Loads (and loads and loads...and a few more loads) of lumber: $3200
Post hole digger: $30
Bright orange wheelbarrow: $100
Renting an auger for 24 hours: $72
Having friends who will give up a couple of days out of their holiday weekend and suffer the heat and humidity to help you build your fence: absolutely priceless.
A huge thank you to everyone who came out and worked this weekend! As soon as the fence is finished, we will have everyone over for a great, big cookout and fence celebration party.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
yard art
I really wish we hadn't lost the battery to the camera.
Those of you who follow my other blog know that I have major issues with losing/misplacing things. Most recently, I misplaced the camera at a party, and while it was left alone, the battery apparently staged a revolt (likely upset at being used over and over again), so it left the camera and wandered out into the great unknown. The camera eventually returned to us, but the battery didn't, and I can only assume that it ended up in that great, big battery pasture in the sky. Or else it got carried off by a dog and is now covered in mud somewhere in our friend's yard.
Regardless, because we don't yet have a replacement battery, I can't show you a current picture of our front yard after the plant demolition that occurred over the weekend. We decided to yank out all of the boxwoods and other random bushes that were populating our yard and start with a clean slate. So, right now it looks really funny. Kind of like a big hairy dog looks just after he has been shaved for the summer. Since I don't have a camera, this is the best I can do:
(I know what you are wondering, and no, I actually didn't major in art, as hard as that might be to believe.)
The only living thing in our yard right now, besides the big clump of weeds we call our lawn, is the Japanese Maple that is sitting in a pot, waiting to be planted. Yep, it's barren. I'm sure our neighbors are wondering what in the world we are doing. I'm calling the look "The Minimalist Landscapes at Home."
But, in 10 weeks (or hopefully less than 10 weeks, considering that's how long we have until the actual wedding day), it's gonna be gorgeous. Just wait.
Those of you who follow my other blog know that I have major issues with losing/misplacing things. Most recently, I misplaced the camera at a party, and while it was left alone, the battery apparently staged a revolt (likely upset at being used over and over again), so it left the camera and wandered out into the great unknown. The camera eventually returned to us, but the battery didn't, and I can only assume that it ended up in that great, big battery pasture in the sky. Or else it got carried off by a dog and is now covered in mud somewhere in our friend's yard.
Regardless, because we don't yet have a replacement battery, I can't show you a current picture of our front yard after the plant demolition that occurred over the weekend. We decided to yank out all of the boxwoods and other random bushes that were populating our yard and start with a clean slate. So, right now it looks really funny. Kind of like a big hairy dog looks just after he has been shaved for the summer. Since I don't have a camera, this is the best I can do:
(I know what you are wondering, and no, I actually didn't major in art, as hard as that might be to believe.)
The only living thing in our yard right now, besides the big clump of weeds we call our lawn, is the Japanese Maple that is sitting in a pot, waiting to be planted. Yep, it's barren. I'm sure our neighbors are wondering what in the world we are doing. I'm calling the look "The Minimalist Landscapes at Home."
But, in 10 weeks (or hopefully less than 10 weeks, considering that's how long we have until the actual wedding day), it's gonna be gorgeous. Just wait.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
have our cake and eat it, too
Question: How can you take flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and oil and turn it into a few hundred dollars?
Answer: Make a wedding cake.
Yes, it's amazing what bakeries can ask you to pay for custom cakes. Highway robbery, even. So as I was driving around in Chattanooga with my mom today, the thought occurred to me...I love baking. And I am actually fairly good at it. In my early twenties, I hosted a bible study every Monday night for junior high youth leaders, and they were my baking guinea pigs. Every week I would try out a new scrumptious-sounding recipe with them: cakes, cookies, brownies, tarts, you name it. And there were rarely any leftovers.
So, I asked my mom: "Would it be completely crazy of me to try to make my own wedding cake?"
Her response, without a moment's hesitation, "Um, yes."
But, I'm not entirely convinced that it's a terrible idea. It might even be a therapeutic exercise in the midst of a crazy week. Unless, of course, the cakes burn, or the icing runs, or the oven breaks, or something else goes horribly wrong. But, I try not to focus on such things. So, our wedding cake just might be a TT original.
And with the luck I've had with wedding dress shopping, I just might be making my dress, too...although that seems a much more dangerous enterprise...
Answer: Make a wedding cake.
Yes, it's amazing what bakeries can ask you to pay for custom cakes. Highway robbery, even. So as I was driving around in Chattanooga with my mom today, the thought occurred to me...I love baking. And I am actually fairly good at it. In my early twenties, I hosted a bible study every Monday night for junior high youth leaders, and they were my baking guinea pigs. Every week I would try out a new scrumptious-sounding recipe with them: cakes, cookies, brownies, tarts, you name it. And there were rarely any leftovers.
So, I asked my mom: "Would it be completely crazy of me to try to make my own wedding cake?"
Her response, without a moment's hesitation, "Um, yes."
But, I'm not entirely convinced that it's a terrible idea. It might even be a therapeutic exercise in the midst of a crazy week. Unless, of course, the cakes burn, or the icing runs, or the oven breaks, or something else goes horribly wrong. But, I try not to focus on such things. So, our wedding cake just might be a TT original.
And with the luck I've had with wedding dress shopping, I just might be making my dress, too...although that seems a much more dangerous enterprise...
Monday, May 5, 2008
i get by with a little help from my friends
Todd and I decided fairly early on that we didn't want to do the typical bridal party arrangement, with 5 or 6 bridesmaids/groomspeople on each side. Todd's argument was that he either wanted all of his friends standing up with him (which would make for a rather interesting--and large--bridal party) or none at all. It made sense to me, because we have many wonderful friends, and it would be very difficult to delineate a "Top 5" (I mean, really, I have trouble even picking out a "top 5" for my T-mobile phone plan!)
Thus, our bridal party will be me, Todd, and my niece Kaelyn (flower girl/birthday girl extraordinaire).
It occurred to me, though, that even though we won't have an official bridal party, the fingerprints of our friends will still be all over this wedding. One of our friends is serving as the officiant. A couple of friends will be the photographers capturing the day. Another couple has offered to roast up the pig for us. One friend has volunteered her expert landscape design help. Yet another friend will be helping with the flowers. A few girlfriends have taken on the planning of the showers and pre-wedding festivities. And many friends (hopefully!) will be contributing to the construction of the fence.
So I just want to say thank you, sweet friends, for your love and support...you are all truly our honorary bridesmaids/groomsmen-- we just won't make you rent a tux or buy yet another "this is obviously a bridesmaid's dress that I will certainly not wear again" dress.
Much love to you all!
Thus, our bridal party will be me, Todd, and my niece Kaelyn (flower girl/birthday girl extraordinaire).
It occurred to me, though, that even though we won't have an official bridal party, the fingerprints of our friends will still be all over this wedding. One of our friends is serving as the officiant. A couple of friends will be the photographers capturing the day. Another couple has offered to roast up the pig for us. One friend has volunteered her expert landscape design help. Yet another friend will be helping with the flowers. A few girlfriends have taken on the planning of the showers and pre-wedding festivities. And many friends (hopefully!) will be contributing to the construction of the fence.
So I just want to say thank you, sweet friends, for your love and support...you are all truly our honorary bridesmaids/groomsmen-- we just won't make you rent a tux or buy yet another "this is obviously a bridesmaid's dress that I will certainly not wear again" dress.
Much love to you all!
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