One more photo to add... Sara, get a move on!

More Celebrations!

This one was tied in with the Eagles game.

We had quite a full house and a ton of fun. Thank you everyone that came out to play. For once, I didn't have to do any of the work. Nicole and Rob took care of cooking and setting up, Angela had the place constantly in order and the dishes replenished and cleaned EVERYTHING up during and afterwards. I was able to relax and enjoy myself.

Columbia Station

The thing that I liked the most....the person we were dealing with. Noreen was so easy to talk to and very accomodating. Don't think that I want the ceremony there but I would enjoy the reception.

I think I've settled on the bridesmaid dresses. I've shown them to all but one of the girls and they LOVE them. I even drug Rob to the store to show him and he approves. He's also finally getting, dare I say it, GIDDY about the planning!

So, what do you think? Those are the photos I took in January. I'm hoping in late October the landscape still has the fall foilage.

Our first Engagement Celebration!!!

We went up to Phila this past weekend to check out a reception place and have dinner with friends. Amy really went out of her way and it was a wonderful time - thank you so much! Kathy, Eric, Matt and Alyssa all drove in for the festivities and little Noah...oh that boy is just so wonderful. He just loved the wodden rattle Rob picked out for him!

More Chrsitmas photos...

Wedding update - heading to Phila this weekend to check out a reception location...cross your fingers! http://www.weddingcaterer.com/columbia_station.htm

Planning to drag Rob to the mall to see if I like the bridesmaid dresses at Ann Taylor. Still crossing my fingers for a fall wedding. May run in to problems with available sizes...we shall see! Still haven't asked the other two girls - waiting till Rob and I have more definite answers before I go there. Especially since he hasn't asked his guys yet...Mr. Procrastinator all the way!

Wedding Woes

Why is it that when the START button is FINALLY pushed that it is immediately followed by a PAUSE button? Haven't I paid my dues? Haven't I waited long enough? What more can you ask of me at this point???

so - the PAUSE button has been pushed. As Rob was speaking with his mother regarding reception locations the aunt and grandma decided to participate in the conversation. By participate, I mean PROTEST the non-church subject.

Was I not open and fair to Rob on this subject? Did I not make my feelings clear years ago about this topic? I went so far as to ask Rob this weekend about it. What did he say - Eff the Church. I proceeded to play devil's advocate with him about it - ARE YOU SURE, ROB? I DON'T CARE ABOUT ELA AND YOUR MOM, BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR GRANDMOTHER....SHE DID FLY ALL THE WAY FROM POLAND TO STOP YOUR MOTHER'S WEDDING....ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE OK WITH THIS?

He said he was and not to worry about it. That tells me that I don't have to give it another thought and I can go on planning MY day - right? it is MY DAY, isn't it? Well, according to Rob, the wedding isn't for us - it's for the family...man, who needs enemies with a family like that? Aren't I the one comitting my life to him? Isn't it ME that is taking the vow in sickness and in health, till death do us part? I'd say the wedding is most defintely about US! The reception can be for everyone else.

So, it is now 4 days in to my engagement and I am already crying and I feel like giving up.

yeesh - my hands look OLD!

Finally!!!

For those of you that have have had to listen to me moan and complain about he wait - thank you - your suffering has come to an end!!


My version of the proposal:

We had a sushi dinner - at the place where he first introduced me to sushi on our first 'lunch date'. Next, on to drinks at Mackey's - the bar we stopped by on our first outing EVER. Then, we stopped at McDonalds so he could pee. Next, we took a long walk towards the Washington Monument - where we proceeded to touch all 50 flag poles and all 4 courners of the monument. We then headed towards the Roosevelt Memorial - where he again had to stop and pee on the lawn of the National Mall....geesh, nervous?

Then we walked toward the Jefferson Memorial and around the Tidal Basin right over to the benches where we had one of our most memorable dates way back when we first started to 'date'. --we spent an afternoon drinking wine and munching on fruit and cheese just chatting away getting to know one another while gazing upon the monuments--

There he finally stopped - when my feet could take no more - and after a bit of stuttering and a few nervous kisses he asked me to spend the rest of his life with him - WOW, that sounds much more monumental than "will you marry me"

He then just handed me the little black box and told me to look first before I answered. what a goof. I handed it back and made him open it - After all this time of expecting it, I was surprisingly nervous! He opened it and slipped it on - it fit perfectly and is gorgeous!

Rob's version:

"I took her out, shoved some fish down her throat, dragged her through the park and finally pulled the trigger. Unfortunately, she said yes, and is now wearing my 52" flat-screen, plasma TV on her finger."

Isn't he just the sweetest? LOL