getting our game faces on to defeat the groom's side in volleyball match.

drinks at Genna's to get the night started off right!

In appreciation of those toiling behind the scenes

Lest we forget to express our appreciation for our hardworking parents, who have been laboring tirelessly on this wedding, I'd like to take this opportunity to say...

Thank you!

You're the best!

This is Mom, filling trail mix baggies.

She's got a real system going.

Ain't she cute?

Bachelorette Party Photos

As promised: photos from the Bachelorette party. I left after dinner, so I 'm sure there will be even more crazy ones from our other contributors later on.

The Dark and the Light. Actually, a Cab and a Riesling.

Rebecca with her free chocolaty shot. It was our waiter's "special" drink.

All the gals.

I'm Packing the Sports Stuff

Mom and Dad and I went through the sports detritus in the garage this afternoon. We cleaned up and packed a whole bunch of stuff to play with at Devil's Lake:

Two soccer balls

A bunch of footballs, most non-regulation small sizes

A volley ball

Badminton rackets and birdies (4)

Frisbees of various sizes

Croquet set

So far that's it. Hopefully that's plenty. Should be fun.

So Almost Bride Lady, How are You Feeling?

I've been wondering. With the Wedding only 9 days away, how are you holding up?

Nervous, energized, sad, excited?

I think we'd all love to hear about it.

And writing always seems to help me with the anxious/nervous thing.

Beginning of the Coconut Brooches

Challenge for you:
In the 4 pictures in this post and the next, can you find the mini picture of Becca? I assure you that the placement of that picture was entirely unintentional. :)

Coconut Brooches

So I was unsure of whether to reveal this coveted information now or to wait til later. Then I decided what the heck... after all, you all are probably starting to think about coordinating jewelry with the dresses and now shawls too (yay!). By the way- have we talked about this? Becca do you have any opinions or ideas about jewelry- necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc.?

Anyways, as I might of mentioned a couple times, I have been hard at work hand-crafting coconut brooches to replace those silly fake diamond sparkly plasticky looking pins on the bridesmaid dresses... This process started with going to the store, buying a coconut, and eating it. That was the easy part. Then I let it dry out, sanded the outside surface, broke it up into smaller pieces, sanded edges, applied a varnish, drilled holes, and finally added decorative silver and shell bits. The only part I have left to do is glue the pin backs on to the backs of the coconut pieces. :) Here are some pictures of the process and the (almost) final products. Hope you all enjoy the pins on the day of the wedding and for a long time afterwards as well!

Oh God, I still need shoes!

I just thought this image was funny. I was looking around on the Web for wedding humor.

Yesterday it occurred to me that, while I've gotten the shopping part of finding my wedding boots all done, I have yet to complete the transaction (i.e., hand over the moolah). I guess I keep hoping REI will have a big sale or something. I almost never buy anything there full price. Oh well. Off to REI after work I think. I really like those boots and don't want to have to settle for something else. I've never had hiking boots that actually fit and were comfortable.

I feel sort of deliquent in my duties as bride'smaid. Other then helping stuff invitations, I've done very little. And I know I've heard bridezilla stories where the bride'smaid job description is more...expansive. Thankfully my sister is practical, and has not yet aquired a "zilla" appellation. But what to do? I'm sure there are dozens of last minute projects. I know I had them. I seem to remember spending several hours, just days before the wedding, tying teeny ribbons to dowel rods. Are we throwing rice? Do we need to acquire rice? What kind is most representative of the couple? Wild rice? Organic brown rice? Arborio? Uncle Ben's? That's sort of a fun question. I think my sister is sushi rice. Not sure about Dave.

Met a clerk at Borders who also works at the Irish Pub on the square. He made it sounds like a great place to go for the bachelor party. I was angling for coupons or something. No luck. He says there are all sorts of Irish students who work there. At least three Caitlins.

I'm not sure if I'm bringing a guest yet. I said no guests on my reply card, but my sort-of-boyfriend might come after all. It's an I-don't-really-like-weddings-but-I'll-go-if-you-want-me-to kind of thing. Made more complicated by the sort-of status. Do I NEED a date. Am I a total loser without one? Or will my relatives think I'm...off...somehow if I have a date and I just got divorced. I don't know the etiquette on this.

Enough ranting. More ranting later. Lots to rant about .

So Many Random Things

I went on a buying spree today for random things for the wedding. Didn't actually spend a lot, but it does amaze me how many tiny things there are, that all manage to be important in their own rite. Never thought I'd wake up in the middle of the night thinking "crayons! We need more crayons!" Actually, I think I might have woken up a few times like that when I was 5 or 6, but there just aren't a lot of extreme coloring situations when you get to be this age.

We have a lot of activities and little kitschy things planned for the wedding/reception, that we hope people will enjoy. Hopefully fun and light hearted. The above basket contains a smattering of objects that will be used at some point during the day. Basket includes:

1 roll paper towels (Bounty)

1 bottle Famous Dave's BBQ Sauce (Rich & Sassy)

1 box crayola crayons (24 count)

4 plastic wine glasses (assembly required)

1 length silk rope (in box with Chinese writing; indeciferable)

1 pashmina (light green)

Some day, perhaps aliens will find this basket, buried among the remenants of our long gone civilization. What will they say about these strange beings, I wonder?

And some more photos

Also from the invitation stuffing party:

This is "pre" stuffing...when we were still in stuff our faces and drink wine mode.

and more photos!

Finally found my cord for my camera so I could upload these!

Erica!

Cat thought he was being very helpful.

The girls working hard! Becca, Caitlin, Josie, Erica (l to r)

Not too many, but I thought I'd share anyway! I bought my boots (the same ones Caitlin linked to in an earlier post here, from REI!), got my dress fitted and am waiting impatiently for it to be hemmed... definitely anxious to have it done! I can't believe it's just over a month away! I'm sure this last month will just fly by.

images of times past ...

thought i'd get in to the wedding-sharing spirit and share some pictures of my travels and such with Rebecca.


this first one is from a day trip to Chicago.

celebrating/mourning the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows















a weekend in Paris! taking a breather on a bench overlooking the Seine after the Musee d'Orsay.













visiting San Diego and popping into the (cold) Pacific Ocean

Sending out invites!

Here are the girls addressing envelopes, stuffing envelopes, attaching stamps, and sealing and sending!! It was an exciting night full of fun and lots of planning!

Just Like Madison

Moving to Sioux Falls may seem a little scary, but there are a bunch of ways Sioux Falls is just like Madison…

They’ve Got a Famous Dave’s
We know you love this place (after all, they’re catering your wedding). So what better way to beat homesickness than a fantastic barbeque restaurant that tastes just home. Not that Wisconsin is famous for its barbeque.

Famous Dave's

2700 S Minnesota Ave I-229 Exit 3

Sioux Falls, SD 57105

Phone: 334-8800

They’ve Got an Apple Orchard
Just like Carandale. You can still go out in the dewey morning and pick fresh apples for your pies. Yummm!

Country Apple Orchard

Minnesota Avenue (five miles south of Sioux Falls)

Sioux Falls, SD 57032

Phone: 605-743-2424


They’ve Got Trolleys
Clang! Clang! Clang!

What do you know? Both Madison and Sioux falls get pretty foolish about their trolleys. Honestly, I’ve never ridden the ones in Madison, but hey, they’re atmosphere.

Sioux Falls TrolleyDowntown Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Phone: 605-367-7183

Website: www.siouxfalls.org/transit/trolley

They’ve Got an Orpheum Theater
Well that’s spooky….

Orpheum Theater

315 N. Phillips Ave.

Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Phone: 605-367-7288

Website: orpheum.sfarena.com

They’ve Got Two Malls with “East” and “West” in their Names

• The Eastbank, 401 E. 8th St, Sioux Falls, SD


• The Western Mall, 41st Street & Western Ave, Sioux Falls, SD

They’ve Got a Store that Sounds Kind of Like Patrick’s
Everyone needs a place to buy overpriced imported canned Spotted Dick.

Mrs. Murphy's Irish Gifts Downtown http://www.mrsmurphys.com/

They’ve Got a Whole Bunch of Parks Nearby
Well, way across the state, but still… You’ve got Badlands, Jewel Cave, Mt. Rushmore, plus lots of others.

They’ve Got 3 Perkin’s Restaurants
In case you need pancakes at 3 am.

Residents on the Border Head to Iowa to Gamble
Just like home ;-).

The Plan So Far

OK, so in the spirit of planning, because I can't seem to survive without planning, here's my attempt at itemizing what we've got on the docket for the wedding weekend so far.

Thursday, September 10: Bachelorette Day

• Boys vs. Girls Volleyball
• Lots of good wine or other beverages. Sounds like Genna's and maybe an Irish Pub.
• Other unspecified activities.
• Probably picking up dresses this day too.

Friday, September 11: Getting Ready Day

• Pedicures and manicures at a Just Nails in Fitchburg at 3:30 pm
• Rehearsal at a park or even up at Devil's Lake, depending on what R and D decide.
• Rehearsal dinner at The Great Dane in Fitchburg at 7 pm

I bet there's other stuff, but I can't think of it. Please add to this list.

Invitation Stuffing

The five of us got together on Sunday night for a good old fashioned wine-and-pokeysticks invitation stuffing party. A good time. Plus we got to puzzle over the invite list and comment on who was "still living at home," who has "finally gotten their own place," etc... You learn more about your family during this kind of activity than at any other time short of a reunion, it seems.

We also conspired on the bachelorette party. Sounds like we might have a guys vs. girls volley ball game somewhere in the mix.

Some of the other gals took some photos. Hope those will get posted soon.

25 Things I Remember About Rebecca

1. She used to have a poster of Mia Hamm over her bed.
2. When she was little, her hair was blonde.
3. We used to share a little little closet. Hard to believe it al fit in there now.
4. She enjoyed playing Oregon Trail.
5. When I was a senior in High School , she was a freshman. Ditto, college. Rarely saw her in either place. She must have a good “hide” stat.
6. She had the Samantha American Girl doll.
7. She once wrapped up a frilly pink doll as a joke present for my brother.
8. She’s fond of complicated wrapping jobs for presents.
9. She used to write for the high school newspaper and had some pretty good satirical articles.
10. She was part of a croquet league. I don’t recall if it was a real league or a joke league.
11. She wore a champagne colored poofy dress to prom. It’s still in the closet at home.
12. She had a tan-colored teddy bear
13. About half her bed used to be taken up by cats and stuffed animals
14. When we played Punch and Judy, she was usually Judy.
15. When we played Inspector Gadget, I was usually Penny and she was usually Brain.
16. She once performed Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with me, including all dialogue, songs, and dance routines.
17. Rebecca has read the Jane Austen books more times than I have, including the obscure stuff like “The Watsons”
18. Rebecca took ballet for one year, got tired of it, and joined the girl scout soccer team called The Wildcats
19. My friend Emily and I used to tie Rebecca and Emily’s sister (Elizabeth) up with their own socks
20. Rebecca’s a big Calvin and Hobbes fan
21. She also used to like Garfield
22. She has lots of scars on one of her knees from two separate knee surgeries
23. Her first job was at La Brioche bakery
24. She has only two cats…I’m surprised it isn’t more
25. Actually, my parents would say she has four cats…because the two at home are technically hers too.

Never Been to Devil's Lake

I bet some of our out-of-town guests have never been to this state park. Just thought I'd take this opportuntity to post some directions, as well as some information about other things you can do at Devils Lake, and in the area in general, in case you're planning to make a mini-vacation out of the wedding weekend.



Intro to Devil's Lake:

Situated along the Ice Age Trail, 500-foot bluffs tower above a 360-acre lake. Spectacular scenery, a full range of recreational activities, and a full-time naturalist make this a very popular park. Devil`s Lake State Park has 29 miles of hiking trails and 6 miles of mountain biking trails. Nature programs and walks are offered at the Nature Center.


How to get there:

• From the south or east on Interstate Highway 90/94, take State Highway 33 west about 15 miles to Baraboo. Turn left (south) on State Highway 123 and go 3 miles to the park.


• From the northwest on I-90/94, go right (south) at exit 92. Take US Highway 12-East about 10 miles to State Highway 159. Turn left (east) on Highway 159 and go about 2 miles to the park.


• From the south on US 12, turn right (east) on Highway 159 and go about 2 miles to the park.

In addition, from about April through November, the park can be reached via the Merrimac free ferry, State Highway 113 and County Highway DL.

Wanna camp?

For campsite descriptions and availability, call (888) WI PARKS ((888) 947-2757) or check the Web.

Stuff to do nearby:

• Circus World Museum, Baraboo
• International Crane Foundation, Baraboo
• American Players Theater, Spring Green
• Wollersheim Winery, Sauk City

And, of course, all sorts of stuff to do in the Wisconsin Dells. The waterparks close after Labor Day. To me, that makes the prospect of visiting the Dells much more attractive.

Fancy an Excess of Images?

Hi Folks. Bride here. I don't think I forwarded this to anyone, as most of you saw the short "engagement session" preview that my photographer did and I didn't imagine that anyone needed to see more...and frankly, it seems like too much self love to share a lot of pictures of yourself. At least if you make other people look at pictures of your newborn baby or new puppy, you don't sound conceited when you say "aww this one of Baby turned out so lovely!"

But anyhow, I figured if you're interested enough to read the blog, you might actually be interested enough to see the rest of the images. They are online here: http://redgeckostudio.smugmug.com/gallery/8420289_L2W7W

They can be ordered from this site I believe. However, I will also have a disc of them along with my wedding photos.

How Well Do You Know Dave?

Hey, is this all about Rebecca? Certainly not! It's about her lovely husband-to-be too!

So lets play the "How well do you know Dave" game. Copy the quiz below into a commetns box and submit your anwers. If you don't know the answer to one of these, guess. It should be hilarious.

After the bachelorette party, we'll get the answers from Dave. The person with the highest score wins! Wins what? You'll just have to be surprised.

1. What is his favorite drink?
2. Where are they going on her honeymoon?
3. How did he meet the bride?
4. If he could travel anywhere in the world, where would he go?
5. What super power would he choose?

6. When Dave was a kid, what did he wanted to be when he grew up?
7. Where did he propose? (or did she do it?)
8. What are the names of their cats?
9. What is his middle name?
10. What is his biggest pet peeve about the bride?
11. Where did they go on their first date?
12. Does he appreciate the works of Jane Austen?
13. What was his high school nickname?
14. What is his favorite ice cream flavor?
15. What was his college major?
16. What's his favorite sport?
17. When did the bride and groom meet?
18. How many countries has he visited?
19. What is his favorite song?
20. What is his favorite food?
21. What is his favorite movie genre?
22. Who does he think is the sexiest woman, other than his betrothed?

23. How far did he make it in the boyscouts?

24. When camping, the first piece of equipment he sets up is the ______.

25. His favorite restuarant is ________.

26. True or False: Dave is addicted to World of Warcraft.

27. How tall is Dave? How much taller is he than Rebecca?

28. Name his last three jobs.

29. What does Dave think of the relationship between Mickey and Minnie Mouse?

30. Which alignment does Dave prefer to play in Dungeons and Dragons?

Have fun!

I'm New to This Blogging Stuff

A beautiful dress and bride to match. If Dave sees this is it bad luck? (that's a joke you know).

I agree the shoe's definitely make the whole ensemble.

Can't wait to have a turtle cup cake. J'

First Fitting

Here are some photos from Rebecca's first dress fitting at Vera's.

(Wo)Man in the Mirror

Rebecca and Seamstress

Nice shoes

Erica and Rebecca

My favorite pic (this is cute)

Home Stretch

We’re in the home stretch…only 7.5 weeks left until the big day, and there’s lots to do.

Rebecca is headed to Vera’s for her final fitting this evening at 5:30. Good luck!

As for the rest of us bridesmaids, we need to find a time to meander in to Vera’s in the next couple of weeks for our final fittings. And then there’s the shoes, the jewelry, the hair: all still to be decided and acted upon.

Rebecca has decided that the bridesmaids should find a pair of hiking boots to wear while at Devil’s Lake. I’m thinking maybe these puppies, from REI. That’ll be an interesting look! I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of wearing hiking boots with a knee-length gown before. Well there’s a first time for everything. And maybe for once my feet will not be sore at the end of a wedding day. :-)

Planning to help Rebecca get her invitations ready to send out later this week. That’s quite a process. When I got married, we did all of ours by hand too. I remember trying to get our labels to print just right. Lots of scrapped sheets printed backward and upside down.

Perhaps I should post a task list. We can tick things off as we go.

Come one come all

To celebrate Rebecca and Dave's upcoming wedding. If you would like to contribute, simply send an email to me (Caity) at caitlin.doran@gmail.com and I'll add you to the author list. Currently the folks I've automatically added as authors are me, Rebecca, mom, and Jeanne (the folks I have email addresses for).

This blog is still under construction, but soon it will have all sorts of pretty pictures and more fun stuff.

Check back soon!