Less than two weeks!

Yikes...less than two weeks. After I finish the housewrok today I'm going shopping for shoes......hopefully it will be an easy outing and relatively inexpensive......as you can imagine everytime I go out shopping with Allie these days it ends up costing a considerable amount of $. We heard from Allie last night they arrived safely and Allie said she loved the place and they were busy moving in the furniture and unpacking.....young love!
We found out yesterday that the Grand Colonial would like their final count 10 days before the wedding along with food choice totals for planning purposes only. When Allie gets home we are going to have to tackle the seating arrangements......the only not fun thing on the punch list! Back to housework and then onto the store! Having friends over for dinner tonight as.....did I mention Bill is running a Boy Scout trip to Washington DC....... NEXT WEEKEND~they need to go over plans for that weekend~so Cindrella needs to get back to the cinders.....Happy Sunday....what ever happened to Sunday being a day of r e s t ?????????????

Shopping, Moving & Tasting

Yesterday once again we hit the ground running....Kohls, Party City, Hallmark, Michaels and some jewlery stores! We finally stopped to eat dinner at 9PM.....just as Ryan and one of his friends arrived (his friend Chris arrived with Ryan to help him move furniture)
After loading all the family room furniture into the truck and Allie, Stefan & I loading all the shower gifts into the van and a good nights sleep, they were ready to go . Ryan got the keys to their new place last week and even though they said the place was officially clean....Ryan did it again, so hopefully when Allie & Ryan arrived this evening all they had to do was unpack and place!
Before they drove to Virginia we all went to the Grand Colonial (reception venue) for a wedding food tasting...it was fun. I told Allie & Ryan that it was a good thing they did this as they won't eat on their wedding day and if they do they won't remember it!
I now look around the house, especially the family room which now has no furniture in it :-( and I'm feeling the sadness and heartbreak of once again saying goodbye! However I told Allie that I better see her sometime...........We also realize that the move of clothes next weekend will not do it all.......perhaps two cars? Yikes 2 weeks (14 days) from now we'll be dancing at the reception ...for one more hour

Sixteen days and counting

I realized as I typed the title that the wedding will happen in 16 days no matter what else does or doesn't happen. Time to let go and let God! Easier said than done. We are so fortunate to have what we have and to be able to give Allie & Ryan a wedding. Allie was quite upset last night. Allie found out that one of Ryan's friends and a groomsman has had to back out of the wedding. She noticed on the hotel website that he cancelled his reservation........Allie told Ryan that this happened ......Ryan found out yesterday that he can't come to the wedding.....Marine/Family stuff. The only request Ryan had of the whole wedding thing was to be able to have a military wedding with an arch of swords at the end. They need to do this with a certain amount of Marines ....not sure how it all works....but it has to be even and at least 6 or 8? They also found out that their photographer had not booked a hotel......in all fairness since he offered to take their wedding pictures as his gift to them .......credentialed Marine combat photographer.....I told Allie that Bill & I would pay for his hotel room as our way of thanking him for offering to do the wedding photography....well as of April 14th he and his wife had not made hotel reservations....losing the dicounted rate that we had locked until April 10th......Bill also feels very strong that out of town family and friends don't have to drive on May 1st as they are not familiar with our roads. There is always the DWI thing, which would be devastating for us if someone got a DWI because they came to Allie & Ryan's wedding. Spent the $ on transportation for the day, a party bus for all the guest (seats up to 50) shuttle service back to the hotel after the wedding and a limo for the bridal party. Since we were saving a considerable amount of $ on a photographer it was a win win......however boys will be boys......Ryan gave Allie his assurance that things will work out........If you are reading this and you are a praying person please offer up a prayer for Allie & Ryan ......and me too.........

Eighteen Days and counting

OMG it is 18 days away......much to do little time to do it in......wish I could hire someone to pack for Allie. They are moving her bridal shower gifts, couch, two chairs and two end tables and two lamps this weekend. Allie plans on going down next weekend with her clothes....usless she can get them packed this week.....oh Lord at least the shoes (they are quite heavy and numerous)! Perhaps I'll take a drive down with her next weekend for drop off.....or she can take someone else with her! We have to get the seating arrangements done. Allie & Ryan are going to the Grand Colonial this weekend for a "tasting" should be really fun for them! Ann Marie is working her little fingers off getting the wreaths done for the torches in church and for the hurricane candles at the reception. It seems like it was just December and they just got engaged. Time flies when you're having fun! I am really enjoying this time with Allie and things are going really well. Let's just hope it keeps going in that direction!

3 weeks from today!

I can't believe three weeks from right now it will all be over! We did some shopping this week and I decided (or I should say my sisters helped me decide) Navy gown it is! There is still something wrong with the purple gown I ordered, something on the waist with the ruishing ......still not right! My brother Dave came up this weekend from Florida as he has business in Washington DC. We had everyone over......I made Mexican food and many pitchers of sangria....it was a fun visit. Allie was very happy to spend time with Uncle Dave as he isn't going to make it to the wedding as his son Andrew graduates that day from Florida State University. We talked and laughed and had a great day!
THREE WEEKS CRAZY

Check that box

On Monday we found a makeup artist....yeah.....check that box! She is lovely, not too expensive and will come to the house. Allie will apply for their marriage license this week, found a charity to donate to in lieu of favors and shower thank yous went out! I had an email from my sister Eileen in California.....she and her husband and daughter are flying out for the wedding....so thrilled haven't seen them in a very long time! Sad to think that I really won't get to spend much time with her.....but ..... Allie & I started to compile a RSVP list and now have changed into make a list and get it done mode! I can't believe we are so close 23 more days......there are a few teary moments here and there......just a few. Once again it will be time for goodbyes and well wishes. I kind of gotten used to her being away from home for the last 5 years and since she has been home since January it will be hard once again to let go! Here we go again....let go and let God!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! Today was Allie's last official Easter Basket hunt! She was so funny she actually ended up getting really frustrated and mad because she could not find a clue in her hidden egg! Stefan and Ryan blew through their basket hunt with relative ease and Allie was stuck....the egg was actually hidden in a shoe in her closet....btw.... Allie has hundreds of shoes...... ended up getting mad at everyone and yelled at us all. Too funny! She eventually found her clue and Easter morning was saved!
Bittersweet times here this week. On Holy Thursday I washed feet during Mass as part of my duties as a Parish Staff member. Allie has always been my assistant and realized that this was the last year for our little tradition. On Good Friday Allie read at the 3PM Passion of our Lord Service very powerful......our church does "Living the Stations"....Allie presented Station 13......Jesus dies for us......she compared the station as Jesus being innocent.... died for our sins....Service men and women being innocent .....putting themselves in harms way for our safety and protection.....very powerful there was not a dry eye at this service! So proud to be her mom. Allie also read at the Easter Vigil..... She was the voice of God! On to Mom & Dads' for Easter dinner......