same time. It's a little overwhelming to have them both on at once. I am going to switch off and focus on the top teeth.

We're going to a thrift store today to look for centerpiece materials!

Actually.

Brushing your teeth right before "stripping" can cause extra sensitivity.

Applying round two, while watching The Ugly Truth. Here we go.

drool monster.

This photo was taken at 8:45 am. It's 11:22. That is what I look like after a night of drinking at 8:45am. It's not pretty. What's sad is that I still look roughly about the same. I finally opened the package and was greeted by a pamphlet that says, "Congratulations! You just took the first step to a bright, whiter smile!" Nothing like some good ole' fashioned encouragement!

I didn't realize I'm supposed to wear these twice a day, for half an hour. They say that if I have a busy lifestyle, I can do it back to back. They don't tell you if you're supposed to start with freshly brushed teeth, but I think that is a reasonable assumption.

I'm drooling! The top one was super easy to apply. The bottom? Really not so much and it is making me drool, a lot. This is causing slippage on the bottom one. Next time I think I am going to try to dry my teeth off a little bit after brushing.

Also, keeping the gel off of my gums? Way easier said than done. The bottom one is so annoying! I really feel like it's falling off. Whitestrips struggles. Surprisingly though, the taste of the gel isn't totally unbearable. I didn't even think of the potential gag factor when I bought them. Obviously, I am not trying to taste it but the occasional gel will eek out.


I think for this hour of my day that will be spent with these things on my teeth, I will be surfing the web and watching the X-FIles on my Netflix instant queue. Right now I am watching Season 1, epsisode 10. Moulder and Scully are investigating a train derailment but they can't seem to find any train tracks.

I'm also trying to get inspiration for our engagement session. I have no idea what we should do. Our photographer is a genius (Brian Ambrose) So I am looking over his galleries and hoping to be struck by a pose. Nothing is really doing it for me though. Brian is great and has a marvelous sense of who we are so I am not too worried. On Brian's website in the engagement section, there is this really moving picture of a soldier coming home and being hugged by his fiancee; there are all these welcome home signs in the background. It is such a great shot. Sigh...love.

OK, time to rinse; my teeth feel weird. They didn't get agitated with the cold water I used to rinse off the gel. However, I wanted to do some in depth testing so I tapped on all of them with my finger nail (very scientific). I didn't realize that all teeth make a slightly different sound, nifty. One of my bottom teeth, specifically, gets a little grumpy when I tap it. I think that it may be too early to determine the exact amount of tooth sensitivity, but I don't think I am going to do anymore tapping.