Excitement and heartache! Ups and downs! It was the circus that was...

My wedding shower! Dunh dunh dunnhhh!

It actually started the day before when I hijacked one of my bridesmaids, Anne, to come with me to the D-town area to meet with our wedding photographer. We had to go some time that week because the shower was on Saturday, and I really wanted to have the proof book of Stink Pants' and my engagement pictures to pass around to the shower guests. Plus, on the way back up, we needed to stop at the airport to pick up Noona! Hurray Noona!

The day started just fine. Anne and I made it to the photographer's place with a minimal amount of gippies (Gippy: noun coined by my dad. A word for turning around when you make a wrong turn). Halfway through the meeting, my phone rings. It's Noona, but I don't answer because I don't want to be rude to the photographer and I figure it can wait until after we finish.

After an hour and a half, Anne and I walk back into the heat of Friday afternoon and get some lunch. Meanwhile I take the time to call Noona.

--------------------------------------------
Laura: Hey Noona! Sorry I missed your call.

Noona: Hey. I'm not coming.

Laura: What?! Why?

Noona: My flight was cancelled because of weather. (Laura looks around in the scorching heat at the cloudless sky).

Laura: Awwwww! No!

Noona: And I can't get on any other flights because they're all booked. I could try to come tomorrow, but the plane will arrive at 4:18 in the afternoon and I'll have to leave on Sunday anyway.

Laura: Here, let me call Mom and have her call the travel agent lady. Maybe she can come up with a way.

Noona: So, should I stay here at the airport?

Laura: Yeah, I'll have Mom call you.
--------------------------------------------

So, I call Mom. Mom calls travel agent lady, and I continue driving to the mall, where Anne and I are supposed to pick up some extra wedding favors (and do a little shopping in the process).

Later, Mom calls back. There's no way Noona can come to the shower... unless she spends $1000+, stays for six or eight hours, then flies back. Wahhh! No Noona! Laura = Sad!

The rest of the day continues without any major hang-ups. Anne and I go shopping, I buy some nice high-heeled sandals (on sale, of course), and we have sushi for dinner. Other than a bit of traffic and a little melancholy while we pass the airport, everything goes according to plan.

Fast forward to Saturday, the day of the shower. It is HOT! We probably should've just cooked our food on the pavement, since it would save money and cooking in the house only made it hot there too. Mom was up early cooking and setting stuff up with her crew of homies (special thanks goes out to Ninang, Marietta, and Shirley. The food was delicious!). I talked to Noona for another hour while I was deciding what to wear, then I was sent to the grocery store for potato salad and various other random stuff (including 20 bags of ice).

At quarter to four our first guests arrived. Mom was still in her working clothes and only half my ponytail was curled. So, we greeted our guests and promptly disappeared to finish getting ready. By four o'clock, guests were streaming into the house and Mom and I were running around trying to get the outdoors ready so we could move everyone to the garden (there's more room there). It's about 5:15 or so before everyone can grab food and start eating. Meanwhile, I shanghaied Anne and my friend from college, Kristin, to run some games for me. I was planning on talking about the games with Noona but... Wahhh! No Noona!

The games I picked our were mainly sit-down, writing-type games. I figured it might be hard for some of our guests to do physical games, and it was just so dang hot! It's a good thing Kristin and Anne were there, because there's no way I could've done the game thing by myself, and Mom had her hands full just trying to get chairs and food for everyone.

Just as the games were finishing, clouds rolled over the sky and rain started falling. Most people made it inside the garage without getting too damp (my mom was not one of those people). There, surrounded by all the lovely people that care about me, I opened presents! (Thanks again to Anne and Kristin for writing the list of gifts down and rewrapping everything after I opened it.) I got lots of kitchen stuff and some censored (in case Stink Pants is reading this). After presents, our guests left with flowers and scented soap! It was all done by 8:00, but those four hours... actually the whole day just flew by! I went out for kareoke with my friend Jennifer after I had some time to recouperate from the day's festivities.

Mom and I spent all of Sunday sleeping. All of it.

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/31/2006 10:50:00 PM

2 Comments:

Sorry I couldn't make the shower. I was at a teaching conference down in Detroit all week (*puke*). However, Jay and I have shower presents for you and Stink Pants.

We live in Fairgrove. You live in Caro. I'm not shipping them. I'll either drop them off at some point, or bring them to the wedding.

I just went through this. Time will fly by like mad, and somehow, everything will work itself out, and the day will run smoothly. I promise!

By  Anonymous, at Thu Aug 03, 01:28:00 AM 2006  

I hope so... I've been going a little crazy this week.

Boo for crazy.

By  Princess Blogonoke, at Thu Aug 03, 03:42:00 AM 2006  

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Here's some helpful information for our out-of-towner guests. Let me know if you have any questions!

---------------------------------------------------------------
Lodging and Accommodations
---------------------------------------------------------------

Drury Inn & Suites in Frankenmuth

Stink Pants #5 and I have 25 rooms reserved there for our wedding guests (not sure how many are left though). It is about four blocks away from the reception area. They offer all sorts of special services, including free high-speed internet, free evening beverages and snacks, and a free hot breakfast (including sausages and eggs!). The address and phone number is listed on their website. Prices are around $80 and $120 for rooms and suites, not including tax. Suites can sleep as many as six people.

There are more lodging places here at the Frankenmuth business directory, but I don't have much information about them.


---------------------------------------------------------------
Attractions and Points of Interest
---------------------------------------------------------------

Bronners - A Christmas Wonderland!: It's Christmas there 361 days out of the year.

A-Maze-N Mirrors: Located at the Riverwalk Place. Stink Pants and I have been there, it's pretty fun :)

Michigan's Own Military & Space Museum: I've never actually been inside, but that plane and tank are hard to miss.

Zeilinger Wool Co.: It's just down the street from the military museum, but they dont' have a website. It's a good place to go if you want to find some raw wool, dyed wool, stuffing for comforters or anything wool-related.

St. Julian Winery: Located in downtown Frankenmuth, it has tours, wine tasting rooms, and winemaking supplies.

You can find more attractions here. :)

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/25/2006 06:13:00 PM

3 Comments:

andy sez:

Wally Bronner is spinning in his grave. It's BRONNER'S CHRISTmas WONDERLAND. It helps when you say it to say CHRIST!-mas really loudly and awkwardly so that everyone around you looks at you funny.

By  Anonymous, at Thu Jul 27, 01:06:00 PM 2006  

Wally Bronner isn't spinning in his grave, because he isn't dead. Unless he's been buried alive, and in that case... well... he's probably spinning to get out.

By  Anonymous, at Thu Aug 03, 01:22:00 AM 2006  

Wally Bronner is still alive? He must be a million years old!

Or at least 90.

By  Princess Blogonoke, at Thu Aug 03, 03:43:00 AM 2006  

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The process of putting together Stink Pants' and my wedding is probably quite different from how most of our friends have gotten married. Stink Pants' lives across the country from me. No worries, we've figured out ways to deal with it. We do lots of things by mail and email. We have to. Our invitations, the groomsmen's attire, my shoes, our cake topper, some of our wedding favors - all ordered through the Schminternet. We communicate with our wedding party through emails and cell phone.

Definitely, ours is a wedding of the times!

Anyway, I ordered my dad's, my Tito Jesse's and my cousin Christopher's barong tagalogs from the Schminternet (here). Imagine my surprise when my Dad's barong tagalog and my cousin's barong tagalog have the same embroidery design. Oops! I looked on my copy of the order and yup... I did that myself. I didn't double check to see if theirs were different, I just ordered the barong tagalogs that would fit them.

Eh, I'm not worried. I doubt my dad will even notice that his and Christopher's are the same. Even if they do notice, hopefully they won't mind :)

Sorry Dad and Christopher!

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/20/2006 03:21:00 PM

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Here's a list of songs we want at our reception (in no particular order). I think it's easier to read if I split them into groups of five.

• Adieu - Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts
  
• Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
  
• Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money
  
• The Animal Crossing Theme - Some Nintendo song writer guy*
  
• Flying Teacups - Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts


• The Midnight Sun - Diana Krall
  
• Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
  
• Minnie May - "Gunsmith Cats" Soundtrack
  
• Butterfly - Aqua
  
• Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles


• If I Didn't Care - The Ink Spots
  
• Rocket Man - Elton John
  
• Don't Change Your Plans - Ben Folds Five
  
• Separate Ways - Journey
  
• Paradise by the Dashboard Light - Meatloaf


• Jackson Cannery - Ben Folds Five
  
• Dragostea din Tei - O-Zone (The Numa Numa Dance song)
  
• Big Shot - Billy Joel
  
• What's Up - 4 Non Blondes
  
• Theme from Katamari Damacy - I don't know who wrote this


• Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles
  
• Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
  
• Zoot Suit Riot - Cherry Poppin' Daddies
  
• Beer Barrel Polka - Andrews Sisters
  
• You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy


• Mr. Pinstripe Suit - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
  
• Hemisphere - Yoko Kanno
  
• Call Me - Yoko Kanno and the Seat Belts
  
• Nature Boy - Nat King Cole
  
• Lady Marmalade - Patti LaBelle


• Mr. Roboto - Styx
  
• Witchcraft - Frank Sinatra
  
• What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
  

That's it for now! I'll add more as they come :)

*I didn't think I'd be able to find the Animal Crossing Song, but here it is! It's in midi format, but that's better than nothing! Click on "title2.mid" The title.mid is okay, but the second one is better.
The Midi Shrine

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/15/2006 10:17:00 PM

3 Comments:

andy sez:

You should do anything off of this album:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009A1BXG/sr=8-1/qid=1153152044/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-9062726-1523038?ie=UTF8

Though 'Black Hole Sun' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' are the best.

By  Anonymous, at Mon Jul 17, 12:07:00 PM 2006  

andy sez:

stupid link, here's the rest of it:

53152044/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-9062726-1523038?ie=UTF8

By  Anonymous, at Mon Jul 17, 12:08:00 PM 2006  

I can't get it to play :(

What's wrong with my web-fu?

By  Princess Blogonoke, at Thu Jul 20, 05:17:00 PM 2006  

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As I was walking through Bed Bath and Beyond with my blinky scanner machine and my incomplete gift registry in my hand, I thought to myself... do I really need a new clock?

Apparently I do, because I registered for one.

According to the super nice wedding registry helper lady at B3 (much nicer than the lady at Marshall Fields, by far) a couple must register for 2-3 gifts per guest. For us, if we go buy the number of people invited (so far) that's 716-1074 gifts.

I can't come up with 716 gifts to register for. I don't think our registry even touches the 200-mark. Maybe if you took everything separately, but 700+ is still a lot o'stuff.

As I was walking through the store, I was overwhelmed. The lady said not to be afraid to register for things like lamps and bathroom accessories, but I don't even know how the place we'll be living in the future will look like. What if the lamps are too big? Or too small? What if I register for a huge bathmat and it turns out we live in a place with a super tiny bathroom? Registering for stuff is complicated! Should we register for another tea set?! We already have two!!! But we really like tea!!!!! Wahhhh!!!!!!!

I was extremely excited to register for some things though... like the salad spinner! I couldn't stop playing with it in the store, and I have no idea why (I guess I like watching it spin. Maybe I should get a top instead). Of course, I had to bleep some salad bowls to go with it! Then, I was walking around the cutting board area and saw this giant, round butcher block! It was insanely heavy, but still super awesome! So of course, I registered for that too. I'm also a big fan of crystal too! It's shiny and transparent, like my diamond (when it's clean).

I think Stink Pants was more excited about registering for bedding stuff... meh.

49 days left... Eeep!

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/08/2006 08:25:00 PM

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On the big day, here's how to get where you're going.

To the Church!

• From I-75 take EXIT 151 M-81 toward Reese/Caro. Stay on this road through Reese. You'll know Caro is coming up when the road starts to curve (it's about 30 miles or so).


• Go past the first light in Caro and turn LEFT onto Hooper.


• The church is on the right at the corner of Hooper and Frank St.

**Click here for MapQuest directions to the church! (I couldn't get MapQuest to make directions from the I-75, so I did the next best thing and got directions from the gas station at that exit... If someone has a better idea, let me know!)


To the Reception from the Church!

• Turn LEFT onto Hooper from the church parking lot. Head back to M-81.


• Turn RIGHT onto M-81 and head outta town. It's about 9 miles


• Turn LEFT onto Vassar Rd. Drive 3 miles to M-46, there's a blinky light at that corner and an orchard on the left.


• Turn RIGHT onto M-46 Drive about 8 miles until you reach a stop light (the non-blinky kind). You'll go through a four way stop with a red blinky light in Richville. Just go straight. The next turn (with the non-blinky light) is at the intersection M-46 and M-83.


• Turn Left onto M-83 and drive on into Frankenmuth. The reception is at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant on the left. There's a covered bridge that leads to the Bavarian Inn Lodge just past it, and a light on that corner.

**Click here for a MapQuest directions to the reception!

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/07/2006 11:20:00 PM

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Hey friends and family!

Here are all the places Lucas and I are registered at. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me here or email me!

Bed Bath and Beyond
Cutco Knives
Marshall Fields I think they're moving to Macys.com though. Not sure

Thanks for celebrating our big day with us!

Edit: Marshall Fields is moving to Macys.com. It won't be effective until July 30th, 2006 though. *sigh* They can't just make things easier for me, can they?

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/05/2006 12:38:00 AM

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Stink Pants #5 was here this weekend. Holy crap did we have a ton of stuff to do.

He arrived on Saturday, after flying all night on the red-eye from California. Bleary-eyed and sleepy, we drove back home and had a quick lunch before taking a four-hour nap. Later, we ate dinner and watched "The One-Armed Swordsman" a Shaw Brothers movie. Little did I know that this would be our least busiest day.

We started Sunday out with a marriage prep class with the priest. According to the test we took, Stink Pants and I are pretty compatible. It turns out I'm marrying someone who's a lot like me. Not sure if that's good or bad, but I'll be spending the next 50+ years finding out.

After that, we went to Saginaw and registered for dozens and dozens of things. I'll make a new post with the websites of all the places we registered, and link to it from the main page. Who knew how hard it would be to pick out casual dishware? One thing I felt a little guilty about registering for was the $200 rice cooker. Then again, the rice cooker we have now is my second college rice cooker (the first one mysteriously stopped working) and I think we eat enough rice that the thing will pay for itself in CRC (Crappy Rice Cooker) units in no time.

On Monday, we met with the florist and got our engagement photos taken (yes, more than a year than when we got engaged). For our flowers, we're going with blue and white boquets with blue hydrangeas and white I-haven't-actually-decided-what-flowers-yet (probably roses or lillies). The flower girls are having baskets. I'm going to make them ribbon wands too :) (shhh... they dont know that yet...)

As for the engagement photos, we arrived in Pontiac (where the photographer is) at 7:00 pm for our sunset photos. You may be wondering why the photographer is located in Pontiac. Well, I wanted to have the guy who has been my and my sister's photographer since we were little do my and Stink Pants' wedding photos. The problem is he doesn't do weddings anymore. Booo! He recommended the guy from Pontiac though. As it turns out, this guy is not only a good photographer, he's a good story teller too, and he finds real joy in his work.

I'll post some of the photos here after I get them back. I hope they turn out nice. I had to lay in some clover for some of them, and perch atop some rickety rocks in others.

On Tuesday, after taking Stink Pants back to the airport (wahhh!) I stopped off at Bed, Bath and Beyond and registered for yet more stuff. I met another bride-to-be there and we happily beeped about the store, registering for goodness knows what. I also stopped at Michael's and got some wedding shower invitations.

This weekend was full of wedding planning time. Not much Stink Pants and Laura time :(

Two months to go, man... two months to go and getting shorter by the moment.

posted by Princess Blogonoke @ 7/04/2006 08:58:00 PM

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