Promise, last one...

Memorial Day weekend we went to Baltimore's Inner Harbor for a family wedding.    It was such fun to be with family and friends and the wedding was pretty cool.....both bride and groom are sports fans and the bride, in particular, is an Orioles fan so what better venue then Camden Yards.

 My son's stepson all dressed up.  Kids sure clean up nice.

 Not like her mother, my daughter kept popping up every time I got my camera out.

 Here we go, entering Camden Yards.  Cocktail hour to be on the 7th floor with the reception following on the 6th floor.

There she is again.....in front of the plaque that says the statue is Babe Ruth.

 The wedding was at the Orioles Walk of Fame (above the black section on mid-right).

The back of the scoreboard as we entered the complex

 Of course because of breeze and hats ..... I couldn't get any decent pix of the actual ceremony. There were a couple of times her viel was straight up in the air when it wasn't obscuring her and the groom!

 Missing my late sister-in-law this day, the day of her son's wedding.

 View from the cocktail hour.

 Pretty flowers.

The newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Steven Sharpe

 The happy couple visiting our table.

 My son managed to serve as a groomsmen on crutches 

without the boot but needed to get comfy by night's end.

 OMG!  There she is again!  I have to post these because most
pix I have of her she is pulling a face.

 And yes, there were some not so complimentary pix taken when I left my camera unattended.   Thankfully my kids only posted that knowledge to FB and didn't post the pix before I could confiscate and delete them.

 See what I mean!  And this one is mild. 

 And this one that needs an explanation!  Sister and brother comparing broken ankle surgical cars.

When we checked in, we were given awesome gift bags with bottled water, snacks, candies, 

a tin of Old Bay seasoning and goodies.    

Wedding reception over, some guests boarded a party bus that took many on a pub crawl with the bride and groom....we decided to walk the inner-harbor instead. It was a great weekend with family and will be remembered partly as the weekend of the best elevator ride ever! (you had to be there) and the weekend I lost my son's stepson (we got on the elevator and he didn't...causing me several scary minutes. This WAS NOT the best elevator ride ever.) 

And I promise, this will be the last non-stitching 

post for awhile....next up, a finish, an healthy start on a 

finish, a new project and fabulous new fabrics.  

No words are needed

I think this is the neatest shot I have seen of my son's wedding.........haven't seen them all yet but.......this is like a moment in time captured that they were unaware anyone was watching them.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.........

The family, the fun, the friends, the food, the good spirits, the beautiful venue, the fabulous flowers, the gorgious weather were  surpassed by the pure look of joy and happiness on the bride and groom.  I never took ONE photo! nor did I use my FLIP video camera.  The evening was over before we knew it.   Not to worry, my eldest daughter and her husband did the photography and I have seen some of them and they are beautiful.......she needs to email me some.  I know she has over 800 photos on one camera alone.

The bride and groom headed to the mountains yesterday afternoon for a week of hiking, horseback riding, white water rafting and relaxing.  We are an outdoorsie nature  loving family.

Now a week of no wedding prep, no assembly of anything, no kids, no dogs...........some well deserved rest.........I may have withdraw.

Who is this Murphy of Murphy's Law

The "Dress" and 3 tux's ready for Friday!

Well I say dis-bar him!   Wedding countdown is now hours not weeks or days away......W-34 hours and counting.   I had not planned to be off both today and tomorrow but.....as an ear ache escalated and all I did was sneeze and blow my nose yesterday, I decided to take today off as well.   Murphy's Law - I cannot remember the last times I was sick.....like 2 years or more, so I guess I should be thankful on some level.   

Not much planned for me today but to sit and sip tea, take extra vitamin C and just re-charge my batteries.   Bride to be and me have spent a couple of weeks of late nights working on programs and last minute details.   Although I thoroughly enjoyed the laughter and bonding time, it did almost equate to working two jobs often not falling into bed until after 11 each night, couple that with all the yard and house prep for the rehearsal picnic and something's got to give......could be a contributing factors in getting myself run down.  Hopefully a day of rest will help. 

One good thing being off today is allowing is for me to catch up on everyone's postings and all their progress.   It is better than window shopping in the mall.   You guys are all so clever and creative!  and I thoroughly enjoy checking out each and every one of you.

Talked to dd#2 earlier this morning and she is already on her drive from the Boston area.   I anticipate her arriving around 2:30 and hopefully by then I will have made up her bed, done up the dishes and there will be nothing for us to do but stitch.....and now for a cup of tea, some stitching and a netflix.......I forgot about Zicam which I found when digging through the medicine cabinet and bet it will do the trick.   One dose down already.

Stress Reliever!

UPDATED:  Stitching of course.    A bit of progress on my BRD Little Quakeresque.   I originally planned to complete motif by motif before moving on but you can see I got carried away with doing the individual outlines.   I guess because it was a no brainer.  Sherry commented and I need to check out the BRD, Initially Yours,  she said she is stitching.   It could be added to my list.

and laughter, the other stress reliever.   D-in-L and I are making wedding programs.   On the right above I am holding down the vellum layer. The ones on the left, the vellum 'floats' up making it hard to read.   No so when you are holding the program. This is truly the last thing we need to do....I stress WE......I of course need to hem my dress still.   I am returning my shoes for the next size up.   I have worn them around the house for a half hour a couple of different afternoons to get a feel for them and they are going to be just too tight for an outside evening wedding in the summertime.   You know how your feet swell by the end of the day?   I don't want to be the one who is walking around without shoes.   Also, I have a pattern for a quick purse to sew.  Of course........seems to be my MO with all things....Last Minute Sue!

So back to the programs and the laughter.....after we get over the giggles that they newlyweds have included their dogs in the acknowledgement, we had a good laugh at my daughter's expense.   The bride and groom listed their thank you's thanking the DJ and the photographer, the bride's uncle and groom's sister respectively.   The first few copies were run, cut and assembled using the version without the credits for the photographer........so quickly D-in-L corrected and we were going again.   Then I read what she typed and we got to giggling and laughing and joking.   It was just the tension relief from the pre-wedding stress we needed.   Morgan thanked HEATER SPARKS rather than HEATHER SPARKS!   So I had the photo turned and it flipped and I turned again and it flipped and I stopped re-doing before I flipped!

UPDATE-No the dogs are not going to be joining us at the ceremony but not because the bride and groom didn't try.   The dogs are not allowed on the wedding venue which is a DuPont family estate that is rented for weddings, events, etc. 

Wedding Central!

Our staging area - WIP's!

We need to add photos of the happy couple then arrange the placecards.

The photo does not do this justice.   It all sparkly and pretty.

On the left - the program we created!  One down and 76 to go!

Says it all

Items for the well stocked Bridal Emergency bag!

Everything is due to the reception venue on Saturday so we are busy busy busy.   Some may wonder why at this point are we not done!  Well, the bride to be has been working full time and attending school full time until August 3rd............so that is when we hit the ground running.   It is amazing how much time it takes to stuff 90 little organza bags with assorted chocolates, cut the paper for the tags, make a 'wishes' tree, cut and tie on ribbon on the well wishes cards, assemble places cards ----you get the picture.........we have all been there before and we all survive it.   In part it has been hard at times due to the Mother of the Bride not living nearby as well as her having health issues.   The Mother-In-Law (me) needs to know her place and not overstep but at the same time be there to do whatever is needed.   That's me right now, the manual labor and I am really loving it.....just give me a few more hours in the day and I will be thrilled.

I have managed to steal away a few treasured stitching minutes and can see little bits of progress.  Cross stitching that is.   I also managed to sew my dress this past weekend.   My d-in-l was a bit apprehensive about me making my dress and wanted to take me shopping but when she saw the dress she was truly amazed.   It is simple, sleek, has movement and is a beautiful blue satin.  As it goes, I think the undergarments cost more than the dress! 

.......for now I am going to steal a few more minutes of cross stitch time.....I can't believe how much I was missing making my little "x's".

A little bling bling!

The blue one needs pressing.

UPDATED - A tale of two dresses!  I don't know which one to wear.  Each has it's own pluses, accessories and shoes.

Take me back to vacation!

Red one in the center is the home of the founder of Norton Antivirus!

Community park in Oak Bluffs MA

View from Gay Head - Aquinna Lighthouse

What vistas from Aquinna!

Aquinna Lighthouse

Signs of seaports

Cottage House

More of the cottages

Of course, I always photograph the flowers!

Octagonal Tabernacle

Stained glass at top of tabernacle

View from inside of open air tabernacle

That first week back from vacation is downer.   I am not a napper but was exhausted and took a nap when I got home today.  Back to work and somewhere and something to do each night. 

Every time I go away on vacation I am taken away by the beauty my country has to offer.  I leave having found a new place that I'd love to live.  No offense to foreign travelers or other countries but when asked why I don't travel abroad...........there is too many beautiful things I need to see in my own country. 

My BFF, Deb, who I travel with, and I have not decided where we will vaca next year but I know it will be wonderful filled with wonderful things to see and do.

Not much stitching going on.  Catching up on yard work, things around the house and board reports.   The wedding is looming and the bride had her fitting today only to have a dress so tight she can't breath!  $475 for alterations and she is crying tonight.   She says it is way way too tight.   I recommended she go back to the bridal store tomorrow with her mom and request they let it out at least an 1/8th inch on each side.   That will give her an extra half inch and hopefully feel a bit better.   Weddings favors are all done!  Yeah!  Specialty chocolates in organza bags with a tie on with the bride and grooms initials and another tie on listing the website where the photos will be available.   I will have to photograph and post them.  Right now they are boxed up safety and in the fridge out of the reach of those who may be tempted to try a treat or two.