Leprechaun Feet

Dieting finally caught up with me this last weekend. I'm normally a HORRIBLE dieter! I'm miserable and cranky. But, miraculously, I haven't experienced that until Saturday... I was cranky and irritable all weekend long! I mentioned this to Camille and she suggested that I probably needed to add some healthy fat to my diet-

Bring on the avocados!!

What the heck does this have to do with leprechaun feet, you ask? Did I eat so much green food that my feet turned green? No to both.

Rewind to Christmas (yes, I know... I'm moving in the wrong direction!) Stuart and Stephanie gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure at Stephanie's favorite place. I still hadn't redeemed it because my toenails needed time to breath after YEARS of non-stop polish.

In a non-fat way (remember the avocados and don't forget my new obsession with peanut butter and honey toast) to make an attitude adjustment I decided I needed to go to the Temple... so I did. (Sheesh, are you kidding me? Tell me about the stinkin' leprechaun feet already!!) I took my Christmas gift certificate with me so that AFTER the Temple I could finally go get my pedicure (see, I'm getting there at last!)

Before I got in my car at the Temple I looked at the address and saw that it was straight forward enough that I could just drive straight there- no Google maps needed. I found the shop with no problem and was immediately treated to the spa chair pedicure!

ANOTHER ASIDE-

Sunday, when everyone was here for 3rd Sunday Grammie dinner (this month was Leprechaun's feast!) I was holding a somewhat fussy Liam (not a usual condition for Mr Chill!) I laid him across my lap and was patting his back and remarked to Kevin, "Why do babies like this? Do you want someone pounding on your back?" We agreed, "NO!"

AU CONTRAIRE!!

I loved being pummeled by that massage chair! I even schooched WAY down in the chair so it would get right below my neck... Yup, and soaked my skirt!! Sweet little nail lady wrung it out for me!

And even though St Patrick's day is today I still got glittery, green toes. I LOVE GREEN!

I was the only patron in the shop most of the time and totally enjoyed being pampered. Finally I needed to take my still-somewhat-damp skirt and be on my way. I gave her the gift certificate and a tip folded together. She opened it up and looked at me kind of funny...

"This gift certificate is for the nail salon across street."

Maybe I still have some residual brain damage from dieting!

BUT win/win... I get another pedicure NEXT month!!

Stuart and Stephanie's Wedding Day

It was a wonderfully busy, happily-stressful, joy-filled, tearful, exhausting week and today I'm somewhat rested, dried out and ready to blog.

On 4.4.14 Stuart and Stephanie were married in the Salt Lake City Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for time and all eternity. And, in case you've ever wondered, this is what joy looks like!

We were so fortunate to have all of our family here for this wonderful day! (Even though we are missing Kevin, Ryan and their families from this pix... sad face)

I can't even begin to express what it was like to sit in the sealing room of the Salt Lake Temple with many of our posterity. I think that it must be close to heaven!

Stuart specifically told me he didn't want me behind the camera so I obediently turned over my camera (after a few shots) to one of Stuart's friends and will wait for the wonderful photos from Brittany Cascio. She does such beautiful work.

I don't know what was being said here but I love the happy smiles of these wonderful people who are my children! How did I get so blessed?

I love these happy sisters (and Stu too)!

Speaking of... I couldn't have asked for a better close up of my Stuey.

And with my family you know we love to have fun...

This reminds me of a similar photo from Camille's wedding.

I love that they did this pose... it is my favorite...

And why not for little-Joanie too?

Oh, and these big boys? When did they get so grown up? Mama has on 4" heels!

This favorite hails back to a day at the beach almost 28 years ago. It's caption is, *Strong like booll*

And my precious babies... *all growed up*!

And these ladies? We've been BFF for almost 30 years. They've been with me through many ups and a few downs. I am so blessed to have women like this in my life. We've all realized how rare and precious our friendship is! It is one that is not oft repeated!! Kristi commented how wonderful it is that they come to help me with these weddings.

Little dressed-alike cousins.

And this... Rebekah meets her little Fiona-niece! What a blessing family is.

The only sad thing about these photos is that since I'm not the one taking them there are so many that are missing... but those memories will live in my heart just the same.

“No lace. No lace, Mrs. Bennett, I beg you!”

Anyone who knows me knows I am a little quirky! One of my quirks is quoting movies/books... it just makes me happy.

While at JoAnn's last night I proclaimed aloud, "No lace, Mrs. Bennet! No lace!" Luckily Stephanie is used to me enough that she didn't even bat an eye. Finally I said, "Do you know that quote?" Her reply, "Something Jane Austen?"

And those naughties at Orem JoAnn's truly had NO LACE! Nor any matte bridal tulle! Are you kidding me? The perk is that I drove to Spanish, got the tulle and could measure an exact amount for the LACE! (5 yards)

Today Grampy and I drove up to Draper JoAnn's to find the lace for Mrs Bennett Lewis' veil, who has her bridals on Monday.

Cut. It. Out!

Sometimes I amuse myself...

I started cutting out dresses for Stephanie's bridesmaids. Since there are NINE (but I'm only sewing 8 of them!) I have to cut out one, mark the pieces, transfer any markings and then keep all those pieces together because I need the pattern to cut out the next dress with that person's unique measurements. 

I thought, "Hey, I've got all of those 1-gallon ziplock bags in my sewing room. I can use them!" When I pulled them out of the grundle of various size bags I found a couple labeled with names on them FROM CAMILLE'S WEDDING! No wonder I thought it was such a good idea!

Two down and six more to go!

Measuring Up

Even though the fabric for Stephanie's bridesmaid dresses has been in my sewing room for the last 2 weeks... I HAVEN'T! So tonight she had a measurement party at her house to get everyone's measurements. We texted about this last night but tonight I started getting nervous so she kindly invited me over to *just do the dang measuring myself* (my words, not hers!)

I didn't take long for me to realize I really didn't have to be there, but I'm sure glad I went. I got to hear more of the *Stuart and Stephanie* story than I've ever heard before. We are so pleased that Stephanie is going to be part of our family.

One of the measurees was Camille. Fiona tagged along so she could visit with her favorite Auntie NieNie. We decided that SHE should model the reject wedding veils. (Cuz you know that the real veil won't be seen here until after the big day!)

Fiona is at such a cute age. She loves to flirt and smile.

Let The Sewing Begin!

When Stuart and Stephanie got engaged last month I offered to do sewing for their wedding. Tonight was the shop-a-thon for bridesmaid dress fabric and pattern. Stuart, Stephanie and I all met at JoAnn's. I've been saving up my 50% off coupons for this occasion.

Stephanie had a good idea what she wanted for the dresses so we just needed to find a pattern that fit the bill. Without much trouble we found one; then we had to multiply times 8 and special order the fabric. Yep, and got to use one of those coupons!

We called Gordon to come meet us for dinner at Joe Bandito's!

Yum and thank you for dinner, Stuart!