Sacramento...plus honeymoon plans

I just came back from a very busy trip to Sacramento. I'm exhausted. But it was well worth it. I still haven't gotten the hang of traveling for work. It's almost double the work because I was working in Sacramento on the project we were handling, but I was also constantly anxious about what work I should be doing (work that I would be working on if I were at the office). On a more interesting note...we booked our honeymoon!!! Two weeks. Italy and Greece. Rome, Florence, Venice, Olympia, Mycenae, Athens. We even have an overnight in Miami before we head back to OKC.

Phoenix

Because I was in Phoenix I missed this year's Tau Kappa Omega Founders' Day. It is the first Founders' Day I have ever missed, so I was sad. I saw pictures and was super bummed that I wasn't there. There is always next year. And next year there will so many of us married. I suppose because of all the weddings this year I will see everyone again soon.

upcoming wedding to dos

1. Pick a florist. I am leaning towards New Leaf, only because it is my next appointment and I don't want to make another appointment.
   
2. Finalize the menu. We set up our meeting with the chef at Will Rogers. He is designing a custom menu for us. Hopefully the tasting goes well. We can make whatever changes we want, so I assume it will go fine.
3. Finalize the cake. We are using Ruth's Sweete Justice who I saw featured on Food Network several times. I love their cakes! They are so beautiful. I just need to have a final tasting and decide on a flavor and design.
4. Order the favors. We've decided on our favors...which will be a surprise so I won't say. But it requires a bit of assembly and multiple orders. I hope everyone likes it.
   

wedding shoes

So I just purchased my wedding shoes. I wasn't sure what to get at first. But then I thought about...no one will see these shoes. It's unlikely at least. But if they do they need to be cute. But I will standing all day, so they need to be comfortable. So after much deliberation I decided I would bite the bullet and purchase....flats. I know what you're thinking. Flats? On your wedding day you should wear heels. They need to be formal and flats aren't formal. But I don't care. I love flats. I wear flats all the time. I love heels too. But they hurt like crap, and I'm slightly clumsy. Michael insisted I get ballet flats, because he didn't want me complaining that my feet hurt all night. If this were an ordinary event where I was standing for two hours at most, then I would go with heels, but this is for my wedding day. I will be running around, completely stressed out, and standing all day. So yes, I did it, I will do it, I will wear ballet flats.

5 months and counting

There are only 5 months left until the wedding, and I'm starting to feel like nothing is done. I think I am getting bogged down with all the wedding details. I can't seem to make any decisions anymore. Cakes, flowers, programs...does any of it really matter? Although I am currently obsessing about whether I should use dahlias or ranunculas and whether the cake should be square or round, will anyone even notice? At the same time this is Michael and I, and we are probably the biggest critics in the world. But the fact that I am overly obsessed with details makes it impossible for me not to nitpick about everything.

Besides that I'm impossibly busy with work, which means that even though it is Sunday I should be working. It's Sunday and I have been feeling guilty that I haven't done any work? How do I finish work and have any time to go back to the baker, schedule an appointment with the florist, figure out entertainment, schedule a tasting for the reception, purchase and assemble the favors...

Last night at I had to measure ao dais for Michael's cousins. They all want to wear ao dais for our wedding. I had never done it before, so I am certain I didn't do it correctly. I printed a page with instructions, but it didn't help me much.

I consider the ao dai to be the epitome of the classic asian look. There is something about that brings about an image of innocence and grace that the chinese cheongsam or japanese kimono can never accomplish. It is truly beautiful and flattering on everyone.

Christmas 2007

I spent Christmas in New Orleans this year. It was my grandmother's 80th birthday. We drove through the night on Friday the 21st. We got in on Saturday and spent most of that day lounging at my aunt's house. That evening we went to mass, which was held in a semi outdoor structure since the church isn't finished yet.

So much of the city looks as if the hurricane hit just yesterday. In my aunt's neighborhood every other house hsas been left abandoned or still unfinished. There are trailers in the front yard of homes that are still being fixed. My grandmother's neighborhood is the opposite. Her neighborhood before the storm was in bad shape with many dilapidated homes. Crime was so high there were bars on all the windows in the neighborhood. Now after the storm, all the homes have been built anew. The neighborhood actually feels safer.

Driving through New Orleans feels like driving through a war zone. Whole areas have been abandoned. Then you drive into the French Quarter and you almost forget that so much is gone. I never cared for New Orleans before, but now I feel sad for it.