Hey runners, answer me this

Why do women's running shorts not have pockets?  I have things I can't live without, even for 4.2 miles.  I need my phone, a house or car key, some ID.  Chap stick would also be nice.

Why are runners such litterers?  Before the race there were no garbage cans.  If you have 28,000 people about to run, who are all drinking water and eating protein bars, you have to figure there will be some trash.  Why not provide receptacles?  And the water stations along the route?  Also not enough trash cans.  I felt terrible throwing paper cups down on the curb, but I had no choice.

Bridal Adventures... You're Invited!

I spent days pouring over invitation websites, shocked mostly, that the price per invitation could reach as much as $5! I explored options at craft stores, where you can buy the kit and print your own invitations, but none of those kits really had a design that would match my venue or look. I pondered hiring a graphic designer, but for such an intimate event, I really couldn't justify the cost.

So, armed with an idea I mocked up a few months ago, we embarked on the only do-it-yourself project I plan on braving. This weekend, we made the invitations. I bribed Bridesmaid with breakfast to get her to come over. New Daughter didn't really have a choice but to help.

precision hole punching!

After a couple of trips to Michael's, and one to Joanne's, we completed all the invitations in one day.

Now, if the envelopes I ordered will arrive, we may be able to mail these!

Bridal Adventures... Hair's to You!

There are a lot of pieces that need to be put together to obtain your perfect wedding day look.

I've got spanx, makeup, jewelry and some cute shoes. By wedding day, I may need a little fake tan. But, I know I will definitely need some help with my hair. Tonight Bridesmaid & I ventured

out to have a hair trial.

Since I'm still mired in the "growing out" process, we did Bridesmaid's hair:

In the end, we were both happy with the results so Kristina will be our wedding day stylist.

Bridal Adventures... Putting your Best Face Forward

I'm not a Do-it-Yourself type of bride. I'm not going to spend hours making my own bouquet. I'm not going to spend months hand writing tags to go on favors. I'm not going to stress on my wedding day about all the things I have to do. There's a whole army of professionals out there that can do all of these things better, and faster, than I can.

I've decided to hire a professional makeup artist, too. That means I can sit on my ass and drink champagne while she makes me pretty. She does airbrush makeup, which basically means she will spray paint my entire face. I met with her this morning for a "trial run". This way we both know what I want come wedding day, and I'm familiar with how she works.

Hooray for fake eyelashes!

Finished product!

A "Thank You" to Hatch, New Mexico

Dear Hatch,

Thank you for growing such wonderful chiles. In red or green, hot or mild, your chiles never disappoint. They are wonderful over eggs in the morning. They are excellent in a tortilla for lunch. For dinner at night I just want to stick my whole head in a bowl of this goodness and lick it clean.

If only they were in season for more than a month. :::sob:::

My pot of chicken green chile, gone too soon.

Registered

We stood in front of glass shelves displaying crystal vases and sterling silver candle holders.

"Do we need any of this?" I had the store issued scanner in my hand.

"This is kind of pretty". He picked up a heavy crystal picture frame with two openings.

I looked over at the price list, which was almost completely hidden from view.

"That costs three hundred dollars".

And we both backed slowly away.

In the towel section an enthusiastic sales associate walked us through the various options, everything from washcloths to bath sheets. He leaned over a display of their highest priced towels and said "You might as well register for these, when else in your lift will you spend $50 on a towel". I immediately pictured all of my friends laughing as they read my registry and saw $50 towels.

We were also encouraged to register for multiple sets of stemware ("the good stuff and the stuff that can be broken at parties"), china, and more pots than we would need in 100 years.

I did manage to wrestle the scanner away from Todd before he could find the barcode for the $200 margarita machine, but somehow he scanned an apron with chickens all over it while I was distracted.

The store we were in carried a large selection of Fiesta Ware, but had almost no other "casual dining" options. We'll need to go to a different store and find some plates we both like, since everyone know that Fiesta is way too heavy to be useful. :-)

Observed on the First Day of Summer

Ahhhh, feels so good!