Sweet Hayden

This Sunday I was able to go to my home town to visit with some family who flew in from out of town - my cousin Lesley and her two kids, Harrison (4) and Hayden (2). They haven't been up to visit since Christmas, so it has been a while since we've had the opportunity to catch up and see how big the kids have grown.

Hayden is my goddaughter, and I often send her things - usually just a book and a little treat for whatever holiday is coming up - but she is at the age where she can start to associate those things with me, so Lesley has been showing her pictures of me and whenever I send something she tells her "Those are from Meagan" and Hayden walks around saying "From my Meagan" for a couple days, so I was definitely excited to see her.

She, on the other hand, was not so excited to see me. She is just not used to having such a large group around her so she was pretty leery at my grandmother's, even though she had done fine a few days earlier with just my grandmother there. Oh well. I brought presents to win her love - hey! Don't make that face at me. She is two and I only see her twice a year, I've got to do something...

I brought her a pretty dress and a Cinderella crown and wand and best of all, some bright pink nail polish for her toes. So after dinner she let me paint her toes and then she, Lesley and I went for a walk to the park around the corner. When we were there, we were telling her about the baby growing in my tummy and how next time she visited, the baby would be out and she could help me take care of it. She really liked that because she likes to help with the real babies at day care and lines up all her babies at home to feed them and rock them.

Best of all, she touched my tummy and sang the baby a song - "You are my sunshine." SO sweet! All in all, it was such a nice visit and I am looking forward to their visit at Christmastime with little no-name in my belly.

Enjoy it!

Last Wedding of the Season....

Kevin's brother Nate got married on Saturday! Everything turned out beautifully, even though the day was gloomy and unseasonably cold. The wedding was quick and dirty - it took about 5 minutes from the introductions to the procession out - and was performed by a friend. Seriously, I couldn't get over it. Nate was SO nervous all morning, and was blubbering like a baby when Jennie walked down the aisle, and hadn't even had time to regain his composure and they were walking out. But we are so happy for them.

Lots of interesting things happened at the wedding, also. Firstly, one of Kevin's cousins just had a baby not that long ago, so she was there (Zaniah, altho I don't know if that is how it is spelled) with her grandparents, Jeff and Tina. Who are apparently still feuding with with Kevin's other aunt, June, which I found out when I let June hold the baby after me and then I got swatted and yelled at by Tina...thanks for the warning Kevin. Also there was Aunt Kay, who was not invited to our wedding because she and Kevin's mother haven't spoken in years and years. Are you noticing a trend here? There are a lot of fights going on, and quite frankly its hard enough for me to keep the names straight because most of them begin with J, so I can't keep the fights straight too. Seriously. This makes me glad we don't see Kevin's extended family very often. 

Onto the good news at the wedding. We got our wedding video!! Kevin's cousin Jennie and I worked together in Buffalo and her husband offered to do some video for us on our wedding day and we've been patiently waiting for them to put it together (especially since they did it for us for nothing) and we finally got to watch it! I am so glad they offered, because I loved it! Its nothing fancy, very home-movie like, but it is so nice to look back and see everyone there and remember all these funny little things. 

Second piece of good news: Kevin's friend *might be* expecting! I say might be because Sara is in denial about the little pink plus that appeared on her test. We are very excited for them, and are now facing intense pressure for her and her husband Derek, and also our friends Justin and Heather, who have these grand visions of all of our kids being the same age and having play dates and so on.... I told them, I'm not the one you need to convince.

Well here's the pictures:

This is from the rehearsal dinner - Nate got the groomsmen glasses with logos of their favorite sports team on them, so that is why there is bubble wrap everywhere. This is Nate's friend Kurt, his (and Kevin's) little brother Randy, and their dad Les

Here's Kevin, playing with the bubble wrap

Its reeeeeally dark, because I was sitting back a bit, but this is Nate (on the right) and their friend Adam, who performed the ceremony

Dan and Megan

Randy, and one of the bride's sisters

Kevin and the other sister of the bride...but I don't remember their names

Best Man, Adam and Matron of Honor, Michelle

Jennie and her dad

The first dance!

Kevin and I, after I changed out of my dress and into my dancing shoes!

Kevin's best friend Justin and his wife Heather

The boys dedicated a song to their parents - it was Randy Travis "Forever and Ever, Amen"...so sweet! 

The end!

A Lovely Afternoon

This Wednesday, I had the day off and drove up to Buffalo to visit my lovely goddaughter who is here visiting from Florida. I haven't seen her since my wedding in February, so I was very glad for the opportunity to see her. 

Obviously I had to bring some presents with me. 

Dress

Shirt and leggings

Bunny from Build-a-Bear

Here she is, all dressed up in her pretties. She loooves those sunglasses and bows!

My mother

Here's my grandma (and Hayden's great-grandma)

Playing

She's a sun baby

"Banging things is fun!"

Steppin' on the doggy

Hmm, this is not a pony

Snuggling

Big smiles

Peek-a-boo!

Aww there's my big girl!

All in all, I had a great time with my family and especially seeing how big Hayden has got since February. She is 14 months now, so she is a big girl!

Enjoy it!!

Fourth of July weekend, oh my!

Well, all in all it has been a pretty packed weekend! I am almost glad its Monday, I get a breather from all the hustle and bustle of the weekend... it helps that I have the day off today.

Every year, Kevin and his friends go to an outdoor country concert weekend called Jam in the Valley. Thursday is guys night, so Kevin headed down to set up camp and hang out with his friends. Although its not so much "camping" as it is a bunch of northern rednecks setting up tents in a giant muddy field and spending the weekend getting hammered drunk, setting off fireworks, and generally being rowdy. For example, while we were walking to our site on Friday, people were playing redneck games. They were throwing a tire. To see who could throw it the farthest. I would not lie to you about this. The girl who was up as we were walking by didn't even set down her beer. Beer in one hand, tire in the other. God's honest truth.

So Friday before I left to go join the fun, I was a baking machine. I made some chocolate chip cookie bars (with M&Ms, yummers!), brownies and also s'mores bars. Delish! I left my car at Kevin's friends' house because it was supposed to rain and Kevin has gotten his car stuck there before, so I knew my car would not make it out alive. We loaded everything into his dad's truck and took off. 

When we arrived, we grabbed a spot in overnight parking, loaded up with all the crap that I insist on bringing anytime we go places and walked over to the campsite. On the way, we passed people throwing tires in an apparent "redneck game" aka Exhibit A of "Why I don't belong here."

At the campsite, we split up, girls near the camper while the guys visited old buddies from high school. It was sort of annoying because Kevin's ex-girlfriend Jenna was there. Then somehow we got on the subject of chest hair and Nair and Jenna said she had done that to Kevin before and did I ever? To which I replied, "No, because you Naired his nipples and hurt him." To which she replied, "Oh yea, I still have pictures of that." SMOKE was pouring out of my ears. Why do you still have pictures of him?! So mad! 

Anyhow, she wasn't staying for the concert so she left, and we went in. It started raining so I had all my belongings in ziploc bags. The Friday night concert was Big and Rich and Gretchen Wilson. Well, I don't really care for Gretchen but B&R was AMAZING! It started pouring as they played "Holy Water" and it was magical! 

Of course, our blankets in our little tent also got wet, so sleeping that night was not so awesome, and we were up by 5:15am. No worries, we went to my fave diner for a little food!

See, Derek's excited! Are you?

Sara got the frisbee!

All the wives

Me and Kevin (adorable!)

Kevin, on the grill

After a nap at Kevin's parents, I had every intention of driving back to Rochester and resting until I had to work 8-12am at Wegmans (on 4th of July, thanks a lot). But right as I was about to leave, my grandma called and invited me down. I originally said no, but changed my mind, called her back and headed home. We had a lovely picnic with hot dogs, barbeque hamburgers, salads, fruit and blackberry pie! 

I had an uneventful ride back to Rochester and the night at work was not as bad as I had anticipated. Also, I got to duck outside for a while and watch the fireworks - there is a park right across the street and they put on an excellent show. All in all, it was a lovely weekend. 

Enjoy it!!

Sneaking up

I can't believe how quickly the time is going, now that we are getting down to the end. I'm sorry that all my posts lately have been about the wedding, but I seriously don't have time for ANYTHING else.

Wedding checks:
--We booked a DJ! FINALLY! With a mere 41 days to go, we finally called and booked someone
--My friend sent me the enlarged pieces to my aisle runner, so I can start working on that tonight
--I decided I am going to put my monogram on the front of the programs, so I shrunk it to the right size and set that up. Once I get a new color ink cartridge I can print one out and take it to be copied. Oh, and I ordered the paper I need to work on this!
--I have delegated the making of the card box to my very handy father, so hopefully he will start working on that and then I can finish it
--I went in for a fitting so my dress is being hemmed and bustled (European style) and I also have a crinoline now.

And then there is my mother. She still needs a dress. And we do not agree. She likes this very simple dress, which is a very nice dress but looks like you are wearing a business suit but with a long skirt. And I like another dress she tried, that is a little more flashy and a little more of a "gown" rather than a "dress-suit". I just thought she would want something a little more dressed up than what she is liking right now. I know she wants that first dress but she wants me to like what she is wearing, so she doesn't want to get it. So I don't know. Because I am not going to like it any better. But if that is what she wants, then fine. She needs a dress and we are waiting too long as it is.

ALSO, speaking of my mother and sneaking up....it's her 50th birthday today! SO Happy birthday Mom! Love you, even if you like boring dresses.

Enjoy it!

Pictures from my long lost camera

I accidentally left my camera at Kevin's parents house for Christmas, so here are a few pictures of the gathering that I've been meaning to put up:

This is Kevin's grandmother, dad and Aunt Shirley

Kevin's brother Nate and his fiance

(Nate is always that hairy, but not always so blah -

he was VERY sick for the past couple days and was

not really into the whole photo shoot I had going on)

This is Kevin's cousin Kim (in the red) and his fiance Julie.

They just recently got engaged and are planning a wedding for August '09.

Here's Kevin and his mom, Judy.

And here's Kevin's other brother Randy...sitting on top of Kevin

I curled mah hairs!

We're so cute

Kevin put this up in my living room.

"Babe, that wall is so bare, it needed something."

It will be coming down soon.

Kevin, being a goofball

And a goofball again...

he is really going to get tired of me and my camera.

(ps - see that green thing in his arm - its a pillow.

I MADE it! By myself! I stitched it BY HAND!

It may or may not be because the pillow I slept with all the time

was actually made by his ex, unbeknownst to me.

So I needed to make a replacement.

I actually still sleep with the other one, it's just at

my house haha. Thanks, Kevin's ex!!)

Enjoy it!!!

Thank goodness that's over

Well, Christmas was a complete whirlwind of family and travel and rain and food food and more food. I love Christmas, I love the music, the decorations, the time spent with family and friends. But seriously. I am so glad its over.

This year, with the wedding following so close on its's tails, Christmas kind of took a back seat. I've felt out of breath and out of sorts for the past few weeks trying to juggle 2 jobs, Christmas shopping and all my usual wedding stuff, PLUS trying to get invites in the mail.

I ended up giving Kevin a Wii, even though it was something he said he didn't want. Turns out, he was completely lying. He thought it was more expensive that it really was and wasn't willing to drop the $$ on it for himself. And then he spent all of Christmas bouncing around and saying "When can we go game shopping? When can we go GAME SHOPPING??" (love you babe!). So I did good there.

I made out like a fat rat in a cheese factory, as my father would say. Kevin gave me a new digital camera that is BEAUTIFUL (I would post some pics, but sadly, I left it at his parents and it won't be returned until Wed. I think). My parents gave me a necklace (that my sister picked up in Ireland), a pretty blue sweater, deliciously cozy fleece pjs, and some luggage for our upcoming trip. Kevin's mother gave me a jewelry set - pearl earrings, necklace and ring (way too much $$ right there), plus she got us a baker's rack for our kitchen and our 10 piece pot/pan set and some cookbooks. She always goes overboard.

Overall it was a wonderful Christmas for me. When I get my camera, I will post some pictures of the scarf I'm working on. I got some thick yarn and whacking huge needles, and I should be done today (which is only day 3 of its construction!)....

Glad I'm back!

Enjoy it!!

Shower time!

This weekend was the weekend of my bridal shower, held by my mother. Seriously it was awesome - perfect even. I had an amazing time! Let's recap, shall we?

Friday night after work - I ran home to clean up as quickly as I could. A college friend was coming to stay and my room looks like a tornado came through it. I even managed to vacuum before she showed up around 6. We grabbed something for dinner - my mom was monopolizing the kitching, cooking chicken a la king for what appeared to be all of Rhode Island, so we wouldn't be able to go in there. THEN we went to the liquor store and got 6 bottles of champagne for the punch the next day and headed back to the mad house. My mom had 2 friends and 1 aunt over, cutting up chicken and veggies and stirring pots all over. It was a mad house - but it smelled delicious! My friend Kelly and I were put to work, making little "thank you" tags to go on the favors, and then figuring out how to attach said tags. We wrapped about a million (or 16) door prizes and I tied pretty bows - Kelly is not so adept at the wrapping, and my mom thought it was hysterical. We put everything in baskets, favors and door prizes, and then it was 12:30....time for bed.

Saturday morning, we got up, showered and dressed. My mom was in panic mode - the shower didn't start until 1 pm and she left for the place at 10 am. Kelly and I grabbed some breakfast, picked up 3 dozen green balloons, extra plates and stopped back at my house, where we met my friend Kara. Then we went out to the facility and managed to NOT get lost! Yahoo! We got there around 12:15, where my mom and aunts were in a mad dash to get everything set up.

The room looked beautiful - my mother had arranged 7 round tables, white tableclothes and dark green placemats. Every place had a napkin and silverware, and as the centerpiece - ceramic pumpkins and a little vase with sunflowers, fall leaves and red and orange berries. It looked amazing! There was a table with cheese and crackers, one with veggies and one with some punch. Then the guests started arriving.

Everyone kept asking me, "Are you nervous for the shower?" but I couldn't think of anything to be nervous about - a room full of 50 awesome women hanging out and celebrating sounded like fun to me. Plus (a change from the first shower), I knew all their names and who they were, and had met them more than twice.

It seemed like the ladies just kept coming, and the gift table was overflowing. I couldn't even believe the packages we were getting. Kara, my oldest friend, was given the job of grabbing gifts, and she took it very seriously (honestly, she was trying to "beat" my other friend to get gifts and take them over, she is too funny!)

Then we sat down to eat. My Aunt Colleen, a whiz in the kitchen, had made a delicious salad - it had pears, craisins and walnuts on it and it was so goooood! Then my mother's Chicken a la King, with a side of green beans and garnished with a slice of orange and a strawberry. My aunts' carried out everyone's plates and the presentation was amazing! I am running out of different adjectives to use in this post, because it was just that great.

All the ladies in my family brought desserts: lemon squares, cheesecakes, truffles, apple crisp, and so many more yummy things!

Finally it was time to see what everyone had brought - we opened gifts for a long time, they just seemed to keep coming. We ended up with such beautiful things! Kevin got his coffee maker and toaster like he has been longing for. We got sooo many things, I couldn't believe it! Then Kevin came and we thanked everyone for coming and for all the beautiful gifts.

By far, my favorite was from Kara - it was a blanket from Things Remembered, with our names and the wedding date embroidered on it, and a little verse. It was so beautiful and sentimental.

When it was all done, we loaded up my car and Kevin's full of things and headed home. It was a great day and I was so glad for the time I got to spend with my family and friends!

Enjoy it!!

Why, thank you!

((the shower favors...my mom was literally shrieking that she found them, and then how cute they are ))

So my shower is coming up this weekend and I am SO. EXCITED. SERIOUSLY. I mean, the last shower was great, and I really appreciate my future mother in law doing that, because it was fun to get together with her family, who we do not see very often. But truthfully, I was more nervous about remembering the names of people I'd only met twice and a little uncomfortable.

This time around, my mother is having the shower and has invited pretty much every single woman that we are having at the wedding - all my aunts, cousins, both her and my friends, parents friends who have basically adopted me through the years - and I cannot wait for it. These women are GREAT and I love each and every one of them. I have a wonderful support network at home and 46 of the best people I know, hanging out together, laughing and having a good time sounds pretty awesome to me.

That being said, I guess I didn't know they liked ME so much. Confession - I am a serial registry stalker. I've needed to adjust things several times (we registered quite early and since then, inventory has changed and so has my mind). And the first time I saw something missing from the registry, I thought I had accidentally hacked into someone else's list. Since then, I've been hooked. I am not getting married for the stuff, but it is quite the perk.



Things keep disappearing from the lists, more and more, and though there is a shower coming up, I can't believe there are still people buying things. Kevin is just like "Yay, I will have things for the apartment" and I can't get over the fact that people like me enough to buy me this:
Oh, pink Dyson (currently sleeping in the trunk of my car), you are sooo beautiful to me.

This lovely piece of machinery is a gift from my grandmother. I will tell you it's because I am her favorite, but it's really because I am the grandchild who always comes to visit and also helps her- mow the lawn, repaper her cupboards, clean the windows and put up the summer screens, clean the attic in the garage that hasn't been cleaned in 25 years, plant flowers, bake cookies, make pierogies for Christmas, etc. Which I think still translates into "my favorite," if you read it correctly. In all seriousness, we are very close and I don't help her because I have to, I do it because I like to spend time with her and I know she needs the help and won't accept it from others.

I tried to talk her out of it, but at 86 years old, she is pretty damn stubborn and will not take no for an answer. She also likes to pull out the "When I die, everything will be split equally, and I want you kids who help to have a little something extra." Which is both morbid and persuasive.

So off we went to Target...in advance, thank you thank you thank you Grandma!!

Enjoy it!!

Weekend Wrap-up

Once again, it was a busy busy weekend!

Friday - I took off from Wegmans so I was free to hang out with my family. I got a fish fry with my grandparents and great-uncle. Then we went back to my grandparents house to wait for the PA aunt and cousin to get in so we could go see the FL cousin and babies! They were taking forever and we didn't want her to be in for the night by the time we got there, so we left and of course saw them coming down the street as we drove away. We went over to my other aunt's to see her daughter and 2 children, including my god-daughter Hayden. She is such a sweetie, and so pretty! Beautiful blue eyes and *sparse* dark hair. I let my sister hold her first since she could only stay a short time. Then it was my turn and she cried - hungry girl. But I held her later and she was good. And I was glad to see my cousin Amanda (from Philly).

After we left the family I traced the outline of my friend's monogram onto the aisle runner for her so I would be ready for Sunday when I planned to paint.

**On a somber note, we found out that my former boss's dad passed away on Thursday, so I had to add in plans to attend a wake for the weekend. We were close and joked with each other, so I felt like I should go.**

Saturday - I got up early because I had some errands to run. I went to the mall to pick something up for Hayden as a christening gift - I had a duplicate of a Willow Tree figurine which I couldn't return, but I exchanged it for a Precious Moments frame with a little baby on it and planned to put a pic in it from the day. Ran to Macy's and picked up some adorable baby outfits for my girl, on sale! Also a barette for the wedding - stupid hair.

Came home and freshened up, plugged in the address to the GPS and headed out to ATTICA. Made good time and arrived early. Kevin looked so handsome in his tux, and the groom was a nervous wreck!! Once we could process into the wedding, I met up with Kevin's friend who wasn't in the wedding and sat with him and his parents (Kevin's parents weren't there yet). The wedding ceremony was short and sweet, Sara laughed through Derek's vows, I think to keep him from crying. The preacher was not amazing - stumbled over his words and kept ranting about Derek being the head of the house and Sara's job is to support and obey him. After the wedding Kevin asked, "Our wedding isn't going to be like that, right?" haha

They had a reception line leaving the church and it went relatively quickly, but the bridal party was also in the line, and hence I was confronted with Kevin's EX. No words. But she knew. I let all the girls put their things in my car to get them to the reception, even her. And then later in the evening, one of the other bridesmaids, Heather (the wife of the best man in our wedding) was like "Oh thanks for letting J put her things in your car" and I was just like "Well I wouldn't have said 'Everyone can put their things in my car except you!'" haha. Oh well

The food was decent, considering the reception was at a fire hall. They had a pretty cake and a candy buffet. I hung out with Kevin's family and my adoptive inlaws (Kevin's friend Mike's parents) while we waited for the BP to show up. After dinner, Heather fell and broke her ankle - it was not good. She is 3 mos pregnant, so they couldn't do an xray or give her any pain meds so she is uncomfortable. Poor thing. They have the worst luck.

Kevin and I left the wedding early (around 8pm) and just went back to his parents house and got in some serious "us" time. We haven't gotten to snuggle in a LONG time and sleep in the same bed in even longer. It was very nice

Sunday - We went to breakfast with Kevin's brother Randy. Then I washed my hair, got dressed and headed out to the church for Hayden's christening. I wished that Kevin could have come with me and seen the baby, but he had to work again. I sat through the mass and then helped Lesley get Hayden dressed. She was so good the whole time, no crying or fussing, even when they poured the water on her head. Such a good little girl!

Listening to the priest

Here's the water!

Hayden, her godfather Joey and I at the baptism

Us with the priest (notice the beautiful christening gown - my great grandmother made it and everyone since my grandmother has been baptised in it). This is the priest who will be doing our wedding as well.

This is everyone who was at the christening - at the church where I am getting married.

When we left the ceremony, I ran to Wegmans to print a couple of pictures and grab a card. I put one of the pictures in the frame and then headed to my grandma's for dinner. I had a good time visiting and after dinner, I was holding her and she fell asleep and was such a little angel. I have so many good pictures!

Excuse how I look like I haven't slept in a week, but this is me and my lil peanut

After I left there, I stopped at Joann's and got some paint and brushes for the aisle runner. Then I fluffed up my hair and went to the wake with Kelly. We met Joyce and then I had to take over for Kelly because she was getting shaky and couldn't drive. Since we left that office, she stayed in touch with Frank and they were sort of 'talking' and making out haha. So she knew that his dad was sick and also that he was NOT expecting him to die, but to make a full recovery. Also, her father died when we were seniors in high school, and so she (better than any of us) really understood what he was feeling and going through. But he seemed to be doing ok at that point - of course, its so busy and business like. Its really when you're left alone and have to really think about it that it gets tough (or so Kelly says). So hopefully he will have a strong support around him. And not push people away, like he seems to do so often.

When I got home, I started working on the aisle runner. It actually turned out pretty good, but I did accidentally get one rouge blue spot on it, so I have to consult with Steph as to how to proceed. We'll see how it goes. It definitely didn't take as long as I expected. The aisle runner is like painting on a mix of paper towel and dryer sheet haha. Hope she likes how it turned out!

Enjoy it!