A Christmas Wedding

I did my 1st Christmas wedding and other than both my own daughter's, this was my favorite. It was both beautiful and romantic, the bride & groom were fun to work with, and it was  nice size wedding without being too big and chaotic. The menu was well chosen and the family and guests a class act. 

Believe me, it makes a difference. As an events director, I do all sorts of events and Christmas wedding planning falls under a happy and magical production. 

Christmas in elegant colors, classic Christmas background dinner music, an adorable couple everyone is so happy for and the excitement in the air. I'm behind the scenes sprinkling fairy dust making countless details happen and watching timelines to keep the flow on schedule. It was very Hallmark.

It was a very detailed set up, but we had fun doing it. The vendors came in early and did their parts, the florist, the baker, and the candlestick maker. Kidding! The florist, the bakery, and the DJ. 

The one vendor I've worked with a couple of times, he has my absolute admiration and respect. His work is stunning and I'm always excited to see his creations. He's gay, extremely talented, and tons of fun. We worked and laughed all day. It's so non-threatening, so we just have fun.

Together we adjusted other vendors presentations. I'm always careful how I question/present things because you just never know what vendors are close friends and I never want to offend. So I asked my beloved gay friend, his opinions on a couple of things that were questionable, and was happily relieved we were both absolutely on the same page and we made the necessary changes. 

He asked my opinion about a few things, because even talent sometimes gets tired of making all the decisions and he made a, "we should be in business together" comments, which was a compliment. Together, we would knock it out of the park. 

Final touches made, the Christmas wedding production was beginning, everything flowed perfectly. The bride and groom so complimentary and it was wonderful when the mother of the groom shared with me her son said it was the greatest day of his life. 

My vendor friend ran home, cleaned up and came to the reception as the family's close friend at the head table. It was a long day and at the end of the evening I sat down with him to catch up on conversation. He's a great conversationalist and conversation goes all over the place like with girlfriends. He's giving me the low-down on all sorts of stuff, then was telling me about his teenagers (my mind naturally wanders off wondering if him and his partner adopted or had kids when he was younger, I'm sure he will eventually share). Then, he mentions he's been divorced a few years, that he and his wife were married for 18 years. What? Wife? 

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Now I'm waiting for him to get to the part and share he got divorced because he's gay. That wasn't what happened. He found out about her affair and how broken he was.

It's amazing how many thoughts can race through your mind within seconds and minutes. I'm assessing my former and my day-long assumptions of him. Could I have been wrong? There's no way he's not gay! 

I thought I was girlfriend bonding with a talented and funny artist I admire and respect, so I was comfortable being funny and witty all day. 

Holy smokes was I wrong!!! I was wrong and blindsided! He went from funny and witty to sweet and a bit nervous when he asked if I'd like to have coffee or dinner with him something. Wait! What?!

Have you ever watched a movie where a girl befriends someone who she thinks is gay, then finds out he really isn't? She gets angry because she feels betrayed. That's how I felt/feel. I still can't believe he's straight and I was so wrong all along! It’s just like a corny movie, but it for real happened.

So nice, funny and talented, I'm not sure I could date someone who I thought was 100% gay and have everyone assume he is gay, too. It would be funny at some level. I promise everyone would think he was my gay friend. He'd make a great friend though and I agreed to coffee.

I don't share dating stuff on here, until I'm ready, but this was one for books! 

Shopping Status

I get an A++

Made my list months ago and kept to my list and have been done shopping. When I hear people say they shop on Christmas Eve to get the best sales, I absolutely cringe inside. Where's the thought behind the gift? Who on earth wants to last minute shop?! And, what about Christmas Eve? That's when family is together and Christmas Eve service warms your heart reminding why we are celebrating in the first place.

Today I ventured out to get groceries for the week and Christmas day and I'm grateful I am done. Hustle-n-bustle is very Courier & Ives, but it's chaos out there and people are crazy. 

I'm tired of ham, tired of turkey, and I don't want to grill outside when it's cold, so this year for Christmas I'm making a big pot of pasta with fresh shaved Parmesan, cheddar biscuits, and home brewed sweet tea. Warm, comfort food sounds perfect and a yummy homemade chocolate cake filled with chocolate chips for dessert. After all, it is Jesus birthday. 

One of my new favorite appetizers I introduced at Thanksgiving is a chunk of soft Brie (cheese) on a cracker with a dollop of blackberry jam and a fresh, giant blackberry on top. It's a tasty combination and was a hit! It's my holiday appetizer recommendation if you're in need of an idea. 

Christmas has been two months in the making for me starting October 25th with the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movies. A holiday vacation in a cabin the mountains of beautiful Tennessee leading to Thanksgiving, and I can say I've basked in the holiday for months. A part of me will miss it when it's over, because it's Christmas in my heart. 

Only five more days. 

Happiness is ...

Happiness is ...

Pulling into my daughter's driveway for a date with Sofia and the door opens and there my sweet, little grand daughter is bundled up in her winter coat excited to say, "bYe mOm!" to her momma and spend the afternoon with me.

We ran through the drive-thru and picked up lunch, sang Christmas songs and she was excited to set her lunch up at the table and we ate together. 

I was gifted by another hotel with a super yummy box of chocolates Sofia was allowed to dig into and try. We practiced taking small bites, less shoving a big whole piece in our mouth. We also practiced putting boogies in a kleenex, less our mouth. *gag*

Happiness is ...

Aunt Brooke called and stopped by with Max for a bit.

Sofia saw Papa's christening baby outfit and thought she looked like Anna (Frozen) in it and that's what she wore while she played swimming pool.

We played, "Catch me!" which is chase, her favorite thing is to run. We played, "Hide & Seeky" and she counts, "1... 2... 3..." and we take turns hiding.

She's so smart and she got me. We were playing hide & seeky and she wanted me to go hide, so I ran into the living room and hid behind the Christmas tree in an obvious place. She had a couple rooms to go through, but she is really quick on my heels with this game and she wasn't coming. So I started making loud comments so she could find me. She still wasn't coming. So, I ventured out to find her.

There she was, caught! She sent me out of the bedroom because she found her Christmas presents and needed me to leave so she could open it! Usually when she wants to get into something she will command you to, "Go!" and she will point for you to leave. This time, she said, "Hide!" 

Smart.

She opened her doctors kit and she was in heaven. Sofia is a nurturer and worries if someone isn't feeling well. We played sick for the rest of the afternoon. I think I will send this toy home with her. ha ha It's so perfect for her and even though I've bought her several Christmas gifts and she now has all of them because I've rationed them out over the last couple of weeks, too excited to wait, her BIG Christmas gift will be given to her at Christmas. 

Sofia always pulls back my hair to see my earrings and I always where dangling ones when I am with her. She saw my new necklace and ask, "i tRy pEaSe?" and I slipped my necklace on her and caught this sweet moment of her.

It was time for me to head back to work so I bundled my sweet baby up and loaded her into the car. In minutes she was lights out. 

Happiness is ... dates with Sofia + Gamma. 

A Toy Store

In Christmas tradition, my girlfriend Kimberly and I met this evening for dinner at our favorite restaurant elegantly decorated for Christmas. A fruity Christmas beverage in hand, topped with cranberries for a holiday touch, delicious scallops and catching up on life conversations, we exchanged gifts.

When I saw the necklace of two hearts with my grandbabies names on them and their birthstones, she said, "I know they are your heart." Grab me a kleenex!! I've been wanting something with their names on it and I love them being on hearts around my neck. They are my heart and I had just spent the day with them.

I took Mariah, Sofia & Rowan to a quaint toy store today, one that isn't overly commercialized and big. It was my wish that Sofia would find the toy store magical and I wanted her to have plenty of time to wander, look, and touch the toys. What a perfect way to see what she is drawn to. She held my hand and we went up and down the aisles multiple times. There was no rush, I wanted her to take wander and see everything. 

She loved the dinosaurs, the horses, the baby dolls the most. She found a baby doll and a bottle of orange juice that she carried throughout the store. Yes, of course, I bought it for her.

We stopped at a bakery for sweets and she picked out a couple treats she wanted. I love watching her seeing what she likes and the choices she makes for herself. She was one happy little girl. The kids spent the afternoon with me while Mariah ran to the gym and Rowan has suddenly mastered crawling and can now get where he wants to. I can't believe he's 6 months old already and Sofia is almost 2-1/2 years old. 

She's so fun to carry conversations with as she goes from sweet to bossy and back to sweet again. Little Miss Determined is a very passionate little girl who knows what she wants and won't hesitate to let you know, too. Little brother is sweet, happy and passive and just smiles and coo's. 

They are my loves and my joy, and I love my necklace. 

Music Lessons

One of the most beautiful aspects of being single is every day I do what I want to do and another person's moods, emotions or commotions don't alter mine. It's calm, peaceful and quiet. 

There is also time for hobbies.

I have never played an instrument, so last week I walked into a music store and prattled off the four instruments that I am most interested in with the mindset of touching, feeling and playing each one to determine exactly which instrument I would like to learn to play.

My music lessons start next month and I'm not telling anyone which instrument it is. I will simply provide a performance in the spring. 

Being able to play music for my grandbabies is my inspiration. 

New Book, New Pajamas

My new book arrived today, I'm so excited! I just love Amazon Prime.

I'm exhausted. Four hours of sleep last night, church this morning, running around with Brooke Christmas shopping for Alex this afternoon, and now [means there's more], my perfect etched out moment has arrived. 

I'm going to fill the bath deep with hot water and drop a bath bomb in it. Tonight the scent Shea & Coconut sounds perfect, and I'm going to climb in the tub with my new book and a cup of hot tea in a quiet house. 

Then [there's still more], I am slipping into my new super soft, brand new pajamas that are fresh & clean from being washed, grab a blanket and read and relax all evening, and sleep in tomorrow morning.

Thank you, Jesus. 

Phew, I Made It!

I MADE IT! I made it through an intense holiday event season and I did it with praise and accolades  my events were a total success. My team knocked them out of the park. 

Two intense weeks of massive parties, I had three parties one day, two today. Fifteen hour days are tough especially when every detail falls on me as well as keeping the staff performing well. I hit $30K revenue over budget for December, which is pretty awesome. 

The party tonight was extra generous handing me $1,000 in 100's to tip my team. They were excited, then he gave me a generous tip. 

I have a wedding, a pretty big New Years Eve party I am hosting, and another small party this month, but that's nothing compared to what my team just came through. It's time to slow down as we are now entering January and February which are off season months for events. 

Ahhhh, winter hours. Fa la la la la la la la la