Happy Father's Day, Pop-o... Thanks for teaching me when to put a cork in it...
Love, Katy-Did

Back to wedding business again...
I wanted to post another offer for anyone coming to my wedding to request a song... I want to put together a nice list... Think of it this way...
If I request it it will for sure be played but its more of a gamble and a pain in the ass to request while your having fun dancing.

Today I took JR and Genevieve to Heart to Heart. Gen's dress is really nice and I'm so glad JR was able to get fitted today. All the kiddos were there and everyone did such a nice job in the store. Jr's daughter tried on her dress and she has shot up in height since she last put on the model dress and... Wow... does she look lovely.

Spending time with her makes me think of Kurt (my future brother in law) and his kiddos... The girls (Lindsey & Lauren) and their brother AJ have been in Jamacia and we didn't even know if they would be able to attend the wedding or be stateside. I will find a special place for them at our wedding, too. I think I'll post a picture of them since I'm thinking of them... (the pic is from the day before our engagement... Christmas Eve, 2004).

Today was my first day on the Jenny Craig diet. The food is good and it satisfies. I had to go grocery shopping to get my fruits and veggies. Its a lot of investment so I hope it pays off. I'll continue to post to update how I like it and about my progress.

The Block of Hotel Rooms- Reposted

I reserved a block of 40 rooms at the Best Western Longbranch Hotel & Con - (319) 377-6386 - 90 Twixt Town Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

Map of
90 Twixt Town Rd Ne
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-3205

The rooms I reserved at mostly poolside with the option of non-poolside for a cheaper rate (one or two bed). I reserved mostly non-smoking rooms but all anyone has to do is request smoking. Guests only need to ask for the Olson/Obert block to reserve a room at the wedding rate. Kent and I have also reserved our honeymoon suite here. I plan to also have the sunday brunch for gift opening the next day in this hotel. I will reserve an alternate, more economical, alternative when we find one that is the most accessible to this, original, hotel. (Hasn't happened yet... let me know if anyone has already found themselves an alternative and I will join more rooms to that)

You should be able to pan the map over on the link and see how close this hotel is to the reception. A part of the bar has been reserved for our party afterhours. There will be some karaoke for those who dare! The Sunday Brunch for those who want to hang out, eat quiche and watch us open gifts are welcome to join us by the pool until further notice.

Here us a pic of Chris and I in Ireland. His birthday is coming up in a week or so...
He is a good brother who has always looked out for me. He always loves me back even after I've been a super bitch to him (he may make sure I never live it down, however).
Anyway, he won't be coming to the wedding even though I've been praying for some kind of miracle which enables him to have a healthy baby, support his new family, and make it to my wedding... I'll be thinking of him, nonetheless.

Due Day has past for RSVPs!Liquor... Age appropriate showers... and everyone has got their dress...
I just realized when I got my Grandma's RSVP today with a note that said, "Sorry its late," that our due date has past for RSVPs.
So just a shout out to anyone that hasn't gotten theirs in to drop it in the mail ASAP so we can order up alcohol, drinks, and food for everyone and start organizing. I meet up with the rental agency on Thursday to figure out what the layout of the lodge is going to be. A lot of that will depend on how many tables we will be putting out. The more people coming the more stuffed in we will be.
So, get 'em in! Thanks to everyone who got back to us so promptly! Can't wait to see everyone.
Pop-o, Momma and I went and bought the wine. All the alcohol is going to be out of the Amana Colonies. Pop-o is looking into getting the almond flavored champagne which he loved. I trust his palette because usually it agrees with mine... dark beer, red wine, dark chocolate, and salt- pretty simple. Of course we like other things too but when it comes to the finer things- we usually agree. Anyway, I don't usually like champane. Its usually not really champane but a sulfuric, yeasty version of a Zin or fizz sweet wine. I do not enjoy sweet wine unless its over 100 degrees outside, the wine (if you want to call it that) is ice cold, I've been working out in the yard all day, and I'm dying of thirst, and I have a really nice plate of seafood in front of me.
Momma got her dress. I will refrain from posting a pic of it so that she can reserve an air of mystery of what she's going to look like. I will say that I think she should go and find a nice sweeping hat to top it off. I will also say that the color is "dusty rose".
I also saw the flower girl's dress... so adorable. Her Momma's found it at Dillards. It is off white with a shirt that has two tiers of chiffon with little petals encased in the chiffon. It also has a sash of chiffon with petals encase there too! I can't wait to see it. Mae (that's her name) decided that she needs to go down the aisle in a carriage like Cinderella. I can't wait to see her in all her glory. I do believe she may upstage the Bride! That Mae...
Next on the wedding agenda is the wedding shower. Mom is throwing one for me in Cedar Falls. I know it will be fun to get some of us all together and do some wedding preparation but I can't help but feel a bit uncomfortable about having this be a gift getting thing. Isn't the wedding enough in this day in age? I think so. I think we are going to make it a "travel" themed shower. I know this is supposed to be normal but it can get a little excessive with all the things that go on before a marriage. I guess since I've been with Kent for so long and he's 35 and I'm 29 years old it isn't like we're a couple of spring chickens setting out in the world. We've been forging our way without the fanfare thus far and to do all the same things that the 19 year olds or the kids in their early 20s seems a bit odd. What do you guys think is the appropriate route to approach all this wedding business? Go all traditional or adjust it according to our age?

Marriage licenses and Bad Jobs...
Well, thank you for staying with me through a few weeks of blog neglect. Kent and I applied for our marriage license last Friday. JR (William) was our witness. It was kinda funny because Kent and I were dressed very casual. I had my hair in pigtail braids and a shirt covered in gesso and paint from helping my brother paint in nursery in Beaver Dam (long ago). Kent was in his usual attire... Grey shirt with pocket, strap on shoes, and khaki shorts. JR with his generous and thoughtful heart spent the morning convincing his kids to get dressed up. As for JR, he showed up in nice pants with belt, nice dress shirt tucked in and properly bathed, shaved and groomed. I don't think I even took a shower.
So you can imagine his reaction to seeing us.
We got up to the Town Hall and Jr asked, "So where's your camera?"
I hadn't even thought of it...
It turned out we weren't even at the right building so I vowed to go to a gas station and buy a disposable. While applying for our license to get married we snapped away pictures of the process and our notary. JR's kids were so well behaved they just hung out and read their books. His daughter is reading the
babysitter Club one of my favorites back in the day. It made me miss being her age. She's growing up beautifully and is so much fun to be around.
I will post the pictures of the process as soon as I get them developed.
Also checked off my list of things to do...
I bought AJ and Mikey's ties for their suits. I need to shop on-line for Patrick's tie, too. They are really nice ties by DNKY- Really sharp and the exact right color.
I also bought a new purse on that shopping trip. I have begun taking all my fashion advise from my Maid of Honor- Genevieve. She was the one that told me black and white strips are in. She advised me to buy a white purse. I really like my white purse but sometimes I think it is the color of an old lady's purse. It has silver studs and a sequined buckle to jazz it up, however.
Today Kent and I both have the day off by some stroke of fate. Kent gets one day off a month at his new job. Otherwise its mandatory overtime... I think something is fishy here... Are there laws being broken by never giving employees days off. Kent is unable to plan ahead any holidays or schedule anything for days off. For example, he just found out for sure that he would have today off - yesterday. The warehouse he works at is a poor working environment. In fact, workers are so disgruntled that one of them actually took a dump in the hallway when no one was looking! I guess he felt so shit upon he wanted to shit on them right back. I thought this whole thing is getting to be just ridiculous. There is no air conditioning. Employees are so overworked they are hurting themselves either by the wear and tear of their bodies working so much or by making stupid mistakes from exhaustion- therefore not only are they putting themselves in danger they are also putting the other employees in danger.
I just fed my poor guy his favorite breakfast of pancakes and he's taking a nap with Olivia right now. My stomach clenches up when I think of his quality of life outside of home. I want his to be happy and to see him suffer drives me crazy. I get thoughts of going over to his place of business and really giving it to the Human Resources Dept. or I think about going to speak to a lawyer. Mostly I want to act out to vent all my frustration with this new job of his. As least he brings home the bacon but for what? He buys legos because that's all he has time and energy to do when he's not at work. Who knows maybe this whole thing will pan out to be hidden gold but I feel for Kent in the meantime.
As I said earlier- I will post pictures from Gia's wedding and from the license extravaganza as soon as I get them. Until then- keep Kent in your prayers that he may find a job that brings him a sense of challenge and happiness.