Your most special wedding gift

I have been MIA for a couple of weeks- I just really don't have a lot of good material lately, and I feel like I am boring y'all with wedding details.  Really, that's pretty much all that's on my mind recently, so I don't have much else to say.

So, keeping with the theme- what was your most special wedding gift?  My grandmother wants to give us something that will be special.  Something that we will look at years from now that will have a special place in our hearts, and we can say that my grandmother gave it to us.

I'm really drawing a blank as to what that might be.  Did any of you receive something really special that will be a gift just like the one I am describing?  If so, please share!  Or, if you haven't received anything like that, but have something in mind, please share that as well.

Thanks, and stay tuned on Thursday for a book review of The Beach Trees, by Karen White!

Made me chuckle

During my lunch break I ran into CVS to pick up a graduation card for my cousin.
I am wearing pants in this Lilly Pulitzer pattern today:

As I rounded the corner, a man stopped dead in his tracks.  Here is the very brief conversation that ensued.
Him: Them there's some bright pants
Me: That they are (I didn't say thank you because I'm not sure that was a compliment)
Him: They sure do look comfortable
Me: Yes, they are quite comfortable
The end.

Now, if you could only imagine this with the man's country accent, you'd probably see why I'm still chuckling.

Brain dump

What's going on in my brain right now in bullet fashion.

• First off, Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom, as well as all of the others moms and moms-to-be out there!  Enjoy your special day, although I celebrate you each and every day, not just one day of the year!
• We found out this week that my cousin, Kimberly, is pregnant with a sweet bambino due around the first of November.  Kimberly's mom and mine are sisters, and we grew up spending nearly every summer together at our grandparents' house on the lake.  It's times like these when I think about my upcoming wedding and Kimberly's pregnancy that I miss my grandparents so very much.  It's been 17 and 7 years, respectively, since we lost my grandmother and my grandfather.  Although the pain does ease, you never quit missing them.  I know they would both be so proud of the people that their grandchildren have become.  They loved us immeasurably and I know they are smiling down on us and are with us in spirit.
• Going right along with that, my baby cousin (who is not a baby anymore, clearly!) is graduating from college tomorrow.  I'm so proud of her.  Lora is Kimberly's younger sister, and took quite a bit of teasing from the "big cousins" growing up.  She's 7 years younger than us, so she got her fair share.  I wish her the best of luck as she embarks on an internship in DC, with hopes of a job after her one month is up. 
• I have recently checked a few more things off of the wedding to-do list: favors selected, day-of coordinator hired, jewelry ordered for both myself and my bridesmaids, flower girl dress purchased.  And, tomorrow I will check off a few more: meet with the caterer and figure out the logistics for the reception site.  After that I can order linens and table toppers.  Check, check, check.
• AND THE MOST EXCITING THING CHECKED OFF THE LIST.  We booked our honeymoon!  I can't wait for 7 nights in beautiful St. Lucia!  We'll be staying at the Sandals Regency LaToc.  I'm not sure I can wait 6 more months!  Yippee!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Swimwear

Is it just me or does anyone else feel like swimwear is overpriced for what you are getting?  A decent swimsuit costs in the $80 range, with some even more than that.  And, year after year, it seems like bathing suits are getting more and more skimpy.  Am I missing something here?  Why so much money for so little material?

I am also having no luck with the selection at Target.  For the bottom to cover my arse (which is not large, mind you), I have to go up to the size Large, but then it's saggy in other places, and I have to have a small in the top.  I am a little pear shaped, but not that disproportioned. 

I'm getting discouraged!  I need a few new suits that will last me for a couple seasons, as well as our honeymoon, but so far it's a dead-end road for reasonably priced swimwear made for those of us who would like a bikini, but would also like for it to have some coverage.

What are your secrets?

It won't be ROYAL, but....

.....it will certainly be special! 

Our wedding is six months from today!

YIPPEE!! 

I can't wait, but there is plenty to do between now and then!

CSA farms

WEG and I joined a CSA program this year- Gruber Farms CSA, to be exact.  For those of you who do not know what CSA stands for, it is Community Supported Agriculture.  There are several programs like this in our area.  It works a little something like this.  A farm grows a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year.  People sign up for a share of these products.  For instance, we signed up for the "small share" which is perfect for 2 people.  We receive a box each week from April through July and the total cost is $250.  The farm drops off the boxes at the YMCA and, since WEG works out there, it's easy for him to pick it up.

This was the first week we received the box, and inside we found collard greens, mustard greens, broccoli, green onions, sugar peas, beets, and strawberries. 

So far we have sauteed the mustard greens on Monday night, cooked the collards in the crockpot for Tuesday night, made strawberry milkshakes with half the strawberries, and are having the sugar peas tonight and the broccoli tomorrow night.  We did give away the beets because neither of us likes those and I'm currently looking for something to make with the green onions.

It's been really nice to have fresh vegetables to eat this week without having to a) buy them at the grocery store and wonder if they're local or b) grow them ourselves.  I'm looking forward to this for the next couple of months, and if all goes well, we will sign up again for August-November.

If you have a CSA farm in your area and love fresh fruits and vegetables without doing the work, check one out!

Just call me Porky

This has been a great week full of family and friends!  On Monday, we had Mexican for dinner with my parents, my cousin Sarah and her 2 kids, my cousin Carrie and her fiancee, and one of my cousin's friends and her two kids.  Sarah was in town from New York, where she moved recently, and it was nice to see her and catch up!

Then, on Tuesday, we went out to WEG's grandmother's house because his parents and his niece were in town.  His niece is adorable and has such a vivid imagination!  She's going to be our flower girl, and we can't wait!  We celebrated WEG's dad's birthday with steaks, baked potatoes, salad, and strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Also on Tuesday, I met my blog friend and in real life friend, GamecockQueen for lunch at Miyo's.  We both work at USC, so it's always fun to meet on campus and walk somewhere for lunch.  And 90% of the time it's Miyo's!  So good to catch up with her.

Then on Wednesday, I met a friend from high school at Cantina 76, a local restaurant with the best tacos.  Their bbq shrimp taco with chipotle bbq sauce and feta cheese is to die for!

So yes, this has been a good week- although probably not good for the waistline.  Just call me Porky.

Now, I can't wait to head to Fripp Island for a relaxing long weekend with WEG- we're taking Monday off!  I hope the weather is nice!

Happy Easter, y'all!