Breathing Room

Let's see ... When I last blogged, it was Monday and we were gearing up for my BriBri's wedding ...

Monday, Bubbles got her flu shot. She cried, but only until I picked her up. Then we skedaddled back home.

Tuesday, I skipped Zumba (AGAIN) and ... what did we do ... OH! Bubbles and I went shopping (groceries) and then we walked a couple blocks to Visit Teach a gal ... who had JUST laid down for a much-needed nap. So we had a quick, lil' chat and Bubbles and I hoofed it back home ... where (due to the rocking as I wore her in a sling) she was tuckered/soothed enough to take a lovely nap.

Wednesday, Mom came up.
My stepdad's been diagnosed with dementia ... it could be Alzheimers, even. But it's still mild.

I was getting a crazy-painful lurker zit coming in under my nose. So I pulled out all the possible weapons that I could -- I dabbed at it, repeatedly, with tea tree oil ... I did an oil cleanse and steam ... I scrubbed at it with a Buf-Puf ... I scrubbed with an almond cleanser ... I did an aspirin mask ... I did a clay mask ... My mom brought up her Zeno (since my Zeno Hot Spot got all used up. Stupid 80-use limit) ... And, what do you know? By the evening, that zit was going, going, gone!
(Of course, Thursday morning, I ended up with a DIFFERENT zit on my temple ... Oh well.)

Mom watched the kiddos while I got together with Bri and her MOH and we got pedicures.
Bri had gorgeous teal polish with teal glitter... so there was some depth to it. Very cute ... it's the "something blue" of her wedding getup.
C got a rich, deep, bright pink with pink glitter (OPI "Teenage Dream") on top. Tres cute.
I opted for three coats of a glittery champagne (OPI "Up Front and Personal," if you really wanted to know), which is a lovely neutral.

I couldn't fall asleep very well ... so I painted my fingernails that night (Sally Hansen "Dune" ... which matched the nude heels that I would be wearing).

Thursday morning, after a fitful night of sleep (I dreamed that we were moving house. I'm not great with change.), I woke up to my cell phone ringing at 5:23 AM. Caller ID says that it's my stepdad...

Me: Hello?
Stepdad: Hello??
Me: [Stepdad's name], Are you okay?
Him: Yeah.
Me: Is everything fine?
Him: Yeah.
Me: What's up?
Him: This is your husband.
Me: Um ... No. This is ALLANNA. Are you okay?
Him: What? ... Allanna?
Me: Yeah.
Him: Is your mom there?
Me: Yes. Yes, she's here. She's sleeping. ... Since it's FIVE IN THE MORNING.
Him: How are you doing?
Me: I'm tired ... since it's five-twenty in the morning.
Him: Oh. Well ... can you tell her that I called?
Me: I will. When she wakes up. I'll tell her.
Him: Okay. Thanks.

Yeah ... Mom has told me, time and time again, that he has NO CONCEPT OF TIME.
Point taken.
He obviously missed the speed dial button for mom's cell ... And he, though he never remembered calling me, was VERY sorry when he learned of it.

Mom left shortly before Michael got home.
Bubbles and I made a last-minute run over to Ferd Meyer to pick up some window paint for the wedding car, per the MOH's request.
Then Michael got home and we went to pick up Bruise and Bucket from school.

Got them, jetted home ... they threw their lunchpails into the fridge, and we started getting them ready.
I did Bucket's hair and Bruise's hair ... they changed into their wedding clothes ... I changed into my dress (and nicer sandals) ... last minute touch-ups to my hair and make-up ... Michael was in a suit by this point.
We got in the car and took off .... only to return home to grab my heels. *SIGH* ... Grabbing them, I tripped running out of the door. Had to re-paint my knee with the Sally Hansen Airbrushed Legs spray. :P Just a small scrape. >.<

We got there and waited around and helped out with last-minute things so that everything could go without a hitch.

The ceremony was very nice. I almost burst into tears a couple times: When Bri and her dad came down the aisle. I mean, she was so happy, glowing ... I know it's cliche. But it's totally true.
And her husband's vows ... I'm so, so happy for her (for them BOTH, really) ... After all the crap that she's had to deal with ... It's just totally following what John Bytheway said: "Sometimes the wrong one is the right one to lead you to the BEST one."
And ... yeah ... she and her husband are such a great, great couple.

(Also, the food?? SO FREAKING GOOD. The Stake President and I agreed that the stuffed mushrooms were AMAZING.)

Bucket was complimented on what a good job she did as flower girl. Bruise did a great job, too, carrying the banner announcing Bri's entrance. (Bubbles, too, did a good job at not crying or being a terrible distraction. Michael stood with her in the back.)

Bruise and Bucket ended up with the garter and bouquet ... Well, technically, MICHAEL caught the bouquet (the wind blew it right to him), but he gave it to Bucket. Bruise, although he liked the WINNING aspect of getting the garter, had no desire to keep something frilly ... so he gave it back to Bri. :P

We had to leave a little early. The kids were all tired ... and, well, the adults were tired, too. But it was a really lovely wedding. All of Bri's and C's planning paid off.

Friday, there was no school (Thank goodness!!) ... and the kids, Bubbles included, let me sleep in until about 9 AM. Which I obviously needed. (Bubbles did wake up a bit during the early morning, but she let me put her down in her bed again ... so I got some more sleep.)

Michael got home from work and we relaxed for a bit ... then we headed out to get pumpkins.
It was a bit cold and rainy, but it was the best time for us to do it.
We were the only people on the hay ride ... sadly, since it wasn't the one guy, the kids didn't get a chance to drive the tractor this year. Oh well.
But we were able to pick out our pumpkins and buy some cider and doughnuts and get back into our nice warm car.

Saturday, we mostly just stayed around the house. I went to a Scentsy party and put in an order for Mom and me. Then, later, we went out to pick up some milk, butter, and a few other sundry supplies (Got a weed wacker for $25!! That was exciting!) ... then Michael and I settled on the couch, after putting the kids to bed, with a few episodes of That Mitchell and Webb Look. (Sketch Comedy sounded like a good way to spend the evening ... since "The Omega Man" was ... well, it wasn't very good. But, at least we could get that off the Netflix queue.)

We had church today ... Came home, ate lunch, Michael and Bubbles are napping. Bruise and Bucket are "cleaning" their room. I figured that I'd blog a bit. Need to do some laundry, dishes, plan some meals, tkae out the garbage ... Maybe I'll get a nap. Or a bath ... A bath sounds really nice.

I need to finish setting up Visiting Teaching appointments ... but, besides that, there's not a whole ton on the calendar.
Well, besides Savior of the World rehearsals ... I mentioned my not-up-to-standards-at-all audition, I think? (If not here, definitely on Facebook) ... Well, regardless, Michael and I both have speaking parts (and singing. Everyone has singing parts, at least in a chorus. I have one line that I sing solo.) ... Michael is Thaddeus (a disciple) and I'm Mary, Mother of James.
So ... if you want to see Michael in his musical-theater debut (and see me do more than just walk across the stage a few times :P), we'll be performing in March.

I think that's about everything!