It’s almost time!  I am sitting around, digesting a delicious lunch from Blues City Deli.  I keep double checking my wedding "to do" list to make sure I’m not forgetting anything, but guess what?  I’m pretty much ready.  All I have to do yet is pack my overnight bag, and SHOW UP to various events.  Everything and everybody is in place, all vendors know when and where to be and what to do, the final counts are in, a really fancy dress is in my closet, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care…it’s almost go time!

And yet it’s NOT yet.  I have to wait until Monday.  Today is Friday. 

It’s FUN time though, for sure.  Our friends and relatives are converging on us now and over the next few days and it’s just wonderful!  In the past I’ve attended a fair amount of weddings, and I always wondered how the bride felt, how the couple felt, how on earth you could pull this sort of event together, how it would feel to have all the attention on you.

Answer:  Stressed, stressed, lots of organizational skills and advance planning, and AWESOME.

People keep asking, aren’t you excited?  Well, I’m getting there.  I’m getting pumped, but I’m worried, I’m panicking we’ve forgotten something important, I’m stressed over spending enough time with friends and family, I’m stressed over the fact that some of my jeans don’t fit (before a 7 day cruise, mind you), and I’m trying to stay relaxed so my skin stays awesome and my hair stays shiny.  Also I’m cooking dinner for 14 tomorrow night…that’s something I’m starting on soon.  (How do you cook dinner for 14?  Again, organizational skills and advance planning…there are also SIX tins of cookies thawing on my table.)

Also I just can’t believe it’s almost time!  It seems like it’s been so long since we got engaged yet the time has flown.

My laughing face is both awesome and singularly unattractive. 

And with that, I leave you for now.  Wish us luck!

Yesterday we had lunch with an old friend of Chris’s and also met her fiancé.  They are getting married in May, so of course we talked "wedding."  I gave some advice, you know, since I’m all knowledgeable about planning them and stuff, plus, if we brides and soon-to-be-brides didn’t give tons of (mostly) unsolicited advice, well then who would!  I told her the stuff I was told that I found least helpful, such as "be true to yourself" and "we had the wedding of our dreams for $200 and you should be able to also!"  I also gave her some pregnancy advice and asked several times when they were planning to have children, since people always have opinions on that and she needs to get ready.

Jen, Chris, and my Chris outside of Dressel’s.  I thought about getting a picture of me and Chris, but figured we’d get enough pictures taken this weekend, and most particularly on Monday.

After a potato-heavy lunch, it was gym time!  Mike is giving me an extra two sessions this week (that brings the total to four) so that I can really be in excellent shape to walk down the aisle.  He said the end of our week will be dedicated to bouquet-tossing techniques.  Oh, and I’m definitely questioning his diet—evidently he ate so much on Christmas that he threw up.  Like I did, but when I was around 5 years old.  He claims it is because ordinarily he "eats Paleo, no grains, no dairy" and spent the day eating cookies and other junk that his body couldn’t handle, but I say throwing up is a sign of weakness.  And saying that you ran 10 miles to make up for it is probably a sign of exercise addiction.  But then again, there’s no way to win the healthy argument.  Either you aren’t healthy, or you are just too healthy, or you don’t exercise enough, or you exercise too much.  No winning, much like the wedding planning—everybody has an opinion, and most people just like to tell you to be "true to yourself" and then they will tell you exactly how to go about doing that. 

Yes, I have a bit of an attitude today.  I’m allowed, I’m getting married in less than a week, and dealing with all the wedding planning stress. 

Happy Anniversary to my parents! 

Laura and I went to see Breaking Dawn last night.  I have to admit, I didn’t think it would be great, but I enjoyed the first three movies and have read the books more than once.  (I can’t believe I’m admitting that to the world!  Embarrassing!)  But…this movie was really quite awful.  Even for someone who KNEW it would be bad, I thought it would be bad in a good way.  Ugh.  No.  I’m considering not even seeing Breaking Dawn, part 2.  (I probably still will.  But I won’t be looking forward to it.)

But there was a Titanic in 3D preview.  SO excited for that!  (If you are a regular reader, you already know I love Titanic.  But seriously.  I can’t wait!)

It was crazy to see Leo and Kate on the big screen again…to see them so YOUNG.  I guess we’ve all grown older.

After the movie we met the men folk at Franco.

I look tired, or needed more mascara.  Chris looks well…sort of like a vampire!

We tried for a good picture of Laura and me together but that failed.  Oh well, you all know what she looks like, but now with more pregnant!!!

I made these delightful cookies the other night.

I don’t know why the picture is upside down, but it still looks cool.

Crinkle Cookies

inspired by What’s Cooking, Chicago?

recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

1 box cake mix of your choice (I used Strawberry for one batch, and Spice for another batch, but you can do any flavor!)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, oil and eggs. Mix together with a wooden spoon until fully combined.

Add any add ins you want—I put in about 1/2 cup white chocolate chips to mix with the strawberry, and butterscotch chips with the spice cake because I had that on hand.
Shape dough into 24 evenly sized balls.
Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl and roll the dough balls in the sugar to coat.
Place the powdered balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes to set.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

I got this in the mail the other day for running two Rock and Roll events in one year:  Phoenix and St Louis.  I’d run them again next year, but Phoenix is during my honeymoon, and my sister Leslie is getting married in Phoenix during the St Louis race.  Strange.

It’s rather less exciting getting an additional medal two months after the race.

Tonight I went to a blogger meet-up at Starbucks.  I was pleased to finally meet Kristen of the Concrete Runner (who brought her baby!) and to see Kara and Maria again.

I ordered a “Skinny Peppermint Mocha” and I’m sorry to say I didn’t really enjoy it.  I was trying to be lower calorie, but the sugar free syrups are just not as good, in my opinion.  Oh well.  I should have ordered what I wanted, an Eggnog Latte, but I used to order those non-fat and after many of them like that, last year a barista told me there was no such thing.  Who knows what I had been being served.  *shakes fist at Starbucks*.  Nonetheless, calorie wise I definitely made a better choice!  I see that a grande “non-fat” eggnog latte is 440 calories vs. the 130 I had.  Sometimes you just have to make those hard decisions.

(VOTE for my blog for best personal blog in St Louis)

I would like a cow watch!  One of you should give me one of these for Christmas!

My sister Leslie used to have a cow watch when we were little.  I think it was from Hershey’s Chocolate World.

And go Here to watch a delightful Homestar video!!

Transcript below:

(from wikipedia)

STRONG BAD: strongbad, underscore, email, dot e-x-e. Enter.

{reading}

Dear Strong Bad,
Why don’t you and The Cheat pull a
caper of some sort. It seems like
there has been little cooperation
between the two of you as of late.
James
Detroit Mi

{Strong Bad pronounces "Mi" like "me"}

STRONG BAD: {typing:} Well, you’re right. It’s no secret that The Cheat and I haven’t been getting along very well… since he screwed up our last caper.

{Cut to Strong Bad and The Cheat in Homestar’s house at night, stealing his newspaper.}

STRONG BAD: I don’t care about the crosswords, man, just the jumbles, the jumbles!

THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}

STRONG BAD: I don’t know, go look over there.

THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises} {goes over to a table with a cow lamp on it}

STRONG BAD: No, look out! Oh, great, man.

{The Cheat knocks over the lamp, breaking it. A light turns on and Homestar comes out. He is wearing pajamas, and it appears he hasn’t shaved. Strong Bad looks hastily for an escape and The Cheat puts his hands in the air.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {sleepy} Hey, Strong Sad, Batman. What are you guys doing in my house?

STRONG BAD: We’ve been ID’d! Every man for himself! {he and The Cheat run away}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Thanks for stopping by, you guys. Thanks for breaking my cow lamp.

{Cut back to the computer}

STRONG BAD: The Cheat, man. {Music begins} Where did we go wrong? It seems like just yesterday we were setting fire to Strong Sad’s underwears.

STRONG SAD: {offscreen} That was yesterday!

STRONG BAD: This one’s for you. {singing to the Compy’s music}
I got mad at The Cheat, uh!
For screwing up the jumble caper, uh!
I hope I don’t see his name in the paper, in the obituaries
Cause that would mean he’s dead.
{pulls back to show Strong Mad and Strong Sad standing next to the computer clapping to the beat. Strong Bad is standing on his stool, still singing}
The Cheat is not dead,
I’m so glad The Cheat is not dead.
The Cheat is not dead,

STRONG MAD: DEAD!

STRONG BAD: Ohhh, I’m so glad The Cheat is not dead.
The Cheat is not dead,

STRONG SAD: Dead!

STRONG BAD: So glad The Cheat is not— {stops singing, starts bobbing his body left and right on each clap} Just the claps! Just the claps… Strong Sad, I didn’t know you had any rhythm.

STRONG SAD: Oh, sure, I got tons of rhythm.

STRONG BAD: Keep it rolling for me guys, keep it rolling.

{Strong Bad runs out to the field where The Cheat is waiting for him. The Compy is still playing the music.}

STRONG BAD: The Cheat, I… I just wanted to say that…

THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}

STRONG BAD: Oh, I can’t stay mad at you!

{He rubs The Cheat’s head}

THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}

STRONG BAD: Aww, how about a little kick for old times’ sake?

{The Cheat places his arms akimbo and looks angry}

STRONG BAD: Nah, I’m just kidding, man. {makes several fake kicking motions; The Cheat prepares to dodge each one} Oh, what, watch me now! Had you there.

{The Paper comes down. About five seconds later, Homestar walks out. He is still in his pajamas.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: You guys are so cute. {pause} Man, I should probably get dressed or something. What is it, like three in the afternoon? Looking good, Homestar.

STRONG BAD: Yeah, what’s the deal? I didn’t know you had to shave.

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Oh, I don’t. It’s cinnamon.

Today I didn’t do any of the wedding stuff I was supposed to.  Oops.  I did buy bacon with the idea of making these bacon cookies for a party on Friday night (it’s a party at my friend Kyle’s, who has hosted previous parties called “Meat Day” and “Meat Day Part II” so bacon cookies seem VERY appropriate.)  Chris has a run out tomorrow and my last student is gone which means my evening is rather free.  I figured making cookies was a good idea (if Mike is reading this, no I’ll totally be working out and steaming broccoli, not making bacon cookies.)

(If you didn’t know:  a run out is a concert out of town, but not like a tour.  It means you go there and back in one day.  )

(Do I use too many parentheses?)

Yes, today in my workout my trainer, Mike, asked why, when he logged on facebook, my entire profile page is dedicated to me writing about cookies.  He asked, do you make a lot of cookies or something?  I said…maybe…

I mean I also work out and stuff.  (Stuff being, you know, talking about planning my wedding and such.)

And I teach also.  On occasion.

All the cookies have absolutely no bearing on the fact that I have doubled in size since a month ago.  (Slight exaggeration.  Only slight.)  It’s cookie season anyway, right?  Rather than heating the house, you can just make cookies and let the oven heat the house!

Okay, I’m done talking about cookies right now (I have another recipe I’m sharing tomorrow or Thursday, but that will wait.)  What else to talk about?

We got our Christmas tree on Sunday, but haven’t decorated it yet.  It smells fantastic!  I will try to decorate it tomorrow and take some pictures!  (Or Thursday. We’ll see.  Bacon cookies and such.)

Nerdy, yes.  Does this actually happen when you plug it into Google Maps?  Mine gave some directions in Chicago.  Who knew that the Shire and Mordor were in Chicago?