Please, please

puh-leeze!- do not mention my attepmt at making my own header with cute font... I've been working on it for hours trying to make the image fit, but I have to wke up in 4 hours, and I don't have the patience to wait it out!

What we've done with the weekend

Jimmy and I (with the help of SIL , Ashley) did a couple of projects over the weekend.

BEFORE

AFTER*

I knew exactly what I wanted and how I wanted the finish to look on the sideboard. I googled numerous times without any luck. I ended up asking Joy, from Joys of Home, what to do. She responded in record time and was the ultimate lifesaver! She truly is a pro! Thanks you soooo much, Joy.

BEFORE

AFTERI copied this idea from, Carla. We took down the fan blades, spray painted the base with a hammered black finish, added new glass shades (one is missing in the photo) and covered the blades with wood grain contact paper. Thanks, Carla- renovation extraordinaire!

*why green, you ask?

Because these are the fabulous fabrics I'm using for the rest of the kitchen:

Next project? Sewing roman shades for the windows!

At the top of the list

of things I HATE (yes, folks, that's capitalized)...

THE HOME DEPOT

Dude, it's not so much the actual store- although the concrete flooring and metal shelving sends me to the lighting fixture aisle for my daily fix of, "Ooohhhh... shiny..."- it's the terrible customer service.

Upon entering the hardware abyss, my mind goes into hyper drive to save me from self loathing for being so stupid as to not know where to find the FX2578394-T12 light bulb (true story). In all honesty, I should not be able to find the FX2578394-T12 light bulb, for the risk of not having a life. When said light bulb is finally found, without so much of a glimpse from an orange apron clad minion, one realizes that the product is on the top shelf of very large shelves (it's not like me to make understatements, but that last one was one a the century).

So what does one do? First, wait at the customer service counter for 17 minutes, receive no help or acknowledgement, go back to light bulb aisle, push over one of those ridiculous ladders and proceed to get two light bulbs down for yourself. Yes, twelve foot light bulbs. BY YOURSELF. Now that that part of the experience is over, let's move on to the self-checkout.

Can you imagine a woman with two twelve foot light bulbs, a five year old in tow and a fabulous handbag (read:huge), trying to administer a self-checkout to her purchase? It really doesn't help that the purchase is breakable. When the 'customer service' cashier comes to help me, it is in the form of pointing and laughing. Well, I am exaggerating- it was more of a muffled giggle. I suppose I can't argue, it must have been hysterical to watch me try and juggle a credit card whilst holding a light saber in each hand. With purchase almost completed, Kaitlin became temporary bagger. Her competence brought her to bag the remaining six customers following me with the same terrified look on their faces. She even got to the point of asking if they would prefer paper or plastic.

Have you ever tried to fit twelve foot light bulbs in your car? Until yesterday, me either. Let me just say this- it was quite a sight to behold... All was figured out. Self medicating came in the form of an In-N-Out milkshake. I'm an expert at wielding the straw... my training rivals that of an orange aproned ivy league.

Something Wicked this way comes...

Yes, I know it has been a FULL week since I last posted... shame on me. Hopefully the insane amount of pictures shall suffice as an apology. If not, I can always send you chocolate... if that doesn't work, we should not be friends.

My mom planned this whole trip. It was so fun! She got super awesome seats, a limo, fancy-schmancy dinner and other amazing things to make this day special!

Megan, me and Carla. This is just the beginning, folks...

This is limo #1- my mom made a reservation with them months in advance, but they never confirmed... so, she reserved another limo the day of.

Here's limo #2- I am so glad it was the more awesome limo!What a lady looks like going into the city for an evening with the girls.

Oh, just wait for the other shots...

Go, Carla! Love the shag carpet!

Fake lashes and luscious red lips... can a girl ask for more?

That's it, Megan- smile with the eyes!

I love how we're taking these fabulous pictures and our moms are wearing seat belts in the back!

The obligatory Charlie's Angels shot required at any girls' night out.

Gotta love the SHOES!

Teresa and her foot. This gal is amazing... one of my friends was unable to come to the play last minute. We needed someone fast. I called Teresa and this is how the conversation went:

Steph: Hi, Teresa!

Teresa: Hi!

Steph: SO, how are you at doing stuff last minute and being spontaneous? Like, tonight... (mind you, it was a Thursday)

Teresa: What do you want to do?

Steph: I'm picking you up in a limo in five minutes and we're all wearing high shoes.

Teresa: I'll be ready.

AND SHE WAS!!!! Teresa was so much fun!

Toasting to the night with the sparkling cider that made us a little tipsy... that's the way Mollys roll.

My mom had these flowers delivered to the restaurant. We went to The Fifth Floor Poulet et Homard- chicken gratinee and butter poached lobster, baby artichokes, asparagus and friend hazelnuts, chicken-lobster broth

slow-cooked loch duart salmon, confit of purple sweet potatoes, glazed chestnuts, smokey blue fondue and grilled red onions

T minus thirty hours

and I am in a limo with my mom and friends to go see Wicked!!!! For my birthday, my mom gave me tickets to go see this amazing show and got me a limo and fancy dinner to go with it! Thanks, Mom!

Yet, another bird story

I seem to have a history with fowl. and shoes. and food. That's pretty much all I blog about. Sometimes my family.... sometimes.

Well, this is story from the archives in my head. I was only three years old, but I remember this. Trust me. I remember.

We lived on a large lot out in the country. There must be an unspoken rule (one I will never follow, judging by my luck with birds) for those who live in the country to have a chicken coop. Yes, we had a chicken coop... one that was lit on fire by my brothers in a future funny post. But for now, the coop remains intact. All the kids were playing outside in the backyard when my mother heard screaming from her only daughter. My mother ran out of the house to find her sweet, most precious and innocent daughter laying on the ground. With a rooster on her chest. Pecking at her face. YES! That was ME!!!! I was being pecked by a rooster! It was totally clawing me, too! Now, folks. I do not remember provoking this evil spawn of Satan. However, with a quick read through my blog, I am sure it's safe to say that I wanted to hold the evil thing and tame it...

So, my mom ran back into the house and returned with a broom to the scene of the attack. Instead of just shooing the bird away in the sweet manner of the animated Cinderella, my awesome mother swung that broom much like the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland swings a croquet mallet. (Now, there is a reason I use animated characters to demonstrate what I remember- I was three. And let's face it, I still equate many memories I currently entertain with animated movies)That broom came up and around my mom's head and swung under the rooster's behind to make it go flying! I distinctly remember a kind of weird 'gobble/cawcaw' coming from that rooster. My mom just kept on swinging the broom under the rooster's behind to sent it into orbit and eventually the chicken coop. And thus Stephanie and nemesis foul begin their long and complicated relationship.

In the words of my dear 5 year old...

Holy Heck!

Yes. Kaitlin says that. Of course, that's after we ruled out the other words that debuted before deciding that 'heck' was appropriate. I use Kaitlin's favored explicative to describe our life in the past few weeks. Planning for a wedding is fun and crazy... but even more so when you're responsible for food, hair, makeup, sewing of multiple dresses, choosing: colors, themes, cake decor, centerpieces and so much more! As daunting a task as it may seem to do so much in preparation9n for a wedding, I had a blast! It was a ton of pressure, but the pay off was so worth it. I did ok. There were endless lists that kept me extremely organized, but even the most organized crack at one point. I did fine until I realized I had forgotten to put out the silverware. I came to this realization as I was in the receiving line, welcoming guests. Luckily, I have a husband, of whom is a pro at working with over scheduled women, to calm me. Plus, amazing and fabulous ladies to watch my back working in the kitchen to mask my follies. Here's some pictures to go with the explicative (I'm sure after being bombarded with so many pictures, you will be saying, "Holy Heck!", as well...)




The week started with Amish Friendship Bread- Thanks, Rebecca for giving me a starter!

The day before the wedding, Kaitlin had a class Easter party. Do you see all those stickers? Yeah, she took all the left over stickers because no one else wanted them....or so she says...My daddy sent another hand painted package for my birthday. Look at the shading and the detail!These are the yellow shoes I wore with my bridesmaid dress.



The dress I made! I still cannot believe I made these dresses. All I can say is this: there was a higher power involved... because I will never look at that dress and ever believe that I actually made it!
Yes. I did take this picture. While driving. And laughing.

I envy her cheekbones.

These pictures are all from the chronicles of the crazy bridesmaids. We had a total blast driving to Sacramento for the ceremony!Michelle and Nana in her very classy, designer suit... I am happy we found it on our first try!Melissa and MattMelissa and her parentsMatt and his mom Matt, Melissa and their nieces.Cutting the cake- Thanks for decorating it, Janeen!Kaitlin- totally chowing down on cake. That girl had more sugar in one day than in her previous time on this earth, combined! (Thanks to the sweets table with candy bar and other treats)Michelle and Leo

Matt sang to Melissa. He has an amazing voice. He wrote a very special song for the bride. There they go!Opening wedding presents... and eating leftovers, I'm assumingWe lost Michelle in the tissue paper!Pictures in the Napa Valley on our way to an all girls' sleepover at our house!!!