The return

So Brad and I had a great time at my parents. Brad fixed my Dad's computer so it no longer takes 15 minutes to boot up and it now has USB 2 on it so he can properly work his new Ipod. My Dad is now in his happy place. Friday-Sunday was spend with my Mom, my middle brother, and I doing nothing but eating and playing dominoes. Dominoes is a long time family tradition and that usually results in much name calling, accusations of cheating, and remarks about lineage that may not be appropriate coming from your Mother. In other words a great time. Monday my Mom and I went to Sacramento and I tried on my wedding dress. It was perfection, no alterations need to be done other than adding a bustle to fix up the train. It is nice to be a perfect size something I just wish that the perfect size was a few sizes smaller although there is no one to blame but me on that one. After we tried on my dress we went to go see if we could find shoes. I now understand this will be mission impossible so more time will have to be spent shoe shopping. I know a terrible thing to tell a woman she has to do. We then left Sacramento and headed back towards my parents house. We decided to stop at the Vacaville Outlets to see if they might have shoes, they didn't, so much time was spent walking from store to store. It was surprisingly empty for the day after Christmas. We left the outlets and went back home. Brad was hungry so we went and got my favorite thing Round Table Pizza, yummy. On Tuesday my mom and I headed downtown and went to see if Claires had the things to go in my hair for the wedding, they didn't so we went to Mervyns to get my Mom bras and tennis shoes. I got to spend a couple of minutes talking to my best friend while we were at Mervyn's because she is a manager there and was on her lunch break. We left and came back home and began to pack up the car. We used all available space in the MINI but still had room for us so I guess we were successful. We loaded up and pulled out at 2 and arrived home here at 9:30. All in all not that bad of a commute.

I will take a moment however to gripe about one thing that still has me ticked off. My oldest brother is an asshole. There is really no other way to describe it than that. My parents are very generous when it comes to birthdays and Christmas and so they always give each of us a sizable check. While my parents don't really expect anything in return for their generosity a simple card or phone call on Christmas would be appreciated. The asshole and his worthless wife and 4 children didn't even call and say thankyou. I am so mad that my own brother could be such a selfish jerk I really want to punch him in the mouth. It is things like this that make me realize why my other brother and I consider each other our only siblings. I hate that he can still hurt my Mom, I had hoped that after 20 years of him running away that he would grow up and stop hurting her but I guess that isn't going to happen. So as far as I am concerned from here on out older brother you are no brother of mine. I will allow you to be a cousin that is still invited to family functions but that I don't have to deal with but you and your are no longer part of me and mine.

Happy Holidays

Well in just 2 short hours Brad and I are headed North to see my family. We hope you all have the happiest of holidays, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Festivas, whatever. I will be back Monday night with stories of my adventure. I may even bore you with more news on my dress, we shall see. Anyway here is a picture of one of the ginger bread houses I made last year. It isn't the niceset thing I ever made but I only had two hours to make the whole thing. I made all of this except the coconut lawn as I am allergic to cocnut I had someone else do that part. Anyway happy holidays one and all! 

YUM

Bet you are hungry now. Yes the basket is made of chololate. Yes I made the basket and the strawberries in it. I am posting this because I am trying out Picasso a new way to do pictures and it has a button that you hit that says blog this. How cool is that. We took this to a party and it was a big hit. Soimeday I will make another one. Anyway enjoy. 

10 very random things about me

Ok I have seen this on lots of other peoples blogs and while I wasn't tagged it still seemed like fun.

1. When I was in the ladder part of the Barbie years, Barbie ran a whore house and Ken was both a pimp and a John.

2. When I went away to college for the first time on the 450 mile trip I had 2 tires blow out and they were only 12 day old tires.

3. On the first day of Kindergarten the teacher asked if anyone wanted to be called something other than their first name, I raised my hand and said I wanted to be called Shelly. She asked me how to spell it and I didn't know so she wouldn't let me be called that. I didn't know how to spell Karin either but she didn't ask that. She called my Mom and to this day my Mom still laughs at this story.

4. I used to get mad at my older brothers and since they could and would beat me up, I would secretly steal their toys and bury them in the backyard.

5. In 5th grade we had to learn square dancing and I had 3 boys fighting to be my partner.

6. In college a group of us would walk to Circle K at night to get slurpies and what not. One night we had a guy that was visiting the school who I thought was very hot. I was trying so hard to be cool that I wasn't watching where I was going and walk right into a fire hydrant. From then on every night we walked by it everyone jumped in front of it and told me to watch out. Needless to say I never saw the hot guy again.

7. My favorite things about myself are my hair and my eyes, yet neither one of these features ever photograghs very well.

8. I was the tetherball champion of the school. No one could beat me.

9. In highschool I was in a play that wanted me to have very exaggerated breasts so I stuffed them with a pillow. All the guys in the play would come and tweak the pillow as a joke. Well I am naturally very well endowed and one rehearsal I wasn't wearing the pillow and one of the guys tweaked my real breast not realizing until too late I wasn't stuffed.

10. At the drama club pot luck dinner I caught my friendship bracelet on fire while trying to light a candle inducting me into the Thespian Society. The teacher put the fire out and I turned to her and said "See I told you I was having a bad week."

Ok that is it 10 really random things about me you really never wanted to know.

Wahoo!

Just found out my wedding dress is in. I get to go try it on next Monday while I am home seeing the parents. I am beyond excited!

Magic Mountain

Brad and I have season passes to Six Flags Magic Mountain. I am a rollercoaster junkie so it is nice having the best rollercoasters in the country about an hour away. Brad and I didn't have any solid plans this weekend so off we went to Magi Mountain. The park was practically empty so we got right on to all the rides. Brad really wanted to go on Superman so we had to go all the way around the park up the steep way to the ride because all other routes were closed for the construction of the new coaster. So then we finally got to the ride and waited in the longest line of the day. We finally got on the ride and buckled in. Whoosh we were off, up we went and then down we came. We hurdled backward towards the start thinking our ride was about to end. But alas this was not the case we didn't make it back to the beginning and we began to roll back towards the ramp. The teenagers behind us were getting scared and so Brad decided to do all that was in his power to make it worse for them. We stopped just shy of the ramp and just sat there. Nobody came for us and nothing was said over the speaker. So we just sat there. After about 10 minutes they began to slowly crank us back to the beginning. We got off the ride and went on with the rest of our day. Really not that big of a deal when you think about it. However there was one thing about the situation that bothered me. As we rolled back towards the ramp, we all knew something was not right. The teen behind we yelled out "This is so Jewish" What exactly does that mean? I am very familiar with all the Jewish stereotypes and breaking down is just not one of them. I couldn't help myself so I said back to the little twit, "That is really offensive." Oh I forgot to mention that as we boarded the right one of the teens said something like wouldn't it be cool if Hitler were here? So the second comment was just a little more than I wanted from the little Nazi behind me. So I suppose my lingering thought is what are these kids being taught?

We ended our day at the park with the coolest rollercoaster ever called X. The seats on X rotate with the coaster so that you get the most out of the ride. It is the only coaster out that still makes me scream and laugh at the same time. (apparently it is really something to be heard). If you are a coaster junkie like me I really recommend you try it sometime. If you decide to go to Magic Mountain I will caution you about one thing, do not ride X first. We learned the hard way after you ride X on any given day the other coasters at the park seem boring.

On Sunday we went to Torah study and then out to lunch at Third Street Promenade. We walked around a bit and laughed at street performers. We left there and went to get stuff to make holiday baskets for my clients and some friends and family. I will be baking for the rest of the day today so we can send out the baskets tomorrow. Once we got home it was all hands on deck to get our save the date cards out. I entered all the addresses on my end to then went upstairs to Brad's office and helped pick out the pictures that would go on the card. We looked through 5 1/2 years of pictures and finally found one that we liked and thought was ok for the cards. Does any one else find it sad that we had that much trouble picking a decent picture of us? Well we got the card all designed and loaded with the company online and so they should be printed and mailed out today. I hope so anyway cause then at least it is one thing I know is done and over with. Only about a billion things left to do. Oh well in a few months it will all be over and it will have been worth it. Talk to you later.

The necks just get redder

So I got a call from my mom today and yet again my brother's family has out did themselves in the level of trailer trash ness. My nephew dropped out of school after having failed 8th grade twice. My oldest niece, who has a baby, just dropped out of high school. My youngest niece has now been pulled out of school and will now be "home Schooled" If you have met my sister in law you will know how scary of a proposition this is. The reality of this situation is that none of these kids will ever be able to do anything with their lives. It really saddens me that the expectations for these kids is so low. On the plus side when Brad and I have kids they have a long way to fall to be the family disappointment. I feel embarrassed that this is my family.

Kong was an ok movie. It would have been a great movie if someone had told Peter Jackson that he needed to do some more editing. There was a lot of stuff in the movie that just didn't need to be there or didn't need to be as long. The cool thing about this movie was that we watched it with the guy that plays Lex Luther on Smallville. He looks exactly the same in person except he looks nice and not like an evil genius. Brad was very excited when we were standing behind him at the snackbar. At the end of the movie I saw the name of one of my brother's really good friends in the credits. He used to work for Pixar so I wasn't totally shocked but it is nice to see he is still working and moving up. Brad just thought it was strange when I belted out his name during the credits. Although he had just done it to me with several of his co-workers.

I just talked to the studio I worked with this week and while they will have other smaller things for me before this they want me to put them on the schedule for the entire month of march for catering everyday. I am very excited about this and it is nice to see my little business doing so well. Go me.

I have yet to get any holiday shopping of my own done yet but I got my Mom's done tonight so I guess that is something. I hope that my Dad remembers to take care of my Mom as well. Brad is off tonight with the guys and I am on standby in case ride homes are needed. Man am I a good fiancee or what. Of course he invited me to go but honestly hanging out with his coworkers talking about the latest computer innovation while they all drink and I stay sober to drive just doesn't sound fun. I will stay home watch tv and pick you up when you are done. Then you don't have to keep asking me if I am having fun. Home with the cat's is more my kind of fun honey, sorry. That's it for now we will see if anything exciting happens this weekend.

Blognesia

So I woke up very early with something I just had to blog about when got up. I went back to sleep and have now completely forgotten what I was going to blog. Rest assured it was a great story that would have knocked you out of your chair because you were laughing so hard. But since I have developed blognesia you will just have to imagine what it was.

On Saturday night Brad and I went to see Rent. It was awesome and I had to go out and buy the sound track immediately. One song gave me chills while I watched him sing it. Tonight we are going to go see Kong, I shall report tomorrow on what I thought of it.

Words can not even begin to express how fulfilling this week has been for me. I love being able to provide meals for companies and here for days afterward how great everything was. Everything went over very well and everyone ate way to much food. The pulled pork alone I made 7 pounds for 11 people and came home with about half a pound of meat. The more I do this the more I know that this is the right direction for me to go and that I don't want to go back to being someone's pastry assistant. I love that I get to make hot food as well as desserts. I love that the menu is my choosing and at the end of the day the success or failure is all mine.

Something happened the other day that really pissed me off and I am not sure if it should have or not. Over the summer I got the place I was working for to cater for Brad's work twice a week. They did the dinners until the movie ended and then Brad's worked hasn't needed meals provided since then. The owner of the company I worked for never really paid me for bringing the contract in and basically screwed me over yet again in that regard. Well the other day she had the nerve to send Brad's company a Ginger Bread House in hopes to get them to order from her again. Brad has talked to the guy who is in charge of ordering meals and told him the situation between me and the company I used to work for and they have agreed to not use them ever again. They also said that in the future if they are ordering again that they would give me a chance at it. All this is great and I am glad in that since that she did what she did because it closed the door for her and opened it for me. The thing is I am pissed that she would have the nerve after all she did to me to go after my fiancee's place of business. I really want to call there and be like "nice try but it isn't going to work." But I know it is better for me to just keep my mouth shut. So anyway it still urks me that she would do that, but since I have seen an overwhelming lack of character in her I am really not surprised. I am waiting for the day though that her charma smacks her in the ass. If I hear about it I will laugh my butt off.

Tired

It has been a long day and I will blog more about it later this week. Right now I am waiting for the pork shoulder I just smoked to cool so I can pull it and go to bed. I am catering tomorrow and doing data entry so I don't think I will have much time to blog. I am still trying to figure out exactly what I will be making for Tuesday and Wednesday. I hope that by Wednesday afternoon things will calm down and I can write all the things that my brain is overflowing with.

I don't know if this happens to other people but quite frankly it usually startles me when it happens. Sometimes I can look at someone and know that something is going to go wrong. It is never very specific but just a feeling like they should use some extra caution. Today I had one of those feelings. At a group event that I will explain more about in the future, I saw a friend that is part of an older generation. As she was walking up towards us I said to Brad and a friend at the table that she didn't look very good. 45 seconds later she bent to pet a dog and fell over onto her face. She was hurt and couldn't get up and we had to call an ambulance to come get her. I still don't know the status of what happened at the hospital so I can't explain more. Brad came back to the table after she was taken away and said "wow honey, you called it. Please always tell me I look good." I wouldn't be troubled about this except that I do get the eerie feeling from time to time and when it is like this I always end up being right. I know that some of you think that it might be cool, or like Medium, but let me assure you it is core shaking. So please if you are reading this and have had similar experiences let me know so I don't feel so weird.

Me in Vegas

The first picture is a picture of the Demon child that kep me up all night last night.



The second is a picture of me taken in Vegas. Really I am just trying to figure out how to work the pictures. Hope you all enjoy me!

sleep deprivation

This is for my furry alarm clock: Hello it is Saturday the day that the humans in the house like to stay in bed together and get some much needed rest. Yes I know that you love me and would dearly love some attention and scratches behind your cute little ears. But for crying out loud it is 4:30 in the morning, I am too sleepy to love you right now, instead your actions make me want to hurtle you across the room. Of course I contained my anger at you this morning which was hard since you didn't get the message that I was not going to get up and pet you until 6:30. I will not however be so nice the next time you decide it is your job to keep me awake, you see in the bathroom that you love so much there is a large container that has water in it. Your Dad and I call it a toilet, anyway if you continue with this behavior you will be dropped in it and I will flush it giving you a swirly but not flushing you down. This will result in you being very wet and me laughing my butt off at you. Now remember you are a cat and water is your arch enemy. So my darling Z you are warned.

Those few of you that actually read this blog will notice that I change the template on my blog. I also added links to some other peoples blogs. I would like you all to know that I figured this out all on my own with no help from Brad. I was quite proud of this little accomplishment so I hope you all like being linked. Today we are going to make a trip to Costco. I have a love hate relationship with them. I love the store and especially their meat but hate all the other people that shop there. Let me let you in on a little secret: the aisles of Costco are to walk through and to pick out what you need, it is not the place to schedule your family reunion. I know the free appetizer made you think it was cocktail hour but really folks move out of the way I have shopping to do. Personally I hate the free samples it clogs up the very aisles I need things from to run my little business. The sample aren't very good, have a lot of calories, and are rarely actually ready to be consumed when you walk by, causing a big group of people to wait in line for something they wouldn't eat if they saw it being offered at a party. Just stop it people and go outside and get a hotdog and a coke for $1.50 you will be much happier with your choice. Anyway despite my little rant I am still happy to be going to Costco and happier still that Brad will be going with me.

Dental Woes

Well after a very long break from seeing the dentist I went a couple of weeks ago. Well the next day I was sent to have my Wisdom teeth pulled, that was the Thursday before Thanksgiving. The next day my parents were down to have an early thanksgiving with my brother and Brad and I. So the day after having teeth pulled I was in Pasadena shopping and cooking for Thanksgiving. We had Thanksgiving on Saturday and Sunday and I was able to eat which was a good thing. We then went on Tuesday To Philadelphia where on the flight we lost 3 hours and 50 degrees. Boy am I a spoiled Californian. We spent the rest of the week with Brad's family and had a very lovely 2nd Thanksgiving. We flew back on Sunday. On Monday I had to go to the dentist that pulled my teeth for a follow up, everything was fine so I was sent on my way. On Tuesday I had a root canal on my left fang tooth. It was very minor and so I wasn't that upset by it. A week went by and this Wednesday I had another and last root canal on tooth number 3. It was a very bad cavity and so the root canal was pretty involved. I thought everything was fine but I guess not because yesterday as I was eating goldfish crackers on the other side of my mouth stupid tooth 3 broke. Crap so I called the dentist and was told to come right in and I had to have the same tooth redrilled and built up. It feels weird. Basically these are the things I was afraid of that kept me from the dentist in the first place. Oh well I suppose I did this to myself.

Things are going a little slow right now. This is for many reasons including spending my life in the dentist's office right now. However I did data entry for a studio today and they want me Monday through Wednesday next week to do data entry and breakfast and lunch. I am so glad to be getting some money in in time for the holidays, maybe people will get presents afterall. Well at the very least I know the dentist's family and friends are getting good presents on me this year. Brad and I have decided that we will raise our future demons to be Dentists. Then they can make lots of money and take care of us in our old age. Well that is about it for now.

$100 Burger

So a lot has been happening over the past couple of weeks and I wasn't quite ready to blog about it until now. I lost my crappy job with the horrible caterer I used to work for because I was given a raise in words but never in practice. The owner didn't even have the guts to tell me that she wasn't going to give me the raise after all she waited until I saw it on my pay stub and went back and asked for it. I later decided that I could not go in to work again until I was given the money I was promised and I was working for the wage we had agreed upon. She then said I had a bad attitude and they would find someone else. Actually she didn't say that to me she that to my boss. So I found myself unemployed. Brad and I talked about it and we decided I would not be going back to work for someone else and instead I would start my own catering business. It is going well so far. Last week I made dinner for 50 people and a lunch for 57 people. This week I haven't had anything booked but it has given me time to figure out menus and what direction I want to go. All in all I am very excited about this new opportunity.

Now about the title of this post. Since I am now home during the day I am available for things I wouldn't otherwise be. Today Brad called and asked if I would like to go flying with a coworker of his. So I met up with Brad and the coworker at the Santa Monica airport where a Cessna was rented and we flew to Catalina and had Buffalo Burgers and then flew back. It was very cool and I am so glad I got a chance to do it. I actually liked flying in a Cessna better than in a regular jet plane. Perhaps I am crazy. So don't be surprised if before too long Brad or I are taking flight lessons. We will see. But for the record $100 burgers are very tasty. (the burgers aren't that expensive the renting the airplane is)

Trials and tribulations

Well all in all yesterday was a pretty crappy day. I got paid on Friday but as I have direct deposit and the pay stubs hadn't come in by the time I left work I didn't worry to much about it. When I looked at the amount that had been deposited on my bank statement it was about $100 less than I thought it should be but I assumed it was an honest mistake and when I picked up the breakdown I would know where the problem was. I didn't work on Monday so I waited and got it yesterday while I was already at work. Usually when you don't pick up your check on Friday it is in an envelope newt to the time clock, but they weren't there so I asked the owner for it as I was leaving. She gave me the envelope and told me to have a good day and I left her office and went back to the chef office to clock out. I opened the print out and saw that not only was my overtime not paid but also the raise I was told I was given over a month ago was not on my paycheck. SO I went back to the owner's office to ask about it and as I walked through her door she said that she had just told my boss and she guessed she would tell me now that she could not do the raise she already told me she had given me because she couldn't afford it right now. I was shocked and angry and on the verge of tears, so I snapped back well then where is my overtime. She had the nerve to say what overtime? I had worked a seven day week on that time card and I wanted my money. I got the money for the overtime from her, and I explained that it wasn't right of her to know she hadn't given me the raise and not say anything because I had spend money over the weekend assuming I had it to spend but apparently I didn't and now I don't have enough money to cover my expenses. Her response was that she would try to make it up to me on the next check. I left the office and went home not saying all the things I wanted to say and not sure what I should do. I felt as if I went back to work today I would be saying that what she did was ok. However if I quit I wouldn't have a job at all and that would be irresponsible. I thought about it and thought about it. Brad suggested that I not quit but tell them that I would not return to work until the money I was promised was returned to mew and that I was working for the wage that had been agreed to. So I didn't work today and I don't know if I even have a job right now but the good news is that I didn't quit and if she doesn't pay me and I don't have a job I can file for unemployment immediately. So I guess that is something. All in all I am upset and scared but only time will tell how this pans out. The other good news is that my boss feels I am doing the right thing and he is actively going after the owner to give me my do. If I don't return it will cost her more to replace me than it would to just pay me in the first place because it would take two people to replace me. All this makes me fell good but I still have a lot to figure out.

Greenday, new finds, and other current events

This weekend Brad and I had tickets to see Greenday both Saturday and Sunday night. We had a great time both nights and on Sunday we were so close to the stage in the pit we got sweat on. I did learn something both nights about people. It seems to me that alcohol isn't always a good idea in having a good time. Night one the lady in front of us was so drunk she couldn't stand anymore and we seriously worried about the poor chap in front of her that seem like he might get more than he bargain for at the event. Night two a woman was so drunk during Greenday's first song she started causing trouble and security had to escort her from the concert thus making her miss the whole thing. Both of these people not only ruined the event for themselves but also for those around them or with them. It seems to me that I had a great time both nights and no alcohol was needed to enhance my experience. I am not saying this because I am in any way against the consumption of alcohol but more in the fact that it should not be used to ruin a good time.

Brad and I both enjoy an occasional spirit and it has been a source of irritation that we do not have a decent liquor store near us. Today however that was changed. While going through Saturdays mail I came across a pamphlet to a liquor store. It looked large and exactly what we had been looking for. I looked at the address and discovered it was only about a mile and a half from the house. So I went over there to check it out and not only did they have the random Belgium beer Brad likes they had it by the case and a lot cheaper then we had been able to find before. We are very excited to now know of a place to get the more random beverages we have been wanting. So I suppose the lesson here is to actually look at your junk mail it may show you what you have been looking for all along.

I have been sick with a pretty bad cold for the last couple of weeks and it was actually bad enough to trigger my asthma that had been dormant for the last 5 years. I went to the doctor today and she gave me an inhaler and said I should be breathing normally within the week. I welcome the relief as I am really tired of coughing all the time and Brad is tired of me shaking him out of bed with my cough. Well that is about it for now I am sure there is a lot I am forgetting but that does tend to happen.

ok so I am a slacker

So it has been awhile since I posted and you are probally all wondering if I fell off the face of the earth. Oh right no one is actually reading this. Things are going pretty well right now. Wedding plans are coming together and work is getting busier. We have a big summer planned with lots of houseguests coming and going all the time. It is nice to have a place where our friends and family can come and stay. In sadder news our friends Jaime and Jenny are moving to Arizona this weekend and so we will not see them very often. We are however very happy for them because they were able to buy a house in Arizona and could not here so we wish them luck. Last weekend I cleaned out my office and so it is nice to hang out down here again and I am enjoying having a place to hide in. The cats aren't as happy because I don't let them in here.

It seems in this modern world of computers it is becoming easier and easier to keep in contact with old friends. All it takes is one friend starting a website and other friends posting to it and the next thing you know you are reconnected to the old group and it seems as though you don't miss anything. Sometimes technology is a great thing.

I have now finished and passed my intro to Judaism class and so I have my Beit Din scheduled for September 13th. It will be exciting to have it all done and taken care of and I am excited to make it official. I am a little nervous though so any thoughts on your part on that day will be greatly appreciated.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Brad and I went to see the new Wonka movie last night. I had been a little apprehensive of this film due to my great love for the original movie as well as my love for all the Roald Dahl books. The only thing that made me think that this might be a good version was that I really feel that Tim Burton is the only director that could capture the darkness that Dahl writes with and yet keep the comical aspect of the film. The movie started and I was completely moved to the world of Charlie. I fell in love with this movie and I would be willing to go see it again today. The really amazing thing was that I felt my love for this film in no way betrayed my love for the Gene Wilder version. They are two completely different films and I would say Willy Wonka are two different people who happen to share the same name. I do feel that Burton captured more of the essence of Dahl's book and the original is way more light spirited feel good movie. Both movies made me want to live in the chocolate factory especially the edible park but if I had to choose I think I would prefer to live in Burton's factory. The one thing that I wish had happened in either of the two movies but didn't was the fact that it was no fluke that Charlie got the last ticket he was chosen and through a bit of magic he bought the winning bar at a candy store that only existed for him to buy the bar at. It is my favorite part of the book and it saddens me that both directors missed it.

I hope that some day a candy factory makes a candy meadow where people can pay to visit and everything is edible. If it existed now I would have the wedding there next to the chocolate river. I think if anyone ever pulls it off they will make a lot of money.

Class

I finally got a hold of the registrar for the conversion class Brad and I are taking. Since there are no classes in the near future for me to make up the class I missed I can go and talk to my Rabbi about the subject and have him call saying I know all I need to know about it and it will be made up. That was a huge relief because I would much rather talk to Rabbi Maller and get it over with the have to meet in a strange class and try to learn from a Rabbi I have no history with. Also by getting it from Rabbi Maller I will get good information as well as my questions answered not ignored.

Brad and I have a big weekend planned. On Saturday we have a breakfast with the MINI's and then we head to Pasadena to have a BBQ at my brother's house. On Sunday we have a MINI run and then we are going to a Bridal expo and then we are coming home and having movie night at our house. That is a lot to do in one weekend.

The Great Aunt

So my niece's water broke today so she is in the hospital now and they are inducing labor. So I guess by the end of the day I will be a great aunt. I find the whole thing to be very strange, somehow saying I could be a great aunt also means that I could be a grandmother had I had kids already. This is a very scary thing to me as I don't feel quite ready to have kids yet even now that I have reached my 30's. I was thinking about it though and it is entirely possible that the rash of girls that had babies while we were in high school could now be grandparents. I suppose that there are times in your life where a mirror is held up and you see how your life could have gone if you had made different choices. Sometimes that might be at a high school reunion, or running into a old friend. For the most part when those times have found me, I have been happy with the direction my life has gone. I find it to be a little rewarding that I can look back at the others my life has crossed and feel that I have made good choices and I am not embarrassed by the way my life has shaped up. I guess during those times I should thank those others around me for making different choices than me and showing me where the other path lead. I should say that my sister in law is delighted to be a 33 year old grandmother, so I am happy for her. I am just really glad it is not me. I just appreciate that there are people out there whose lives are very different than yours and they might love them and be glad they are not leading yours, but that you can feel like I am glad I am who I am because you are not leading their life.

Wedding stuff

So this has been a crazy time. While Brad and I were in Philadelphia I went with two of my attendants and picked out and ordered their dresses for the wedding. We also went and picked out a wedding band for me and started the process of finding one for Brad. This week Brad has been trying to get our website up and running so people will know were to go to ask questions about the wedding. We started a wedding blog so this should be the last blog here on wedding stuff. Today we went and registered at Macy's and at Home Depot, I didn't realize how much work registering was. So now we have a starting point. Other than that the wedding plans are coming along and I am not feeling stress about it yet.

Yesterday we went to Irwinndale Speedway and saw the races. Brad and the other MINIacs got to drive the pace lap while I was in the announce booth being the spokesperson for the club. We had a great time and came back exhausted. Jesse James was racing in the figure 8 race and he puts on a good show. He won the event so that is a real crowd pleaser. It was nice to spend a day with some of our very good friends and I have to say I feel very lucky to be in such a great club.

In other news of late, I realize I never updated this blog about my parents house. After much thought and contemplation my parents have decided not to sell and so for the next 5 years at least I don't have to worry about it. Words can not express what a relief that has been. So the landscaper should be coming out in the next few weeks to completely redo my parents backyard. I am very curious to see how all this turns out as I am having a hard time picturing the yard any way but the way it has always been. I am very excited to see how it will all turn out. So it is getting very late and I should be getting to bed now. Good night