A Wedding!!, made by hand...

My twenty something-ish cousin just got engaged over the weekend. YAY!! 

I'm so excited for her! She's been living in Oklahoma the last few years, about 5 hours from me, and while her fiance and his family are from Oklahoma, her whole family is back in Indiana. Once I read her engagement status on Facebook (of course!) and being relatively close to her geographically, I offered her as much help with her wedding as I could give her....because face it, most of us aren't going to have the green to put on a wedding like Prince What's His Name did over the pond a few months ago. 

Offering her my help got me to thinking about DR and my wedding. Boy, did we get help that really kept the cost of our wedding low! Of course it didn't hurt that I'm a cheapskate, miser, tight wise with my money either.  

First our reception was in the town park which I received as a wedding gift from a couple of guys on the park board whom I just happened to coach track with. 

If you look behind my sister on the tent poles you'll see bundles of wheat and flowers, which my sisters and I picked out of fields and ditches. And that big beautiful sunflower arrangement on the table? It's in a Ball Canning Jar. Yep, I had two fabulous sisters who did ALL the flowers; bouquets, boutonnieres, table arrangements...and they did a great job! 

Friends of ours served the food and another friend roasted half a hog for the reception as a wedding gift too. Looking back, I'm really thankful for all those gifts that helped me have a wedding party! 

My mom made my wedding dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. (Ugg...sorry my lovely sisters... This photo suddenly brings to mind that movie 27 Dresses! And no, you can't wear it again!!) 

Come to think of it, in the past 9 years my mom has sewn 3 of our wedding dresses and probably a total of 10 bridesmaid dresses for 4 different weddings! Mom, you are a saint! 

For our wedding, to keep costs down and to add a more personal touch, I designed our wedding invitations. 

And being that our wedding was in August when guests arrived they received our program printed on a fan. The front was a drawing I had made and a poem and the back had all the pertinent stuff you usually find on a wedding program. 

If my cousin is anything like me *cheapskate*, which I'm pretty sure she is, she'll probably want to save some money on her wedding. From the dress, food, cake, photos, flowers, gifts, etc, etc.....what kind of advice can I give my cousin on her big wedding day? What is the best help you received on your wedding day? What are some great wedding resources that most people don't know about? 

Sept. 11, 2001 - Where were you?

It's been 10 years since 9/11. Wow..hard to believe so much time has gone by and so much has changed that can never be the same as that terrible day.

I'm thinking a lot of 9/11 lately. First of all, the 10th anniversary is buzzing around everywhere. Second, the boys are old enough to have heard about the twin towers falling and wanting to know why. Third, DR's birthday is on 9/11. He turned 25 that day. Needless to say celebrating his birthday since I've known him has never been fun.

I heard Alan Jackson's Where Were You When The World Stop Turning the other day.

That song makes me cry to this day.

"Where were you when the world stop turning? Teaching a class full of innocent children."

"Did you call up your mother, tell her you loved her?"

When the towers were hit, I was in a classroom of 6th graders taking ISTEP testing. It was a Tuesday. All the tv's were off. My next door teacher tiptoed in and told me the news after his wife had called him. I thought he was joking. Because we were in testing I couldn't turn on the tv or even talk about it for over an hour. I remember exactly what I was wearing that day; a khaki skirt and a denim 3/4 sleeve shirt over a red sleeveless sweater. I remember leaning against a counter in a daze watching over the heads of these innocent kids who, at the moment, had no idea what was going on. 

Later, of course, when classes resumed (6th, 7th and 8th graders) all the teachers had their tv's on and nothing was getting done that day. By noon though, my building principal had told all teachers to turn off the tvs which simply infuriated all of the history teachers. Rightly so. She, our principal, insisted that the tragedy was something the kids could talk to their parents about when they got home.

I was so mad. I was at whoever hit the towers and planes, because at the time no one knew, and I simply couldn't believe that our principal was going to let these kids go into an emotional overload during the afternoon without having any facts before they got home, instead rumors ran rampant through the afternoon about "who done it". Life would have been much simpler that afternoon if we had all watched tv.

I watched a bit of tv during my lunch hour and that made me a wreck for the rest of the afternoon.

Finally school was over and I made it home and turned on tv. I could barely believe the footage I was seeing. I cried and cried. I called my mom, of course, who was two hours away from me. She said, "Well now that you've called I've heard from all my kids." I remember ranting and crying to my mom over the phone. "How could anyone do such a thing?", I cried over and over and over. It just didn't make sense....it still doesn't. She just let me talk to her and we prayed together.

Looking back now, I wonder how was my mom feeling? Was she torn and crying inside or out? I never asked. I just called her immediately knowing she'd comfort me in any way she could. Mom was the only person I even imagined calling that day. Moms gain great courage and strength when their kids are in trouble don't they? Even emotional trouble. At the time I was an emotional wreck but if the same kind of event happened today I could totally see myself bucking  back the tears and anger to watch over my kids.

I don't know what we are going to do on 9/11 this year. If the boys want to talk about it we will. I'm not going to watch the news though. I saw enough of it 10 years ago. We probably won't celebrate DR's 35th birthday either. It's harvest so he'll probably be working.

Where were you on 9/11/2001? What are your plans for 9/11/2011?

Outrageous Kid Parties

Yahoo's 2nd birthday is coming up soon and I was searching the Internet the other day looking for some cake ideas and maybe some simple decorations. Nothing fancy. We aren't having a party, just cake and desserts after dinner.

However, while I was searching I was really surprised at how crazy some parents get over their kids birthday parties! This clip from the Talk really shocked me. Watch the first minute at least, a ball gown for a 6 year old?

Okay, that mom in the beginning was just nuts. How can you justify spending that much money on a 6 year old! I didn't spend that much money on my own wedding!



I also came across this post on a chat board.
 I know everyone is very busy lately but can we talk about our LO's first birthday party? This is my first child and I am feeling overwhelmed by the thought of her turning 1 soon. We are planning to have her birthday party at our house. May be 40 adults and 19 kids. I don't know how we are going to handle those kids. I just finished guest list and menu. However, I still have to send invitation/evites. Our parties are usually around meal time so we will have lunch for our guests. DH have decided to buy some toys and a diamond ear rings for her. I know she is her princess LOL. Since this is my first child, can you ladies please help me with some party preparations by sharing how's your birthday preparation coming up?


1) What is theme of your party?
2) What do you put in goody bags?
3) Sams club, Publix, or some other place for birthday cake?
4) Any party games for kids/adults?

5) What is your menu?

Diamond earrings for a 1 year old?? Dang! It took me till I was 34 to get diamond earrings! And 60 guests??? For a first birthday? Why? She won't even remember it!

I have a friend in Virginia who was shocked when her 7 year old son received birthday party invitations that included where the birthday child was registered for gifts! When she in turn sent out invitations for her own son's party with a 'no gift' request she had other mothers call and ask if it was a typo!

This year, since starting school, Yip and Yap have gone to a few birthday parties which included their whole kindergarten class, 18 kids, being invited. It always surprises me at these parties when 18 kids show up and the birthday boy/girl receives 18 presents and not just small book or Hot Wheels cars but some gifts were pretty big items.

Yip and Yap and I have already discussed their 7th birthday. They'd like a party, which is fine, but I can't justify asking every kid in their class to bring two gifts to fill up our house with toys which they probably won't play with. I don't see any problem with the 'no gift' request. I see birthday parties creating greedy little monsters out of kids! What is the point of inviting friends for a party? Do we want to have fun with our friends or rake in the booty? The boys and I have decided that for their birthday,at the end of the summer, we'll invite kids over for an art party where we'll have different art supplies and crafts set up and everyone can create their own masterpiece to take home. 'No Gifts' enforced. Does a fun party have to include tons of presents or fancy expensive attractions to keep kids busy? I don't think so.

We've never been a huge birthday party family. Some cake, ice cream and a few presents with grandparents and family in attendance. Yahoo's 2nd birthday won't be huge, and she definitely won't be presented with diamond earrings! She might have her uncle Marlboro Man in attendance but that will be the only family since everyone else is 1000 miles away. She's getting a couple toys and a big girl bed that's it. I did find a simple cake idea that Yahoo will love!

Using Mr. Potato Head parts for the cake and cupcakes. Too cute! (and easy) Plus Yahoo can help with decorating her own cake.

I think the Talk is right, these huge parties are more for the parents than for the kids. I can't justify a huge party when kids are so young they won't remember it. Now when they turn 13 or 16, that's a different story. I think a big party with lots of friends is a great idea but still I don't plan on spending tons of money, or asking others to, on my kids' birthday parties. No ball gowns. No crystal carriages. No pony or hot air balloon rides.

What is the craziest kid birthday party you've ever been to? What's your stance on the 'no gift' policy at parties? Am I wrong? Would you or have you throw a huge party for your kid's birthday?

Tangible proof that my mother loves me...

Yep, that's right. These four boxes of Washing Soda proves that my mother loves me!!

Ha, ha! You see I make my own laundry detergent which includes washing soda. Do you know I can't find washing soda anywhere in the state of Kansas!! Well, at least not in this part of Kansas. About a month ago my brother Mountain Man went home to Indiana and my wonderful mother sent washing soda back with him. How sweet!!

I got this recipe from Country Girl in Maine.

2 cups grated bar soap

(I use Zote because it's in my little grocery and it makes 4 cups when I grate it but any bar soap would work.)

1 cup washing soda,

1 cup borax

Use 1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons per load.

Thanks Mom! These boxes should last a while!