Double Booked and a Wedding Cake - 25 days!

Rehearsal Dinner...

You might remember a few posts ago when I mentioned that the restaurant we are holding our rehearsal dinner at double booked us... seriously! I was sick as a dog with a broken insulin pump when I received the call from the restaurant. Apparently they have two wedding rehearsals scheduled for the same day, same time... hmpf.

As a result I had to go down to the restaurant in my public health disaster state and try to figure out what we were going to do - nothing like fun. The owner of the restaurant met me and after I sneezed and hacked all over the place (take that!), we pretty much determined it sucked to be me. How frustrating! They have a different area we can use, but the point is that when I booked they had nothing else written in their reservation book - therefore, I think I should have the room I requested... however, it is what it is and life goes on.

Tonight Brandon and I returned to the restaurant to talk about the rehearsal dinner and I am feeling much more reassured and think it should be pretty awesome - despite the fact that the restaurant was nearly condemned by the time I sneezed and sniffled my way through the last time I was there (sorry if this horrifies the rehearsal attendees!).


Wedding Cake...

Another wonderful moment as of late has been the constant preparation of wedding cake by my fantastic mom. It has been like a Betty Crocker Bake Off as she has prepared over 20 loafs of cake to be divided up for our lovely guests, and of course a layer for the top of the cake! I will be honest I've sampled and may I say YUM! I love my mom for many reasons - she can be punched by our dog and still come up fighting, she is the perfect West Wing buddy, she has always taken amazing care of my sister and I, but most importantly the fact that she always goes the extra mile with everything she touches is another reason I love her to pieces.

Okay it is 10 p.m. and time for bed... the shower tale will have to wait until tomorrow...

... whatever did happen with my wedding shoes?

After what can best be described as a hectic couple of weeks, I think it is time I finished up the saga of my wedding shoes as I have had requests from a number of people eager to find out whether I am going bare foot or not (they could have just been being polite and humouring me, but let's just pretend for the sake of argument they were intrigued by my tale)... However, before I get to the conclusion of the shoe saga, I must first talk about one of the more exciting elements of being a bride... getting fitted for your wedding dress.

EVERYONE knows that my search for the "perfect" wedding dress was rather "endless", which means it shouldn't be much of a surprise that I would be stressed passing my dress over to someone to cut and "mangle" into a different shape.  It is so perplexing that one buys a dress and then passes it over to someone else to re-shape the dress into something different.  While I am not really changing my dress the fact that it will still be carefully "pruned" amazes me... and makes me feel slightly nauseous with worry.

I think the key to avoiding the stress is to choose a tailor you trust... and I think I have accomplished this task, as I feel "relatively" relaxed about my choice or as relaxed as I get... we all know that is not necessarily very far).

I have now been twice to the tailors to have my dress "tweaked"... my opinion is that it gets better, and better and I cannot wait to see the final product.

Okay... I am done stalling, and now I think it is time to finish the shoe saga...

So I went to re-order my shoes... and as I mentioned previously I had received a coupon from Zappos and wanted to use it (obviously).  However, when I went to order the shoes the field for the coupon code never showed up on the screen, which meant I had to once more call Zappos and ask what the heck? (it was especially urgent as I already had given them my credit card information and didn't want to loose the coupon - I had earned it - they sent me used shoes!).

Calling worked out extremely well as ended up chatting to a lovely fellow stationed in no man's land California (as he described) who offered me an additional discount just because of the "trauma" (his words, not mine) I had experienced receiving used shoes... The order eventually was processed and the wait was then on and my anticipation was building to see what my shoes would be like... would they be new? would they be gently used? would they be neon pink? at this point I wouldn't be surprised if they were flip flops...

In less than three the shoes arrived and with rather nervous hands I slowly lifted the lid of the black and pick shoebox and carefully removed the pink tissue paper to discover... brand new shoes (thank God) - not a toe print in sight!  The shoes were exactly what I wanted (and ordered) and I am now eagerly working on breaking them in so that they (and I!) last for the whole wedding day.
 
Speaking of which the wedding is 26 days away... are you loosing sleep with excitement, or is it just me?

Facebook: The Wedding Planner of Tomorrow?

Here's the thing... I did not hire Facebook to be my wedding planner/vendor guide... however, apparently Facebook did not get the message, as since the day I changed my "official" relationship status my profile wall has been littered with ads relating to weddings and engagements. Now I realize that Facebook (like Google and other Internet based applications) gears its advertising to the content listed within the profile/web page/blog (etc...), but frankly it is starting to be a bit much.

Seriously, I don't know how many times a day I need to be reminded that I am getting married and need to be able to fit into my wedding dress! "The Wedding Dress Diet" and the "Liquid HCG Diet for Brides" (ummm what is HCG? Forget it, I probably don't want to know), are just two of a mass number of websites appearing on my profile geared towards making the bride-to-be panic and buy into the conspiracy that is the diet industry.

I would like to see an ad for this picture...

Tied up by Marriage... Try 1-800-1HELPME

Then again there are the ads suggesting I buy "Pinwheel" bouquets for my bridesmaids and that I too can have the "Perfect Wedding", or better yet I can have the destination wedding of my dreams... frankly Facebook basically does the work for you, it is all there, but would the service on the other end of the ad actually be more than a trained chimpanzee on a telephone? Wait another ad for "MarreMe" wedding planners just appeared... if you think I am lying and exaggerating the number of ads, I am not... I have viewed all of these ads in less than five minutes! Can you imagine the advertising exposure these ads give off? And frankly what I have just mentioned doesn’t even scratch the surface... there are wedding ring ads, cake ads, dress ads, venue ads, honeymoon ads, and ads just advertising ads! It gets to be a bit much and frankly a little like wedding bell capitalism overload!  There are even ads for wedding kilts!  Wait I need to look into this...

I guess all of the pending nuptial ads should act as a warning for after I get married, as I am willing to bet the ads that will appear after September 18th when Brandon and I say "I do" and I change my Facebook status will consist of a totally different theme... Viagra, divorce lawyers, divorce courts, open relationship counsellors, marital aids, mediators, dating for the discriminating client, How to Cheat for Dummies... you get the point... now you are probably sitting there worried that my emotion/opinion of marriage is jaded and bitter... but don't worry it isn't, the problem is that I am a realist and can't see advertisers making a lot of money off of ads for romantic getaway weekends, foot rubs, and books on How to Run a Hot Bath with Bubbles, Candles, and Rose Petals for Dummies (PS I am still trying to figure out what HCG is...).

What happens after I start having kids? Will the tone change? Will it be summer camps, Sylvan, and prep schools? I suppose only time and technology will tell... oooh they just added another ad... "Hey Day" online wedding services - how to build your wedding web page! I like to think I am doing okay... and now there is Bridal Cash Registry and Couture Bride... the ads will never end! I suppose this is what I have to look forward to as the days tick away and we get closer to the BIG day! In fact we are T-minus less than 6 months (how did that happen?)! Therefore stay tuned as the days progress and my tales continue as we get closer and closer to the alter... and closer to ads emphasizing divorce, alternative dating, ball and chains, nursing homes, and that ever faithful blue pill (I can’t wait 'cause that means I have married Brandon!)... let me know if anyone knows what HCG is!

Swimming in the Pool of Weddings

Blub, blub, tablecloths, blub, blub, registry, blub, blub, taxes...

I have to say that it always amazes me how when one starts planning a wedding the thinking never stops. For instance I have spent the one million days that have passed since Brandon proposed trying to pick colours for the wedding. Yes I know I have ordered bridesmaid dresses and the invitation paper, but the fact is that I am finding the actual decor colour scheme difficult to develop as a result of, well, everything! (Scottish may seem cool, but it adds a special layer of complexity to the situation).

Therefore, when I went with my lovely entourage (AKA: the Fiancé, the MOH, and the Queen Mum) up to Royal Ashburn to pick out table cloths for the day I felt a little overwhelmed with colour... it was everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. We were met at Ashburn by my lovely wedding planner (who had a Scottish wedding herself) and were offered a number of choices all of which would be perfect. In some ways I felt like a kindergartener and wanted to pick one of everything.

As the true spaze I am we debated everything (and are still working on completely crystallizing the ideas), however what impressed me the most was how supportive and understanding everyone was and not once did anyone suggest I would do better in a mental institution or perhaps as the "poop scooper" in a three ring circus - you know the job I am talking about... the dude/chick with the backwards hat following the parade of elephants around with an extra large shovel, known as "the" shovel (sorry folks not for home use, as they are only available via special order and not from Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart or Zellers).

Therefore the debate... do I choose green? chocolate? champagne? buttercup yellow? electric blue? dogwood rose? jazzberry jam? well you get the point... (Don’t worry electric blue is not really an option! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colors). Well the verdict has been reached, but only as a result of a huge expenditure of brain power on my part... sigh... this is where the blub, blub, blubbing starts.

Now with tablecloths planted firmly in my past (thank God), I have turned my attention to registering. DISCLAIMER: I WOULD LIKE TO STATE NOW THAT I DON`T EXPECT GIFTS, I ONLY WANT TO SHARE BRANDON AND MY BIG DAY WITH OUR CLOSEST LOVED ONES. PLEASE DO NOT FEEL YOU NEED TO BUY FROM THE REGISTRY THIS IS JUST ME EXPLAINING MY TALE... In order to avoid the appearance of asking for gifts I am not going to use the stores' names in this discussion; instead I am going to refer to the first store we registered at as “Regina Phalange” (I miss Friends) and the second as “Tom, Dick and Harry”.

Never having been married or had a baby before I have never registered, hence why this was a bit of a learning experience... We went to Regina Phalange and met with the staff member assigned to the registry area... then we were turned loose with a scanner and a never ending time frame. Frankly I think Brandon became blinded by the light of Regina Phalange’s “electronics’ department”, as his top priority was to scan a number shiny objects (aka televisions) and a few lazy boy recliners... once I got that out of Brandon’s system and suggested that perhaps we would do better with a few gifts geared towards actually living in our future residence (aka sheets, towels, dishes) we really got down to business.

Our second stop was Tom, Dick and Harry. This store was not as much fun as Regina Phalange as I feel that it did not have enough to offer and the quality just wasn’t there. However, we finished off the items on our list, but we still had one more stop...

While Tom, Dick and Harry and Regina Phalange proved to be interesting experiences, Brandon and I found the Oshawa Regina Phalange rather lacking and decided we would be better off hitting the downtown location... and the only thing that can be said is WOW! And as a result we are now done the whole “registering process” with the minor exception that we have a king sized duvet registered with a queen sized duvet cover, but the way I look at it marriage is a work in progress... blub.

The final topic that I am swimming in as we tick down the days till the wedding (198 and counting!) is the HST. This is a problem because we clarified with all of our vendors when we signed the contract the impact the HST would have on our cost, but when it came down to it not all of them respected our contracts. Therefore, blub, I have been spending the last few weeks, blub, trying to sort out this mess and fight the “good” fight, blub. I will explain the whole saga when it comes time to pass, but for now let me say that it is drama ridden at best.

Did anyone note my mention of 198 days and counting? We have entered a new century of pre-wedding bliss and I cannot wait for the days to tick away. As such I want to take this moment and thank both our families for all they do for each of us every day. For example without my MOH, I would be lost (she is my hero after all).

WE ARE GETTING MARRIED!!!

Cakes and Kilts... What More Could a Girl Ask For?

Wow there is less than eight months until the big day; time has flown so fast! January has been jammed packed with wedding activities and the excitement is building. The last two weeks have seen us take care of ordering the cake, the lads (going for the Scottish thing) getting sized for kilts, and my Lassie’s (AKA the Unit) picking their bridesmaid dresses!

And the journey begins! 

Doesn't he look cute?... confused about his apparel, but cute!

For Brandon and I cake is not the most important part. It is obviously a key to the whole day (you have to have something to shove in your new spouse’s face), but for us a wedding is not defined by cake... however... there are some that would disagree and by that standard we still have to choose a wedding cake that is edible and at least goes with the whole wedding motif we have tried to create.

Enter Aunt Audrey’s Cakes (for more information please visit:
http://auntaudreyscakes.com/)... and may I say YUM! Instead of being a lack lustre experience I completely enjoyed the cake sampling and the cake design we chose. This is where I have to give a shout out to Brandon for his fantastic ability to understand food; he has this incredible knack for mixing the right sauces, spices, carbs, proteins and vegetables into the tastiest mixtures one has ever tasted! In fact I have been known refer to Brandon as the king of Subway as without fail we can stand in line at Subway right beside each other and put the exact same ingredients on a sub, but every time (EVERY SINGLE TIME) Brandon’s sub ends up being 1000% better than mine (amazing but true). He actually might be the eighth wonder of the food world... Anyway, back to the cake...

Landon... Booyah!

I don’t want to ruin the surprise, so I will leave it that we chose a lovely cake and I am completely pumped to have what appears to be a lovely food item to shove in Brandon’s face (mwhahaha, mwhahaha)... well, not really... this is where I have to be honest... I am not into the whole cake in the face thing... in fact it kind of disturbs me and as the resident diabetic in the relationship I feel shoving a pile of sugar in my face (even if it misses my mouth) is just bad mojo for the day – sugar is evil stuff and I wouldn’t put it past it to try to absorb through my skin into my blood stream and send me on a high that no legal or illegal drug could produce. I am explaining this right now so no one thinks I am being a stick in the mud on the big day... I am just being practical... we all know how my luck works and if it wasn’t a crazy high blood sugar as a result of my face being caked it would be my uncanny ability to somehow get icing in my eye and end up blind... therefore, it is just better to avoid, avoid, avoid.

I think someone finds something funny!

The next wedding event that transpired was something that both Brandon and I have been eagerly anticipating for months – the kilts! We can’t call ourselves off kilter if we don’t have kilts! Therefore, on a sunny day in January we went to the Scottish Company at Leslie and the 401 and were sized... now frankly I am going to try to do my best to explain, but the pictures will have to do most of the talking because frankly it was so much fun to see.

Sue you cannot hide from the camera!

One big topic during the course of the fitting was the to wear underwear or not debate... this has been a critical debate for months and one that I personally feel is open, shut... and covered! The gentleman who fitted the guys and doll(s) pointed one important fact out to the troop and that was... THESE ARE RENTED KILTS and perhaps you won’t want to share space quite that way. Therefore, the jury is still out, but I am thinking with arguments like that it won’t be that much longer until a clear distinction is made.

I'm not sure about the shoes Deep, but you look pretty darn good in a kilt!

In addition to Brandon’s gang we had two younger visitors with us: Carter (remember him? he was just born not that long ago) and Brandon’s niece Alyssa (absolutely adorable young lady). It was great to have them along for the ride and frankly they work well in pictures!

(Left to Right)

Mom practicing her baby holding techniques on Carter

It looks like Brandon is kidnapping Alyssa away... Run Alyssa, Run!

Okay, okay, that is probably enough for tonight, but that leaves the tale about bridesmaid dresses for next time! Therefore, stay tuned and while I think these jokes are mildly tasteless those who are anti-kilt will probably get a chuckle and occasionally I have to provide you folks and outlet for your unkiltsmanlike opinions (and the guys and doll(s) of Brandon’s gang a few options for comebacks on the wedding day... ummmm Sue I don’t know what you are going to say, but we’ll work on it)!

(Left to Right) Suzie Q and Terry Too... My parents and me... I am so lucky! 

Therefore, a few responses to the question: What do you wear under your kilt?

1. Nothing is worn, in fact everything is in good working order!
2. My mother once told me a decent lady wouldn’t ask, God bless ’er she was right!

3. On a good day lipstick (okay that one is inappropriate, but I laughed really hard)!

4. My shoes and socks!

5. Ahhh lass I am a man of few words... (and one can imagine where that ends!)

6. My Scottish Pride!
(For more information on jokes that will tickle your sporran please visit: http://hubpages.com/hub/thejockspot_UP_YOUR_KILT and/or http://www.realmenwearkilts.net/what.html)  

PS I didn't want to give away any "real" pictures of the kilts since I figure that should be a surprise.  However, I will let you know that the tartan is Scottish National and the whole kilt fitting was one of my favourite parts so far!

An "Off Kilter" Experience: The Holiday Inn Express in Whitby, Ontario

As I am getting married this year (September 18, 2010) I need to book a large quantity of hotel rooms for my guests to stay in and like any other bride I made a couple of appointments to check out my options (please let's remember I am Scottish [READ: cheap]).

The second of the two appointments I booked was for January 3, 2010 (3pm) at the HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS in WHITBY, ONTARIO.  Hating being late we, (my parents, my sister and I) arrived at the hotel right on time. Among other pieces of information I hoped to find out, I wanted to ensure that the honeymoon suite was what my fiancé and I were looking for.

Upon entering the hotel (FYI The hotel was HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS in WHITBY, ONTARIO) I immediately walked up to the front desk and introduced myself (please note I had been advised that anyone could take me around the hotel and that it would be their "pleasure"). The employee rudely told me that the “Presidential (AKA Honeymoon) Suite” was dirty and had not been cleaned, nor would it be cleaned for the rest of the day as they were short on cleaning staff (Bottom Line: we could not see the room). Upon inquiring if this was a regular occurrence it was suggested that the hotel was typically short of cleaning staff. Additionally no offer was made for us to see the rest of the hotel, no apology was offered and basically we were dismissed completely out of hand.

This really frustrated me for a number of reasons: 1) as the appointment was at 3pm (their specified time) my entire day off (as it was a Sunday) had to be structured around this time, 2) I was insulted because I felt the employee treated me with complete disregard and open rudeness, and 3) I do not know what the common cleaning practices of hotel chains are (don't know if I want to...), but the impression I was left with was that it was undetermined when the room would be cleaned and that seems unhygienic at best.

After stewing over the issue I called the hotel (just in case you can’t remember the name it was THE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS in WHITBY, ONTARIO) on Monday January 4, 2010 and asked to speak to the general manager. I was informed there was no general manager for the hotel, but that the Guest Services Manager (GSM) would be able to assist me.

The GSM (Rosie) came on the line, apologized for the inconvenience I had experienced and invited me to come back to the hotel and “try again”. However, before we set a date for us to come back she informed me that the room was STILL NOT CLEAN, nor would it be cleaned until the following day (over 48 hours in case you are not keeping track). Disappointed by the situation (and concerned about the hotel’s cleaning practices) I agreed to come in on January 6, 2010 to view the room and have a tour of the hotel. In the event that the room was booked she was to call me and let me know so that I didn’t waste my time. I was also given the name of the hotel staff member that would assist me at 7pm and the guarantee that I would be taken care of.

On January 6, 2010 my family, my fiancé, and I went to the HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS in WHITBY, ONTARIO for the second time that week to view the room. Upon entering we were greeted by a staff member who went to get the employee that was to assist us. When the employee walked out (clearly confused) I introduced myself and it was immediately clear she had no idea about the appointment and admitted as much. Accordingly I explained what we were looking for and was told that the room had been given as an upgrade to one the “Priority Rewards” Members and we would not be able to view the space.

In the end she did take us on a tour, but everything seemed poorly kept and the Jacuzzi tube in one of the rooms looked questionable at best and frankly the whole experience left a dissatisfying taste in our mouths.

This whole experience was juxtaposed by the fantastic experience we had when we went to visit the hotel directly next door to the HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS in WHITBY, ONTARIO – the Marriott Residence Inn. The Inn provided us with an excellent tour, lots of helpful answers and information and looked remarkably clean (mind you, comparatively to the Holiday Inn it may not have taken that much!).

Therefore, it is easy to make my decision as to which hotel chain to use, obviously one hotel wants my business and the other one has zero interest or commitment to ensure guest satisfaction, quality and making the effort out to make my wedding just that little bit better. Seriously why would I want to stick my family and friends into rooms of a questionable cleaning status and force them to deal with rude staff?  Talk about being a little "off kilter"!

Frankly, as a side note to the HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS in WHITBY, ONTARIO I am disappointed and frustrated and I feel you owe me an apology. Thank you for wasting my time, but I do appreciate you making my decision that much easier as now I know that I want to stay at the Marriott Residence Inn – with wedding bells on in fact!

PS: I am a little annoyed (if you haven't guessed... so I did something I've never done before - I made a YouTube Video and e-mailed it to the Holiday Inn... you know just to get their thoughts on the whole situation as clearly phone calls don't work (did I mention that I tried calling back to complain and it disconnected?)... Originally I was going to use clay and make figures for the video and act the whole thing out, but when I realized that might be going a little far I just decided to give my verbal account... make sure to visit the link so the Holiday Inn recognizes that people are interested and it is time for customer service to take the driver's seat... instead of a back seat to commercialism, staff cuts, and simply poor quality overall (quantity isn't everything).

YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeJyjrg1pkg (If you have "issues" watching this video click on the "HQ" button in the right hand corner of the video screen)

iPhone, Videographer and Ice Skates

My week can best be described by three words: iPhone, videographer and ice skates; an interesting combination I am sure you will agree. I am also positive that you are wondering how at least two of the three have anything to do with my wedding and/or weddings in general. Therefore, sit back, put your feet up, fix yourself a beverage (before you put your feet up), and relax while I fill you in on the comings and goings of the last few days.

First off... my cell phone died. Yes I know I have put this poor electronic device through the ringer (pun intended) – dropping it, losing it, soaking it, forgetting to charge it (etc...), but I do feel that it should last longer than just over a year... regardless of the means I use to torture it.

Therefore, as this is the year 2009 and I cannot commute back and forth to Toronto without a cell phone, my future husband, Mr. Brandon R.M. Fulton was put in charge of taking my phone to Rogers and getting it fixed – Ha! That was a pipe dream; apparently it would cost roughly the equivalent value of an IMF loan for a small country to fix (read: look at and blink).  Consequently, Brandon made an executive decision and when I returned home that evening, to ponder my phoneless life, to what did my wondering eyes did appear, but a miniature iPhone and 3 gigabytes free.

December 6, 2008 - Whitby Santa Clause Parade...

What came next?  He proposed!  What a Year!

Now as many know I am Scottish (read: cheap) and accordingly this purchase got my veins pumping, but after being reassured (and this is ridiculous) that it was cheaper by half to get an iPhone than fix the piece of …. that I owned it was the obvious solution. Therefore, Brandon and I (because my fiancé was going to cry himself to sleep at night if he didn’t get one too) are the proud owners of two bouncing twin iPhones.

This relates to the wedding for several reasons, the first of which is that I actually have time to return e-mails! This may not seem earth shattering to some, but to anyone who has done the bride shtick in the twenty-first century, it is gold. Therefore, to future husbands-to-be my biggest suggestion (read: your life saver) would be to get your future wife-to-be a cell phone that allows her to e-mail, Google (yes Google… I know, I know) and basically organize her life… you will be gold (read: may get dinner cooked for you once a week after the wedding).

Our Santa Hats... He must love me!

Still at Whitby Santa Clause Parade (2008)

However, the ownership of an iPhone comes with a certain level of responsibility (read: Brandon cannot seem to put the thing down!). Therefore, that evening when we met with our soon to be videographer (JM Productions) and wedding planner (Instyle Weddings) it was virtually impossible to drag his attention to the foreground and the task at hand… mind you (and I love her and she is an incredibly hard worker so this is meant completely positively) our wedding planner and him had a beautiful bonding session over the joys of an iPhone and all the applications (beer pong anyone?).

This conversation has brought me to the next word to describe my week… videographer. This has been a point of contention for me as (reference my previous note) I am Scottish (read: cheap may not quite describe it…). Therefore, it was a massive debate whether to go all out and hire one. I have asked everyone – from co-workers, to random GO Train passengers, to my dental hygienist and every single person said that it was a good idea and/or they regretted not having one at their own wedding. My final decision was made with the assistance of my GO Train Buddy/co-worker Denise (you’ll remember her as the one who helped me find Cindy from Michigan (tear… I love Cindy). Denise said that she loved her wedding video, and that it was (gulp) the only video she has of her grandparents smiling and dancing before they passed away… (sniffle). So there you go folks, were there really any other options?

The meeting with the videographer was enjoyable.  Megan, Brandon and Brandon’s iPhone accompanied me (I think we should name it…) to the appointment and it was great. Jonathan (the videographer) seems extremely thorough and I have to say I loved the videos he has done for other people so I am thinking I will love the video he does for us (crossing fingers…). Tamara (the wedding planner) as I said joined us at the appointment and as per usual she was delightful (read: extremely well organized and a good source of entertainment for Brandon). Actually Tamara has offered to be the “iPhone Bearer” at the wedding… [Brandon – if we require an iPhone bearer at the wedding… just assume you are going to be very lonely at the ceremony).

Nathan Phillips Square - Cavalcade of Lights

... not falling on my butt here!

(December 6, 2008)

So that brings me to the concluding descriptor for my week: ice skates. The truth is that I haven’t used them this season yet, but that is coming – tomorrow night in fact. This weekend is the one year anniversary since Brandon proposed! Yes that is right – one year! I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. It is almost surreal that in 288 days Brandon and I will be husband, wife, and iPhone? hmmmm…. Now as I will explain in perhaps my next post Brandon proposed to me at Nathan Phillips Square during the Cavalcade of Lights (picture perfect snow = lovely). Therefore, we are going back this weekend sans snow (thankfully!) to go skating and celebrate that we have survived one year of engagement (iPhone may need to be left at home… for those who are curious I do not abuse my privileges when it comes to the phone because I am perfect… just to avoid any confusion you may have). I am really excited about our plans as there is nothing prettier than the Square decorated with thousands of lights and millions of people whirling around me as I fall on my butt over and over again … oh winter in Canada! Even sitting here typing this I am getting excited – there is nothing like Christmas + wedding planning that gets me ready to bounce (read: looking like I have a nervous twitch by continuously looking at my engagement ring and smiling/laughing/vibrating/dreaming of the future).