Memorial Day Weekend '06

Beneath the sunburn, behind the exhaustion and the full belly that remains from a weekend full of eating, lies a three day Memorial Weekend packed with memories. It was a weekend filled with great friends, great food, and plenty of sunshine to top an already amazingly good time.

The weekend kicked off on Friday as I hurried home from work to meet up with Tara, her roomate Dobry (Jeni) and Ashley for a night of grilled food and beer. We (read: them) cooked up hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, corn on the cobb and some baked beans and hurried upstairs to enjoy a fresh grilled meal.

Fast forward a half hour.

With full bellies we assessed the beer situation and decided we had plenty to keep us going all night. Thus, with beers in hand we busted out the board games...my favorite part of friendly get togethers. We started off with Yahtzee, as Ashley insisted she wasn't drunk enough yet for a game of Cranium and she proceeded to kick our asses in the coming rolls of the dice. Saddened at my defeat, I pulled out Cranium, ready for a game I KNEW I could win.

Drunken Cranium is probably on my list of top 5 things to do at a get together. I never laugh harder than I do while watching someone try to draw "Rock, Paper, Scissors" without looking at the paper, while their partner continuously yells "Square, Apple, Scissors", all the while thinking her guess is perfectly accurate given the picture being drawn. We never ended up finishing the game, but Tara and I were way ahead by the time we called it quits to play Circle of Death (more commonly called in B-Town, Kings Cup) =) We again failed to finish the game as Dobry left to vomit and Ashley and I engaged in an argument about whether feemer and leaner rhymed (which I must digress and admit I was wrong). It was then, we decided to call it a night.

I awoke early Saturday for work, which ended up being slower than usual, making it for a touch day to sit and stare, and wish you weren't hung over. At least I had the evening to look forward to, as Katie and I made plans for a late night out at our favorite B-Town bar: John's Main Event.

We arrived at 11:00 to a semi-crowded bar, but still managed to secure ourselves a seat at the bar, and a few rounds of shots courtesy of our favorite bartender. Seeing as how our money was obviously no good there, we decided to plug the juke-box with dollars and fill the bar with the sounds of Katie/Christi music. Def Leopard's "Pour Some Sugar On me" always gets me into the partying mood, so we opted for a few more shots, a few more drinks, and plenty of friendly run ins with old friends. But alas, at 2:00 a fight had broken out, dampening the mood of the night so we left the bar, destined for some late night eats at White Fox Den. Bed time didn't come until around 5:00 and I dragged myself out of bed three hours later to get to work.

I spent two hours at the salon on Sunday then quickly closed up and drove home to meet Tara at my apartment. I threw on a tank top, grabbed my flip-flops, and we were out the door, ready for a day by the lake.

We strolled to Altera, wandered through the Kite Festival and spent a lot of time lounging around on picnic tables, talking and people watching. It was the perfect way to spend a 90 degree day in Milwaukee. As dusk fell, we opted for an easy night in, rented a few movies, and by 9:30 I was sleeping on the couch.

Finally, memorial day came and the sun was shining as beautifully as it had the day before. I jumped out of bed, threw my swimsuit on, and we headed, with the Cabby's drop top down, to the beach to spend a few hours lounging in the sun. A few hours quickly turned into a half hour and we realized we had less time to spend there than we had originally hoped. It was a wonderful half hour though.

Tara and I reloaded up the Cabby and drove to the Metro Market to pick up BBQ essentials for our cookout with Erin and Dave. We loaded up on fresh fruit, buns, and of course Metro Market's famous free samples! The Metro Market rocks!

We arrived at Erin and Dave's exactly on time and we chatted for a while (us girls) while Dave manned the gril. Ah yes, the fine display of gender roles =) KIDDING! After dinner we played a few games, Dave kicked our asses in Trivial Pursuit, and so we moved to Taboo where Erin and I dominated the round.

And with that, my weekend ended and I sit her now recapping it and nursing my sunburnt shoulders. As the last weekend in May bring about the first week in June, it also brought with a hint of summer that still remains in the memories of the weekend. But as a cool air blows from the open door in front of me, and the signs of rain linger in the air, I am reminded that this summer is indeed still around the corner. I just can't wait for it to fully arrive!

Hints of Summer...everywhere!

As I sit here at work, eating my lunch, I can look over to my right and see the M&I Bank’s time/temperature gauge blinking 75 degrees. If I look further past the bank I can see a mother walking her dog while pushing her young son in a stroller. Behind me, the faint chipper of baby birds can be heard as the mother Robin, who has declared our tree right outside our store door her home, feeds her young who have only hatched days ago. Through the store a warm breeze blows, and it occasionally carries with it the scent of lilacs from the bush just outside our doors. Cars with carriers strapped to their hoods prepare for a weekend getaway in the great outdoors and next door men and women are coming in by the dozens, picking up last minute flower arrangements for their Memorial Day Weekend get-togethers. Memorial Day Weekend is upon us. The kick-off to summer has begun!

I, unlike my fellow peers, will be spending the majority of my weekend here at the store, but I am anxiously looking forward to Monday where a barbeque with my two best girls awaits. There is nothing like 3 of my favorite people in the world, a grill, and plenty of sunshine to kick off the summer. I cannot WAIT for the season to arrive!!

90 degree days
Cabby top down
Summer drinks at outside cafes
Lake Michigan
Suntans
80 degree nights
Warm thunderstorms
SUMMERFEST
Poison!
Las Vegas
Camping and campfires
Rides on my dad's Harley
Wine on our front porch
Flip Flops
The Ice Cream Man!
Bustling Milwaukee streets

...and I'm sure there's many more.

So today, as I sit here with my diet coke, I put up a toast to the M&I Bank's 75 degree declaration today. *Cheers* to everything that is summer. I definitley can't wait.

Hollywood Superhumans?

On my day off yesterday, I decided to relax on my couch and browse through a few pages of my roomate's "Us Weekly" magazine...a magazine that I rarely pick up on my own these days. I had heard through the grapevine that Britney was in deed pregnant again, and the radio has been buzzing about something regarding Richie Sambora and Denise Richards, so I decided I should probably catch up on my celebrity gossip, for conversation purposes of course.

I was floored when I read THIS!

Is it really newsworthy that Jennifer Lopez is gray? Is it really that hard to comprehend that Hollywood royalty really is human after all?

I did a Google search just to see how much of an impact this topic is having on the world and I came up with over 87,000 sites related to Jennifer Lopez, and her graying hair. 87,000 different people care enough to discuss this topic. In fact, it has even stirred up so much commotion that Jennifer Lopez's rep had to comment saying "Jennifer is not gray". As if a public statement regarding her human nature was even necessary.

Jennifer, I salute you for showing your human roots. I commend you for giving your hair a break from it's consistent dye jobs (as if I should talk). Maybe you should embrace your humanity! The rest of the world will learn to accept it. I promise.

To the rest of the world, stricken with grief over this terrifying news, it's time to bust out your boxed dye and get rid of those roots! If Jennifer Lopez can't get away with it, there's no way in hell the rest of us commoners can get away with it. I just wonder if they'd be as interested to know that my mom has been mostly gray since before I can remember. Hell I'll put out a public statement for her too!!

Kudos to UsWeekly and Jennifer Lopez's rep for promoting such positive values to the world.

I now remembered why I don't read those magazines =)

Bridal Question

As a member of the bridal industry I have a very important question that I would like answered by anybody that can give me a straight forward answer:

"What is it about David's Bridal that makes people want to keep shopping there?"

On an average basis, I see about 4 to 5 brides a day and each day at least one of them sits and complains about the David's Bridal experience. The $700 in alterations they wanted her to pay, the rudeness, the hidden fees, the lack of personal attention, the sizing problems, the chaotic atomosphere.....It's enough to make you wonder why anyone would continue to refer people there? And it's aggravating to me as a bridal salon owner (okay daughter of), when it's up to me to fix the numerous mistakes and get the bride back on her happy trail to the altar, simply because David's Bridal refused to offer her any additional service once her dress was purchased and gone!

I'd like to state that I am in no way knocking their product, because I have heard from a few people that their selection is quite great and I've seen friends get married in David's Bridal attire and the dresses are very pretty! But you can get pretty dress anywhere, why do people continue to go to David's Bridal if the service and the experience is so shitty?

Is it the fact that you can take your dress home with you right away that brides are willing to compromise service over convenience? Is it the fact that it's a large chain? Is it their prices?

Just a question. I'd truly like to know.

A Birthday Thought

At 1:01PM yesterday afternoon, I officially turned 24…24! As I do every year, I took a few minutes to reflect back at the time I’ve spent here on Earth and I can honestly say with all certainty that my life truly does just keep getting better and better as each year passes, and better and better as one more candle is blown out. I’m not sad that in turning 24 my youth is behind me, because I have my adult life to look forward to! I have professional accomplishments to achieve, houses to build, families to make, and a lifetime of experiences to learn from. How can one not be excited about what lies ahead!

For a moment yesterday I thought “Omg I’m 24!” But it was only for a moment because in looking back at my life, I can’t think of a single place I’d rather be, than where I am right now and where I am going in the future. I’m another year older, and another year wiser, and it’s only going to get better from here.

I spent my day celebrating yesterday with friends and family; a spa day with my mom, dinner with my family and Tara, drinks with Erin and Dave, and many phone calls and text messages from those around me that remembered my birthday. It was a low-key day, but a wonderful day. At 24 I didn’t need a big “All About Me” birthday party, I didn’t need a million presents, and I didn’t need a restaurant full of people singing Happy Birthday to me. All I needed was my amazing family, my wonderful girlfriend, my dear best friends, and the meaningful phone calls to make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. And yesterday I really did.

So cheers to another year older! Bring it on 24!

Heather and Eric's Wedding

I work in the bridal industry and for a living, I immerse myself in weddings. Between the gowns, and the cakes, and the bridezillas and the momzillas and the bridesmaids...it’s a never ending process. Day after day the girls come in and day after day the girls leave each with their own unique story and each with their own unique set of demands. It can be tedious, god knows this industry is not all butterflies and sunshine as one would think, and it leaves me bitter many days towards the entire concept. As I lock up the doors night after night I find myself breathing a sigh of relief as I finished out another day without strangling one of the over demanding mothers that came into the store. It leaves me wondering if I’m just a bitter girl with no real romance left.

But then suddenly, you’re at a wedding. Not helping a bride choose her dress, not dealing with the bridesmaids size issues, but instead are sitting in the pew, listening to the sound of the piano up ahead and taking in the soft murmur of the other voices in the chapel. Suddenly the music changes, “The Wedding March” is playing and everyone is turning over their shoulders. Within a matter of moments familiar faces are smiling at you, holding a beautiful bouquet of daisies wrapped with yellow ribbon. You smile back politely and anxiously await the music to change yet again. And then you see her, your dear friend from High School. She looks AMAZING; more beautiful than you’ve ever seen her look in her entire life! She begins to walk down the isle and it is then that you see the look, the smile. It’s only for a moment but it brings an instant tear to your eye. It’s that look that only a bride can give to her awaiting groom. The look of excitement, of nervousness, of “Are we really doing this?!” It’s the look of love in its purest form and when I saw it, I melted from the inside out. As Heather took her place alongside her life long love, I smiled and sat down. I wasn’t heartless after all. It just all doesn’t mean anything to me unless it’s someone that I love.

The ceremony was gorgeous. It was untraditional, and heart felt, and just absolutely beautiful. Heather sang, Carrie cried during her reading, and I sat through it all in awe at the love these two still share after 8 years together. As they walked out of the chapel together, hand in hand, I caught a smile from both of them. They were finally Mr. and Mrs. Whitten. It was time to celebrate!

The reception was held at Hawks View Golf Club in Lake Geneva, WI. Tara and I grabbed a table with the rest of my friends and we spent the next few hours chatting over martinis, beer, and yummy buffet food. Soon the music was blaring, and the girls were on the dance floor dancing the night away. The end of the evening came really fast and before I knew it, I was hugging the bride and groom goodbye and we were on our way back to Milwaukee.

I had just watched my two dear friends promise their love to each other. I was ready to head back to work =)

For more pictures from the wedding, Click Here

Life Update

I have nothing of substance to post about today. I just figured I was well past due for an update.

WORK

Besides seamstress issues, things have been great here at the store! We're anxiously preparing for the Fall 2006 season (I know it seems way too soon doesn't it?) and I've been up to my ears in preparations for our summer/fall store promotions. You won't hear any complaints from me though...I love it! My only complaints arise when our seamstress can't seem to do her job right, and our brides get pissed at us as a result. I sometimes wish I had the authority here to just hire and fire as I saw fit. This seamstress would be OUT OF HERE in no time! But alas, I must hold my tongue and hope my mom does what she knows is best for the store. She knows what she has to do.

LIFE

I hate how it takes death to make you appreciate life sometimes. A close friend recently lost her very quick battle with breast cancer, and has left us all feeling just a bit sickened, a bit frightened, and a whole lot more grateful for our own personal health. It is such a mind-numbing experience to know that one day you can be at work, chatting away with co-workers as if nothing in the world mattered, and the next day you are being told you have 6 months to live...and you only get to see two of those. It just goes to show how important regular examinations are.

MONEY

Oh yeah, I'm broke. Sing it with me all. Maxed out Credit Cards, bills due, no pay date in sight. It's a joyous time to be alive =)

FRIENDS

Heather and Eric are getting married on Friday!!!!! HOLY HELL!! I just got my dress back from my seamstress. She altered it for me so that it wasn't a long dress, but instead a tea length.

(Side Note: Can I just gripe about etiquette for a sec.? Who the HELL made up the "rules" for weddings? MOH does this, MOB can wear this, MOB can't wear that, attendees can't wear this....WHY? Since when does a party have so many damn rules?!)

I was obviously told by a few sources that it is seen as improper to wear a long dress to a spring/summer wedding because then you'll blend in with the bridesmaids (god forbid). So, whatever, I'm not going to start unecessary drama at my good friend's wedding. So I sucked up the extra costs and hacked it all off. So Heather, you'll be happy to know I will not be blending in with any of your bridesmaids (although now we're both wearing tea length so you tell me the logic here) =) I'm obviously being quite sarcastic and a bit mello-dramatic. But hey, I'm way excited about my new Michael Kors sandals to go with it! A long dress would just cover those up!!

HEALTH

Without any success, I have been trying repeatedly to acquire my mom's Laryngitis. There is just something slightly sexy to me about having a rhaspy voice for a few days. But, no such luck. I'm stuck here with a healthy voice.

Aside from that, my numerous doctors appointments have gone perfectly! OBGYN-Check, Dentist-Check! Okay, so the dentist didn't go AS well. I ended up having to have a root canal a few days ago but other than that, I'm a healthy girl. Horray! Now if only I could get my shoulder to stop acting up!