My groom

The Future Mr. Palindrome, whom I also call my lovie, stinker, Jason bear, grumpy bear, and subbie (which isn’t as applicable since he got of the Navy), has done three amazing things for me recently.

1. Since I’m working from Norfolk while he attends his first semester of an MBA program in North Carolina, he’s been holding down the fort at our fixer upper (which you saw progress being made to back here). He surprised me by having wood flooring installed in our family room! Check out our before and afters!

2. That lil stinker also had a wedding dream before me! Well, categorically it was a pair of wedding nightmares, but since I haven’t dreamt or had nightmares about the wedding yet, he wins for the first in the relationship to have subconscious thoughts arise during sleep about the wedding. His first nightmare was that he was on the way to the rehearsal dinner but had no idea where it was and couldn’t reach anyone to find out. Panic inducing for sure. The second nightmare is that one of the palindromesmen, who frequently does business travel to Japan, got stuck in a Japanese airport and couldn’t make the wedding. Again, panic inducing. I assured him that I would make sure he got to the rehearsal dinner and that even if a palindromesman couldn’t make it, we’d be able to hold it over his head for years.


3. The final surprise is that my lovie recently read all of my blog – all the way through the archives. If that wasn’t touching enough, how ‘bout this? He turned off all of the pictures so that he wouldn’t accidentally see my dress. In unison now, “Awwwwwww.” If you didn’t know, the future Mr. Palindrome was the editor-in-chief of our school newspaper when I met him. He brought me on as an Arts & Entertainment editor. He paid me a huge compliment on the blog saying it was well written and funny. It made me a cheery bear.

Funny how I know since he recently read the whole blog, he probably won't read it again (and if he does, he won't turn on the pictures), so I now I feel the complete freedom to post silly pics of him in reindeer gear.  I guess I deserve when he calls me a Sneaky Bear.

Anygroom, I haven’t mentioned him a lot on the blog because he’s a private person in general – but here’s to you future Mr. Palindrome man (sing it with me, you know you love those commercials).

Palindromaid of Honor E and her 50's Look!

Palindromaid A got the party started!  Since I posted her look, I've gotten emails and updates from all of the Palindromaids.  Palindromaid of Honor E has pulled together a great look with a 50's vibe.  I'm amazed because she created this outfit from items she already owned!  I love chic and even better, I love chic on the cheap.  Nothing better than looking great and saving moolah.  Thanks to the Motherdrome and Grandmotherdrome for instilling my love of a bargain :)
Check out her look:

E got her dress from Ann Taylor (on sale!), her shoes are Bandolino strappy heels, and her earrings from Zales.  The necklace was a graduation gift from her godparents.  Way to go E!  Pearls and shrug collar?  How Mad Men of you!

The Winner of the Notecards!

Congratulations to the 5th commenter - Emily!

I asked my officemate at work to choose a number between 1 and 5 and there you have it.  :)  Gotta love a good old random number choice.  Woo hoo - yay for the first giveaway!

Friday Finds - Heartwarming Mod

TGIF!

Clockwise from the Top Right:
Cheesecake Vintage: Mustard Yellow Floral Dress
House of Telsa: Intertwined Headpiece
Ello There: Teacups Wedding Invitation
Knit Storm: Tea Love Mug Cozy

You've got a few more hours!

Before the contest closes - check it out here.

Another Love Story

I love The Price is Right.  Correction: I used to love The Price Right.  Back when Bob Barker was the host and my great grandmotherdrome would sit and watch with me.  Back when we ate blackberry pie with milk poured over the top.  Back when gasoline was under a buck.  Man did I love guessing the prices.

When I found out Bob Barker was retiring, I flew to Hollywood with my friend E to see a taping of Price.  In a story that's best told in person with me holding out my hands like a begging Oliver Twist, we didn't make the cut in the line and my dreams were dashed.  When Drew Carey started hosting, I stopped watching. 

I saw Bob Barker's autobiography, "Priceless Memories," at the library recently and couldn't pass it up.  In this unlikely place, I found a wedding gem:

"Dorothy Jo's parents said they would have a nice wedding for us in Springfield, one with our friends and all the trimmings, if we wanted.  Or, they said, they would just give us that money.
'Which do you want?' they asked.
And Dorothy Jo and I said in unison, 'We want the money.'
We got on a train and headed to St. Louis.  I had a hotel reservation in that city, and when we arrived, we went through the yellow pages, found a minister, and went to his home to be married.  ... It was January 12, 1945, and Dorothy Jo wore a red dress. I still have it.  She looked great, and both of us were ecstatically happy."

Source

They married right after Bob got his wings, just as many other young couples during WWII.  I love that they went for the money to build their home together.  I love that they took a train to the big city.  I love that they found the minister in the phone book.  I especially love that she wore red.  But most of all, I love how an incredibly simple wedding, made them so "ecstatically happy."

And that's my nice little pick-me-up for the day!

More Bling!

Over at Wedding Bee, they're all about this lady who takes ring pictures.  Actually, she's an established and brilliant photographer who very generously wrote a tutorial that explained to boneheads like me how to take a great ring shot.  Remember this post, way back here?  Yeah, I broke all of Ann's rules. 

When I had my earrings out for their shoot, my ring got jealous and demanded that I pay her the attention she deserves.  I guess she gets it from her mother.  What I can I say, we're both just camera lushes *shrug*.

Here she is posing with an item contributing to our favorite pastime - sewing.

Look at that gorgeous afternoon light pouring in the window.  Look at the years of paint built up on the window frame.  Look at how I don't wind my thread properly and how the end bits are all willy nilly.  Oh, and look at my cathedral setting.  Good fiance!  Good boy!

Here's another ring pose with the same props to give you an idea of how I played around with each prop.

Alright, enough with the thread, you want more bouquet you say???  Alrighty then.  (Can you tell I'm in the middle of Season 4 of Sex & the City where Trey says "Alrighty then," every two seconds?  Other random aside, does it creep you out that Trey is the murdering husband on Desperate Housewives?)

What amazing diamond and feathery goodness next to a very plastic and painted stamen.  Hmmm . . . well, nobody will be looking through a macro lens at my bouquet on the wedding day.  I'll show less stamen in the next rounds of bouquet pics.  I promise!  In the meantime, how about next to a beady eyed bird?

I'm showing you this one because it's kindof a fail.  The light wasn't that great and I forgot to raise the blinds, so it's a little on the ugly side.  During post processing though, it began to grow on me.  Still, not the best one of the bunch.  No, the best one I saved for last.  It combines my two favorite things.  Can you guess what those are?

If you answered gourmet and diamonds, close but no cigar.  If you answered food and weddings, DING DING DING.  There's my beauty sitting atop the latest Bon Appetite magazine - that gorgeously roasted chicken.  Seriously, seeing that mag when I walk into the apartment makes my mouth water.  Much like seeing a gorgeous wedding, I just can't turn off the Pavlovian response.

If you've given Ann's tutorial a whirl, I'd love to see what you came up with!  Send your pics my way and they may be featured on this very blog!  Happy shooting :)  and Happy chicken eating!