THE LAST WEDDING PICTURES

I have finally reached the last of the wedding pictures, except for the photographers, which we should have in a few weeks. These were taken with Emily's camera and pretty much show how much fun the wedding party had on this special day. This is a picture of Emily and Abigail {both bridesmaids} posing in front of an old Cadillac. It's rare that I have a picture of my two daughters together, so this is getting framed. ;-D
Back on the Chicago lakefront, the wedding party posed for pictures..
Kevin went from grammar school to college with his groomsmen. They are a fun bunch.
Home Sweet Home
On the bus to and from the lake...the wedding party had a little party of their own with sandwiches and refreshments.
Kevin has never worn a ring in his life. This, he will treasure.
The happy couple.
All in a days work...
After the wedding reception. people migrated to my nephew's pub, Blackthorn. The Husband and I, of course, went home. It was a long day!
Abby posing with my sister in law, Karen. Karen reads my blog and while she is doing housework, she dances to my playlist.
Emily posing with her uncles, Marty and Jim.
Marty and Karen
Abby and her boyfriend, Tom. She wore his jacket because she was cold, but left her shoes at the bar and came home barefoot.
Emily and her boyfriend, Mike.
Shall we call it a day?

I will be back soon with some normal blogging. Much is happening in Blondieville, some renovations in the kitchen and the preparations for Emily's graduation party {sigh}. Thanks again for being so kind working your way through these pictures. I think it was the best wedding I was ever at. Mary Clare and Kevin made all of their dreams come true. I hope they live a long and happy life together! :-)

WEDDING RECEPTION

Thanks so much for your interest in seeing more pictures of my son's wedding. I am so touched. This was such a big day in my life and I want to share it with the world! These pictures were taken with my cell camera, which was a lot easier to carry but I may have sacrificed quality. Anyway...the wedding party arrived after having pictures taken at the lakefront and a bagpiper led the group to the tents where the reception was held.
Look at the rays of sun shining through. This had to have been the nicest night for weather that we had the whole summer.
Outside the tents, tables were set up for cocktails and hors de vours. Little sandwiches and quiches were served on the table in the distance and later the cupcakes {in lieu of a cake} and coffee were set up.
The bride and groom share their first dance. I didn't know they had rehearsed it...I don't think I have ever seen Kevin dance before! After this dance, he came and held his hand out to me to dance. I was in shock. He said it was a tradition for the groom to dance with his mother, so we danced slow to What A Wonderful World. I had to bite my lip to keep from crying.
The seating chart was written on old salvaged windows. Here, Mary Clare helps a guest find their table.
In addition to the Best Man {son Jeff} giving a speech, the brides sisters, Nora and Katie, also gave a speech.
The tables were covered in white tablecloths with burlap runners. You might recall we recycled jars, tied them with jute and they were filled with all sorts of wildflowers.
The jars also held candles. The wedding party carried blue hydrangeas that were just huge. Yesterday Kevin delivered a crate of flowers to me and my house looks like a florist shop! By the way, the honeymoon takes place in Cabo San Lucas in October due to Kevin's work schedule. As a little wedding present, Kevin took Mary Clare for a guided boat ride down the Chicago River last night.

So these are the pictures I have today downloaded from my phone. Emily has some excellent pictures on her camera and I will share them later in the week. Since I was the one taking pictures, I don't have any of me {but I was there}. I am hoping that the photographer will have her pictures soon and then I can share more, especially ones of my family.

Thanks again for your kind comments and enthusiasm for seeing pictures of this special day. :-)

GETTING BEAUTIFIED

I'm still alive! The wedding is over and I am so happy to share pictures with you. I have so much to show and tell, I'll do a few small posts. These photos were taken by the photographer and I was able to copy them off Facebook {I hope that's not illegal}. They were taken along Lake Michigan with the gorgeous skyline of Chicago in the background.
Keeping up with the Farmhouse theme, the bride wore her cowboy boots.
We all met at Mary Clare's house to have our hair and makeup done. The girls doing the beautification all work for Mary Clare's sister, Katie, at her salon downtown. Here is a bridesmaid getting her hair done by a stylist.
The bride discussing her hairstyle, which she wore long and curled.
These are the toolboxes with all the implements to change us from pretty to gorgeous! Everything was air brushed, which was a new experience for me. It makes you look flawless. We all had a little help in the eyelash department and it looked so cool. Just a tiny bit of mascara is used before the little clumps of lashes are adhered. They look SO natural. I didn't take mine off until this morning. ;-D
The bride gets the finishing touches to her pretty face.
And what would a gathering of girls be without food to nosh on? Peggy, the bride's mother laid out a spread of egg casserole, fruit and cheese, and Dunkin Donuts coffee.
More refreshments to add to the festive occasion. Oh, we had a good time.

I wore my hair like Adele, of course {did you see her on the MTV Music Awards last night?}, poufed up on the top and pinned back with a long section down. Emily wore hers pulled to the side in a long ponytail and Abby had hers in a low bun. After all of this I headed home and had enough time to put on my dress and jewelry and have a quick cup of coffee before heading to the church. I didn't take pictures of the mass or ceremony but I used my cell camera afterward and I will share more pictures soon. :-)

REHEARSAL DINNER AND LAST MINUTE DETAILS

Last night was the rehearsal and dinner for the wedding. It was held at the Limestone City Grill & Lounge. I wish I had been able to get better night pictures, these aren't the best...plus, I was using my cell phone camera as I was carrying a teensie weensie little dress purse. Look at the vintage Buick we found in the parking lot. What a nice ride this must be.
You can barely make anything out in this picture taken in the garden, the name of the restaurant is in the background. I had this smile plastered on my face all night long, it was so much fun.
As the grooms parents, we hosted 45 people to dinner and drinks. It was a great crowd and everyone mingled and enjoyed themselves. The food was excellent. My part in the wedding is very minimal...I walk up the aisle escorted by The Husband or Papa and at some point I light a candle, I'll figure it out.
Preparations continued all week long. Here is Kevin trying to figure out the seating for our side of the family. It was a good method...each sheet of paper representing a table of ten. The post it's are the couples.
But of course, everyone got in on it and it started to turn into chaos. But we got it done.
Emily has been working her little bum off. The reception is being held outside under tents so signs were needed to direct guests to the restrooms in the building and where the bar and dancing, etc., will be at. She painted, stenciled and distressed like a pro.
Our house has looked like Wedding Central.
Emily and a friend also made no~sew pillows for the haystack couches that are going to be assembled tonight. Remember, this is a farmhouse theme. The crates will be used as little side tables.
Here is The Husband arriving home with the first truckload of hay. A feed store was found way out in the country, but he would have driven to Idaho just for the chance to use his nifty new truck.

So that is where we are. 24 hours from now the bride and groom will be reciting their vows. A trolley that is going to be stocked with champagne and sandwiches, will be waiting to take the bridal party to a country club where pictures will be taken.

So I am just getting the house organized as it will be just crazy here with all of us getting ready. We have to get up at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow to get our hair and make up done. I have decided on my Adele hairstyle but I'm not going to have it tied back in a ponytail, just long in the back. And I'll be fluttering around in my fake eyelashes, of course. I'll be back next week to give you a full report and hopefully some pictures...that is going to be a little difficult to do while I am hob nobbing with the friends and relatives. But I'll try. Pinky promise! :-)

RAMBLINGS

It's been a very slow week...okay, it's only Tuesday, but it's rainy and gloomy and I'm waiting for Sears to come and repair my dryer. I love how they give you a 5 hour time frame...that's 5 hours that I could be doing something constructive, like reading in the bathtub. So I wait and I thought I'd do a quick post.

All is quiet on the wedding front...the lull before the storm I guess. I want to thank everyone for the compliments on the shoes and all the tips for breaking them in. I'm still traipsing around the house in them, I guess I just like pain...or being tall. I received a lot of tips from a great blogger named Andie. She is a make up artist and knows quite a bit about weddings and how to keep the bride looking good. I now realize that I definitely need a larger purse for all the stuff I have to bring. I found a Bandaid product called a friction stick that glides on your feet and helps prevent blisters. Andie also recommended practicing with the shoes with wet feet, as that helps to stretch the leather. She really is a smart girl. Thanks, Andie!
I made a trip to Target yesterday for bar soap. Of course my cart was full when I left. I decided to add some pretty sheers to my bedroom windows...I have noticed how pretty they look in some of the rooms I see in blogland. I'd like to replace my blinds with bamboo like I have had forever in my living room, but the house next door is like 2 inches away and we need privacy. These are made of voile and they were only $4.99 a panel. I really wanted the crinkled voile but that was $3.00 more. Maybe I will change my mind. I feel a need for more bar soap coming on. I also picked up a new shower curtain and 2 books and a necklace and a candle. I bought the cute table runner in the first picture. I love the texture. Anyway...the retail therapy got my mind off things.
I forgot to mention that when I was out antiquing/thrifting on my vacation, The Husband fell in love with this picnic table. It's sort of petite and will look wonderful once we paint it a nice cream color. I'm not keeping it here, we have another area of the yard that is a bit empty. My bistro table will go here. Isn't it darling?
Well, that's all I have for now. I am just going to sit around waiting for Sears to come and then I may make that trip back to Target. I'm really having 2nd thought about the crinkled voile curtains. ;-D

I'm joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday.

SHOES

Warning...this post has very few pictures and probably a lot less content. So pour a glass of your favorite beverage and be prepared to finish reading in about 2 minutes. I'm posting another picture of my dress for the wedding so you can compare it with the shoes I found.
What do you think? I ordered them from Zappos...you can't beat the next day delivery. They are Nine West and I think they match perfectly. They are a patent leather peep toe {as you can surely see} and they are a bit tight. I think that is better than having them fall off your feet with every step. So, I have been wearing them a half hour everyday to stretch them out and get used to them. They go well with shorts and sweat pants, even my PJ's. And with the 2 1/2 inch heels, I am going to feel so grown up being almost 5'5 feet tall.
It's hard to believe that one week from today 400 people will be celebrating the marriage of Kevin and Mary Clare. The reception will be held under tents filled with the soft lights of candles and the smell of wildflowers. It is going to be magical...unless I get blisters and have to go barefoot. There is noting more uncouth than the Mother Of The Groom going barefoot and doesn't make for pretty pictures either. I'll carry a few bandaids with me in case.

Next week is sort of the lull before the storm. I have to go out and look for some sparkly sort of pins for my Adele hairdo. People are starting to say that I am going to the wedding as Adele, as if it were a costume party. I love Adele...maybe I will start to belt out one of her tunes after a few glasses of champagne. Well, I don't drink champagne, but I've been know to belt out tunes impromptu anyway.

I will see you again next week if anything changes on the wedding front. :-)

SWEET HOME, CHICAGO

We were back from the lake and in less than 24 hours we were in the heart of downtown Chicago for Emily's graduation ceremony from the International Academy of Design & Technology, class of 2011.
We couldn't have asked for a better day, not a cloud in the sky and temperatures were in the mid 80's. Perfect for a stroll in the park.
Millennium Park, that is. The ceremony was held at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance at Millennium Park.
A few years ago I worked just a few blocks West of here and brown bagged my lunch right here on the grass. But this day is all about Emily.
My baby girl with her degree in Interior Design. What a long road, but visionary dream it has been for her. Of course she is anxious to start working, but I think she needs a little break. ;-D
After the ceremony we had dinner at this lovely place right in the park.
Her proud boyfriend and father were just some of the guests. Next month we are going to have a big backyard bash to get some more celebrating in.
This was my view from the table. I love eating outside in the city. it can be as intimate or open as you want it to be. And I never get tired of looking up at those tall buildings. In fact, I thought and reminisced so much about my working girl days that I started to have thoughts about my own future...Is there a place for me here again? Or do I want to open a farm stand in Michigan? Well, I'll think about that another day...this was my baby girl's day!! Congratulations on a fine job, Emily. I hope all of you loved these pictures and do come visit Chicago, it's beautiful here! :-)