Bag it Up

(First I should say that while I’m trying hard to resurrect this blog, I’m also trying to resurrect another blog for work, where you can find all sorts of interesting observations, stories and trends. So don’t miss it.)

Now then…

On Sunday we drove out to the Blue Ridge mountains to visit our favorite orchard and pick some peaches. We’d been to pick apples in the fall a few times, but have wanted to try catching the peach season in the summer, so I was glad that we were able to take a Sunday afternoon and accomplish this. We took some food for a picnic lunch, which we then ended up eating in the car once we got there, due to several pop up thunderstorms in the area. By the time we had parked and ate our lunch, the rain had passed and we were able to get out in the orchard and go to work on the trees. I’m not sure what’s so fun about getting out and picking your own fruit, but it really is a lot of fun. Probably too much, as we ended up with about sixteen pounds of peaches after it was said and done. Yes, sixteen. For two people. Still, it was worth the price if not for the peaches themselves, for the activity itself. It was way cheaper than an amusement park. And plus — peaches!

Of course then after hauling them home, we had to figure out what to *do* with all of these peaches. Besides just eating them out of hand or, you know, taking pictures of them. Because there’s really only so many peaches you can realistically eat in a day. So we ended up making a huge peach cobbler, peach jam, peach toaster strudel (part of my evil genius showing here), some were sliced up to freeze and save for later… and I have a few left that I need to either bake into something, eat or … alas… throw out, as they’re going to be over-ripe very soon.

Even though for a few days it felt like I was being overtaken by peaches, I’m not sure there’s really a better summer fruit or a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon outdoors, picking perfect peaches, surrounded by the awesome Blue Ridge mountains.

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Married!
photo by Jamelah

Looks like we made it …

That’s right, we did it. And I’ve decided as my new married self, I should start updating this blog a little more often because I’m sure there will be all sorts of new adventures to chronicle here.

I had this idea that I would compose this really well-thought out, intricately detailed account of the day, if primarily for my own benefit. The thing is, I’m not really sure I’m even up to anything really well-thought out or intricately detailed, let alone anything remotely possessing both of those qualities.

I may attempt this soon — or at least some random lists and my own personal tips on wedding-throwing… but for now I will just say that it was really a wonderful, magical day, full of laughter, love, friends and family. And cake. And karaoke. I don’t think we could have asked for it to go any better than it did… which is not to say everything went exactly as we expected — but it was perfect for us, and we’re happy.

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We’re now at t-minus 11 days and counting until the big day… I’m beyond the point of denial that it’s so close and inching past freakout … now I’m just sort of… in disbelief. Like … wow. Still a lot to do between now and then and it doesn’t feel like it will all come together, but I know it will. At least that’s what everyone keeps telling me. One thing I still need to do is come up with a track list for the karaoke portion of the reception (yes, I briefly considered having the entire wedding orchestrated in karaoke style, but it was really hard to find a karaoke minister…) — the trick is, in order to avoid having someone sing “Cat Scratch Fever” or something by Eminem at our wedding celebration, I’d like to restrict the song selection to love songs. Yeah, I know, I’m such a drag… While making such a list sounds really easy, it’s … not. Especially when you want to have a lot of songs so as to make it seem like people have a lot of choices even though you are stifling their inner diva. Luckily my awesome friend Lauren from work is an expert in all things cheesy and cool, especially when it comes to music (plus did I mention she happens to be an ABBA-ologist? It’s true.) and provided a quick list to get me started. Check out some of her picks:

Wedding Bell Blues - The 5th Dimension
Even the Nights are Better - Air Supply
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do - ABBA
Lady - Little River Band
If I Can’t Have You - Yvonne Elliman
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Teneille
You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate
I Love You - Climax Blues Band
Hopelessly Devoted to You - Olivia Newton-John
Kiss is On My List - Hall & Oates
More Than a Feeling - Boston

Totally awesome, right? Well, even though I’ve been pretty hush-hush about all of this wedding planning stuff, this is the audience participation portion of the program so I’m asking you, Internet people, nay — begging you — for help in adding the best karaoke love song choices to add to the list. I know you probably have your own private list of favorite karaoke love songs, so leave your suggestions in the comments and help me out!

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So I’ve been planning a wedding instead of blogging. Sue me. Actually, don’t, because I need to pay for all this wedding-type stuff. I don’t even know where to begin, but I will say that as I write this there are 45 days, 18 hours and some odd minutes until the wedding and I am excited, giddy and just slightly insane. A little more than usual.


Wedding Countdown Timer provided by Bridal Guide

That, plus, I’ve been listening to this really catchy acoustic Air Supply album…

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I’ve been resisting the urge for like a year now but I am not sure I can hold out much longer… Surely I can justify this somehow by using it in my wedding?

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