I. Am. Frustrated.

Right now, at this very moment, I am so incredibly frustrated, bummed and anxious.

Nothing - and I mean NOTHING - is working out so far with our wedding plans.  I feel like I've put a lot of brainpower and effort into nailing down some details this week and its all for nothing.  

It all started with the annoying realization that our number one reception venue isn't going to work.  It's too expensive, doesn't allow hard alcohol (important to us because we - and our friends and family - like mixed drinks) and just didn't seem willing to work with us.  

After that knowledge we regrouped.  My mom and I brainstormed other ideas and I have been systematically working through those only to have them fall through.  

We have chosen to get married in Hermann, Mo., a historic German town of around 3,000 people.  It's very quaint, in the heart of Missouri wine country, and should be a lot of fun for our guests, but our venue options aren't exactly overflowing.  

After the first place wouldn't work we thought, how about a bed and breakfast?  There is essentially market saturation for B&Bs in Hermann.  My parents know many B&B owners so we considered their places and places where you can rent the entire house.  We could hire catering, save money and cute up our table settings with fun, mismatched flea market finds on dishes and silverware (something that would be very me anyway), and have whatever alcohol we wanted.  

We thought this could be a nice, comfy option, but we also know we want dancing, so there'd probably have to be a tent.  I called a party company that rents tents and every other party component you could think of.  While they were very nice and helpful they were also very expensive, something I expected, but had a fleeting hope would somehow work out.  It's won't.  B&Bs are out.  

The next idea, the Bank Bar downtown, a nice, classy place that has a full bar, nice patio for an indoor/outdoor option, and a second room for dinner - it all sounded hopeful.  My parents know the owners so I called them up to chat.  She could do it, she said, but her place only holds 99 people and we think we may be over that.

DRAT!

Next, a place called the Concert Hall downtown.  I've been in the bar and restaurant area downstairs, but apparently there's an upstairs too.  I called them and he was very happy to work with us.  They can fit all of our guests and have a full bar.  The only thing is, he was supposed to send me a catering menu and photos of the upstairs and I haven't heard anything.  I want to see what that upstairs looks like because I do NOT want our reception to be in a divy bar - as much as I typically love divy bars.  So, I guess this is technically still an option.  

I called another of the wineries in town and they were more expensive than our first choice venue and also don't allow hard alcohol.  Out.

The next option is a refurbished brick place in an adjoining "town" that my mom says is nice.  The only problem is: the adjoining community is a DUMP.  People would have to drive through the country version of the projects to get to the venue.  I've told Todd I'm too the point where I'm not sure if I care.  As long as the end location is good what difference does it make if the drive in is ugly?  I'm not sure it does. 

And the cute idea of mismatched plates?  Nearly out the window too.  I looked online at eBay and all the plates I like are basically $50 for ONE place setting.  Like, for ONE person.  

I'm annoyed.  

I may start drinking that hard alcohol right now.  :)

Going to the chapel...

...and we're gonna get married!

Remember that song by the Crystals?  Maybe not, but it perfectly explains what Todd and I will be doing sometime this year!

Yep!

We're ENGAGED! 

Yay!

I've been engaged for about two weeks now, but haven't had a chance to share the news here.  It happened on Friday, Feb. 4 - the two-year anniversary of our first date - and the next day we took off for Jonna's wedding/vacation in Mexico.  I only had minimal internet service and wasn't able to upload any photos, so the news unfortunately had to wait.

So, how did he pop the question?

It was at dinner.  Todd and I had planned to go out for our anniversary and do everything we had done on our first date: sushi, karaoke, and Bloody Mary's.  Todd made reservations at a sushi place downtown we hadn't been to yet, a yummy place called Dsasumo.  The hostess led us to our table and we ordered a ton of sushi, so much in fact, that it had to come out on two plates! 

We polished off the first plate and I reached for the second.  As I pulled the plate closer I noticed something weird on it and scooted it closer for a better look. 

Written on the plate in sauce were the words, "Jury's in"... 

I looked at Todd and got out the words, "What the...?" before he got up and told me to come to the edge of the booth...

***Flashback***

Some of you may remember how, on our first date, Todd asked me over Bloody Mary's at the end of the night how I thought the date was going.  At the time, I thought, who asks that?  I replied that I thought it was good, I guess, and what did he think?

"Jury's still out," he tells me. 

WHAT?!?

Who says that to a person on a first date??  Someone who doesn't want a second date, that's who.  

But he explained that he wasn't quite sure what to make of me because I actually talked and could carry on a conversation.  Some previous girlfriends and dates were less than capable of holding their own, and if you know me, you know I'm pretty chatty.

I went out with him again.  And again.  And, well, before I knew it he was saying "I love you," and asking me to move in. 

***Flash forward***

At the edge of the booth, Todd dropped to one knee and pulled out the ring.  He said a bunch of stuff I had to have him repeat later because I was so shocked and just wasn't processing! 

But I do remember clearly him telling me I was the one for him and asking me if I would marry him.

I also remember saying, yes, but Todd says I just stuck out my hand in shock.  Hmmm...I'm wondering who has the faulty memory here.  haha

So, here we are...ENGAGED!  I honestly doubted I'd ever be saying that about myself.  Every time I look at my finger I'm in awe.  Or maybe I'm just hypnotized by my bling!



Where am I?

In Mexico!

Todd and I flitted off to the beaches of the Riviera Maya on Sunday and have been enjoying the sun and fun for the last few days. 

A girlfriend is getting married at the posh El Dorado Royale this Saturday and we decided to make an extended vacation out of it.

The place is absolutely amazing!  The food has been outstanding, the ocean is very clear and very turquoise, and the resort itself is out of this world gorgeous. 

I can't load any photos right now because Internet in Mexico is...less than reliable.  I've tried loading a photo to facebook and gmail and it's just more than their system can handle.  So, they'll just have to wait 'til I get home!  Which, knowing the cold we'll be returning to, may be never!

Except we don't have Rigby with us...so we've got to get back.

Well...hasta luego!  (See you later!)  A beachy drink is calling! 

The item I most dread

Swimming suits.

I hate all of them.  I hate shopping for them.  I hate trying them on.  I hate the way they look on me.  Hate, hate, hate.

But sometimes, unfortunately, they are a necessary evil.  Like, when, say...you're going to Mexico for a week.  Since it would be universally viewed as weird to be on the beach in a burka, a swimsuit is a must have.

It's not because I'm modest.  It's because I hate the way they look on me.  If I had the body of a Victoria's Secret model I wouldn't even be writing this post.  But I don't and consequently I dread having to parade around flaunting every flaw I spend most of the months of the year happily hiding.

Knowing how long it takes to find a suit I can live with, I started my Great Swimming Suit Search a couple months back.  Surprisingly, I found a suit I rather liked in a catalog I randomly received one day and which I had never received before.  I consider it divine intervention.  The suit was comfortable - unheard of.  And I didn't feel 100 percent wretched in it like I usually do.  I kept it.

While I "liked" the suit, it was really more sporty than sexy and I wished it made me feel more like lounging at a fancy resort - like the one we're going to - than hitting the waves for a surfing competition.

So, I decided to look for another for some variety.  We will be there a week after all, and I should probably have a back up.  Not many places have swimming suits out yet, so the selection was quite limited.  However, I think I found one that is a little more lounge-appropriate.

We'll see how it goes, but I guess, what should I care?  I'll likely be in a cover up most of the time anyway!