Putting what was on my side bar in a blog entry, just for record keeping sake.



DONE:
REHEARSAL / DINNER:
- Programs
- Gifts
- Flowers for people
- Tuxes
- Flowers for church
- Pew Bows
- Marriage License
- Big framed marriage license (to get signatures)

DECORATE:
- White and blue plastic tablecloths
- Long lighter for candles at reception
- Balloons
- Air Compressor and blow nozzle
- Balloon sticks and cups
- Pole bending poles
- Cellophane
- Curling Ribbon
- Centerpieces
- Table Tents
- Cake table:
- Napkins
- plates
- forks
- nuts
- M&Ms
- punch stuff
- flowers
- cake top
- background
- lace tablecloth
- Stuff to cut the cake
- 2 gallon pitchers
- 4 white grape juice with peach
- 8 ginger ale 2 liters
- Napkins for meal
- Bowls
- Water crystals / strainer
- Candles
- Fake Champagne glasses
- M&Ms and Hershey's Kisses for tables
- Blue Bows
- scissors / tape / duct tape / stapler
- Alcohol
- Hefty bags
- Stuff for punch
- Guest pages / pen
- 8X10 picture of us
- After framed marriage license is signed, take to VFW
- Bring "card" box - wrap a box with wedding wrapping paper and have a slit in it for people to put cards
- Guest book pages and pens
- Back drop from K and R
- Directions from old church to new church

WEDDING:
- My necklace / earrings / bracelet / hair clip
- My rings
- His ring
- Written out Thank you notes
- tennis shoes and white lacy socks
- Lacy shoes
- Black coat
- Makeup bag
- Emergency kit with black/white/blue thread, tweezers, deodorant, tape, hair pins, kleenex, uh, woman's stuff, etc.
- Flower girl crowns
- Ring bearer pillow
- Bags packed for honeymoon
- Folder with directions
- Knee brace
- Static Guard

THINGS I DID:
- Clean the pole bending poles
- Make emergency kit - black/white/blue thread, tweezers, deodorant, tape, hair pins, kleenex, napkins, safety pins
- Pick up tuxes 1/24
- Meet with DJ 1/24
- Call the benefits center to let them know to start coverage - 1-866-508-8058 (2/4/08)
- Call Sincerely Yours to pay for arch
- Call Complete music to pay for DJ
- Pack for honeymoon
- book for drive
- Get Nails done
- Go to Confession
- Make pearl hair clip
- Print sign for Card Box
- Print sign for Guest book
- Get pickup washed
- Get Oil change
- Final fitting of my wedding dress
- Print directions from old church to new church
- Write out checks for Glenna and VFW
- have my two rings soldered together
- Get backdrop from K and R
- Make "card" box - wrap a box with wedding wrapping paper and have a slit in it for people to put cards
- Wrap box holding programs
- Get liquor
- Make guest book pages from card stock
- Buy pens
- Pick up bowls from co-worker
- Get a dress for last bridesmaid
- call everyone and tell them the plan for rehearsal and wedding day
- Call cake lady with final number (312 RSVP'd...we're going with 325 to be safe)
- Call caterer with final number (312 RSVP'd...we're going with 325 to be safe)
- Tell MIL to call Meridy's to let them know how many people will be at the rehearsal dinner
- Make pew bows
- Get final count on rehearsal dinner (32)
- Pick up the marriage license (after 1/10/08 - three day waiting period)
- Wrap ring bearer gift
- Buy more cellaphane
- Buy more punch glasses, forks, napkins, cake plates (more people than I thought are coming)
- Buy more flowers to put on cake
- Bachellorette party - January 12 (!)
- Book room at hotel for wedding night
- Look up directions to hotels and cabin and print out
- Get cool pen for guest book
- Get cake topper
- Call VFW guy to coordinate getting in the day before
- Get my dad measured for his tux top
- Pick up flowers from Aya
- Ask M for "pole bending" poles and pick up
- Make necklaces for flower girls
- Get long lighter for candles at reception
- Buy blue plastic for the head / cake tables and pole bending poles
- Buy cake plates
- Buy balloon sticks and cups
- Buy his wedding ring
- Meet with Glenna to finalize the wedding cake
- Meet with organist to go over the music
- Ask Glenna if she is going to handle the plates, napkins, forks for cake - No, I am
- Get flower girl dresses
- Make the veil
- Get strapless bra (or halter bra) - Got a bra that mom is going to sew into the dress.
- Check out prices for helium - NO FRICKIN WAY. TOOOOO EXPENSIVE. Going to use forms and air instead.
- Make table centerpieces out of balloons, sand, ribbon, curling ribbon, and cellophane.
- Make program for wedding
- Write out thank you cards for Fr. David, singer, organist, eucharistic minister, ushers, program attendant, alter servers, etc.
- Get gift boxes for necklaces / earrings
- Buy sand
- Gift for ring bearer - toy truck and trailer
- pick out songs for ceremony
- Get white tennis shoes
- Buy blue, white and silver M&Ms
- Tell groomsmen where to get tux tops and what else to wear
- Buy napkins for dinner.
- Send invitations to cake lady and organist
- Buy pocket watches for groomsmen
- Seal, stamp invitations and send OR hand them out (by end of November)
- Tell Aya to make a corsage for eucharistic minister, singer, organist, reader
- Send $60 to R for the Flower Girl dresses
- pick out guys' tuxes
- Find someone to hand out programs - Bessie
- pick out songs for reception...first dance, etc.
- get his black Wranglers
- get his black boots
- Make table tents
- Bridal shower October 28
- Put numbers on RSVP cards so I can know who is actually coming (in case their handwriting sucks)
- Stuff envelopes
- Meet with Fr. David for the third time to go over FOCCUS results.
- Order my dress from ebay store middle of October
- Address invitations
- Tie invitations with ribbon
- If I change my phone number, let all vendors know that!
- Make necklaces and earrings for bridesmaids and other family
- Get Bridesmaid's dresses (Three were on sale!)
- finish registering for gifts
- Reserve Meridy's for rehearsal dinner
- Book cabin for honeymoon
- Buy pearls and other jewelry making stuff (will be around $11 per necklace & earring set)
- Stamps on RSVP cards
- Print out maps and have Copy Max cut them
- Order thank you cards from printsmadeeasy.com (they came in. they look beautiful)
- Meet with Fr. David (for the 2nd time, after church this Sunday. Need to take Engaged Encounter certificate)
- Have hotels in Russell reserve blocks of rooms for guests
- Punch holes in invitations
- Print out invitations.
- Get cake person. Glenna will do it. 698-2458. She has an arch we can decorate. She has a punch fountain and we can provide the punch or she can do it. She can make the mints...but I was going to have blue and gray M&M's...may be cheaper. Want to have sheet cakes for the guests to eat, $27.50 for 30 servings, and a two tiered cake for the head table.
- Meet with Fr. David (1st time)
- Get Ring Bearer pillow
- Get tiaras for flower girls
- Buy flowers/vases and give to my sister #3 to make...thank you A.!!!
- Get Singer (Marla) / Organist (Kathy)
- Send Save the Date cards
- Go to Engaged Encounter (Aug 10-12)
- Get guest list from my mom, his mom, and then fill in the blanks for who I want to invite. His list is done.
- Order water crystals (for decorations)
- Order "save the date" cards
- Send Complete Music agreement and deposit
- Get engagement pictures
- Know who the attendants will be and ask them
- Photographer - my sister #1 is going to do it.
- Confirmed church with Fr. Charlie
- Decide on a color dammit: BLUE and GRAY
- Steve Dlabel will do the catering. $8 / plate. 658-3434
- Confirm with VFW and put down security deposit


Spent on the wedding:
6/29/07: Resize rings - $77.08
7/06/07: Vellum - $37.97
7/19/07: Tulle & Ribbons - $40.98
7/22/07: VFW Deposit - $150
7/23/07: DJ Deposit - $100
7/24/07: Engaged Encounter - $200
7/24/07: Invitation paper - $12.97
7/24/07: Ribbon - $7.80
7/25/07: Envelopes - $137.85
7/29/07: Bridesmaid dress (A's) - $21.46
7/29/07: Bubbles and tiara from Walmart - $36.40
8/4/07 - Save the Date Postcards - $48.84
8/12/07 - Printer labels - $5.68
8/13/07 - Stamps - $65.00
8/16/07 - Hole punch - $2.14
8/24/07 - Flowers, misc decorations - $269.48
8/31/07 - Bridesmaid Dress - $58.17
9/02/07 - Bridesmaid Dress - $42.92
9/06/07 - Cut invitations and buy ream of copy paper - $14.29
9/10/07 - 400 yds blue ribbon - $15.50
9/11/07 - Thank you cards, 300 for $44.84 including shipping
9/13/07 - Postcard postage - $78.00
9/26/07 - Pearls and jewelry making stuff - $140.11 (will make 13 necklaces and earring pairs)
10/3/07 - Reservation for honeymoon cabin - $145.73
10/19/07 - Groomsmen gifts - $166.57
10/22/07 - Dress - $359.99
11/15/07 - Return to Walmart +70.40
11/15/07 - Paper - $18.33
11/15/07 - Table tent cutting - $5.31
11/21/07 - Shoes - $26.76
11/21/07 - Jeans / Boots - 105.42
11/24/07 - Ring Bearer's outfit - $53.53
11/27/07 - Flower Girl Dresses - $60.00
11/27/07 - Stamps for invitations - $104.40
11/27/07 - Vellum for programs - $20.98
11/26/07 - More Flowers - $14.08
11/29/07 - Hershey's Kisses - $14.48
12/3/07 - Groomsman gift - $26.81
12/8/07 - Bridesmaid dress - $82.50
12/11/07 - Napkins and plastic champaign glasses - $60.55
12/11/07 - Tulle - $32.18
12/13/07 - Cut and drill holes for programs - $8.50
12/16/07 - Balloons - $86.67
12/17/07 - M&Ms - $68.61
12/17/07 - Cellophane and curling ribbon - $13.90
12/18/07 - Money for thank you cards - $160
12/19/07 - His brother's tux - $53.53
12/20/07 - Staples - $4.69
12/20/07 - Sand - $4.33
12/20/07 - Program guts - $59.52
12/21/07 - Photographer - $300
12/21/07 - Florist - $200
12/28/07 - Nuts - $20.13
12/29/07 - His wedding ring - $40.68
12/29/07 - Forks, cups, tealights, nozzle to blow up balloons - $45.40
01/02/08 - Cake plates and plastic for tables - $93.41
01/04/08 - Fabric for dress - $12.85
01/11/08 - Cake top and fancy pen - $24.64
01/14/08 - More plates - $14.84
01/14/08 - More cups, napkins, flowers, forks - $46.52
01/14/08 - More cellaphane - $3.71
01/16/08 - Cut guest book - $3.47
01/17/08 - Liquor - $347.23
01/17/08 - Pens for guest book - $4.03
01/21/08 - Half of J's bridesmaid dress - $35
01/21/08 - Cake - $335
01/21/08 - Supper - $2600
01/21/08 - Hall rental - $400
01/24/08 - DJ - $500
01/24/08 - Balloon arch $53.65
01/26/08 - Pop/mixers/beer/ice at reception to VFW $101.00

Total: $8394.54

So I went to Walmart today to get my oil changed. Just before I went in, I saw that I had some change in my cup holder. I was going to pick it up, but I decided to count it instead to see if someone would take any. There were 3 quarters, 4 nickels, a dime and two pennies. $1.07. Nothing big, but hey, this was an experiment.

After about an hour and a half, my pickup was finally done. I went out to it, and I had 4 nickels, a dime and two pennies left. Someone stole $.75!

Ok, admittedly, 75 cents is nothing to blow a gasket over. But then, I looked at my work order ticket, and it said that the work started at 1:33 and was done at 2:37 p.m. Now, I know that the work wasn't done by then, because I had to call my boss at 2:52 to explain why I wasn't back from lunch yet.

I called the store manager and told him that I had money stolen and they lied about the time, so how was I even sure that any work was done? How do I know that oil was even put into the pickup?

He said that he was worried about the situation, that he would refund my money (even if it was only $.75), and if I was worried the work didn't get done, he would have the service bay manager look it over.

I went there after work and the service manager explained that my pickup had been randomly picked to be inspected, and that when the work was done, the work order was closed, but the person doing the inspection still had to do their thing. That actually makes sense. So, I dropped that. The service manager also said that she remembered the pickup, as it was the first one that she had to inspect that day.

Ok, by that time the store manager and the service manager were both there. I said I understood about the time thing, and that I now believed that they actually did do the work. What about my money?

The store manager did NOT want to say out loud what my complaint was, but he offered to get my money back on the oil change and that he would follow up on the theft. He said that he would let me know what the cameras showed and that they would deal harshly with whoever did it.

That is all I wanted. THANK YOU, store manager, for doing the right thing. I know that $.75 was almost not worth driving the mile to the store, but hey, don't steal from me. If you steal, even $.75, you should be punished.

Free oil change for me, and they will get a return customer. The managers treated me fairly, and they also treated their employees fairly (they had to check the tapes before they would do anything, which is how it should be, I think).

Getting my dowry today.

Since I bought the cows 6 years ago, I have joked that they, and the calves I sell, were my dowry. I had no idea back then that I would marry a farmer. Funny how things work out. What started out as a (legal) tax shelter is going help provide for my about-to-be-started family.

Today I am selling my calves. Hopefully they bring a good price, and I can replenish what I have borrowed against the 0% interest credit card money for the past 6 months, and pay the cattle loan due in April.

Sale day is nerve wracking. You take your entire inventory for the year to the sale barn and trust that you picked the right day to sell, the market is strong, and the buyers are there to buy them. You have to look like you have no emotion, but inside, you are excited or seething or worried or happy or content. Just depends on a few cents per pound either way and it can change your entire year.

They go through so fast, separated into steers and heifers, then into weight groupings, and you may only have four groups go through, even though I am selling 81 calves and Dad is selling 50-some. Once the dust clears and you have all the prices per pound, then you calculate it up and everyone looks at you to see what your final emotions are going to be.

Then, we have to split the checks. I only get a third of the check from selling my calves (dad gets the rest because he did all the work last year). Hope it is enough!

Next year, we will get the entire check for around 30 calves (we are doing the work for those 30 cow) and only split the check for the other 50.

A few items of good news on Friday...we contracted 500 bushels of wheat for $8.04 per bushel. That means we only have to get 10 bushels per acre to make the land payment and cover harvest.

An average wheat crop for our non-irrigated land would be 30-40 bushels per acre. Even if we are close to a disaster, we should be able to get 10. Fiance is shooting for 50-60 bushels per acre, and if so, great! If not, we have the land payment for sure covered plus money left over.

I also bought 100 shares of BNI on Friday. I had been watching it fluctuate between $81 and $86 for the past few months, and if finally got below $80, which means a P/E ratio of 16 (or less, I can't remember). Bought it for $79.79. This is in my IRA that I rolled my 401(k) into.

The bad news is that my boss finally told me that I cannot work from home at all after I get married (Three days at home and two there would be perfect for me, but I was willing to take one or two days at home). I can work either a standard 8 hour 5 day week or a 10 hour 4 day week and I can choose either Monday or Friday off. I told them that won't work for me and I'm going to start looking for a new job...but I'm not quitting right now. I'm going to choose the 4 day week with Friday off for now.

Their decision is totally stupid. I am a very good programmer (and no one else in the department knows how to do what I am doing right now), and not once ever in my whole history of working has someone had to "supervise" me. I don't have customers ever at my desk. The people I work with work in Atlanta, Houston, California, Florida, etc. There is absolutely no reason for me to be at my particular chair. I can talk to my customers on the phone from home just as well as I can talk to them at my desk. When I was home with my knee surgery, I got MORE done than if I have to be at work, because I don't get interrupted. That makes it even more asinine, because I already did it for 4 months with no problem.

They said it wouldn't be fair to everyone else. Well, who said life is fair? How about I have skills that others in my department don't? How about I have discipline and drive that others don't? Fair, schmair. We aren't in junior high.

Oh well. Their loss. After the wedding, I'll be hot and heavy applying for a programming position where I can telecommute.

My fiance has been struggling in the snow and mud for the past month without a 4 wheel drive pickup...well a 4 wheel drive pickup who's 4 wheel drive doesn't work. Trying to feed cows, haul them water, even just drive down the rock roads has been terrible! Caused quite a few fights between the two of us, along the lines of:

"VROOM VROOM VROOM"

"Stop it! You're going towards the ditch!"

"VROOM VROOM VROOM (drive / reverse / drive / reverse / drive / cuss / cuss / cuss / reverse / drive ... / get the chains out / cuss / cuss / cuss) PEEL OUT"

We were at the last straw. 4 wheel drive is almost a necessity with this weather. I guess chains were working, but much less convenient and took a lot more time.

He talked to a few people who knew their way around a 4 wheel drive, and they decided there was something wrong with the transfer case. (You pull a lever in the cab, and the other end of the lever is in the transfer case. The gears in the transfer case is what makes it go from two wheel drive to four wheel drive.) So last week we finally tore into it. My dad had a transfer case that had one of the bearings out of it, but the rest of it was good (he had fixed his last year, and this was the leftovers), and told us to come pick it up and use it for parts, because their pickups are both early 90's Ford 3/4 ton pickups.

In two afternoons, we tore ours apart, tore Dad's apart, and found what was wrong...a plate that moves when you shift wasn't moving like it should (sorry if my terminology is wrong...I call it like I see it) because the snap ring had came off. We think the snap ring had come off because on the end of the lever was a star shaped "male" end, and on the plate was a star shaped "female" end, and one of the fingers of the star had worn off and it couldn't get the plate to move.

So we looked at Dad's, and no more star! They must have decided that was a bad design, because his lever and plate had a half circle on each component that fit together, which seemed much sturdier. Put his plate and lever in our transfer case, put it all together, lots of gasket making goo, lots of bolts, both of us on the cold concrete trying to put it back up under the pickup. Got it installed, backed it up, he started testing it (of course by driving off into the snow...I was smart and stayed in the other pickup) and IT DIDN'T WORK. Stuck in the snow.

We left it there for 4 days.

Finally, he decided today to look at it again (this time without my help). Pulled it out, took it apart, and discovered that the plate was on backwards! When he told me that, I didn't remind him that I had questioned which way the plate should go. For the record, I didn't tell him it should go the other way, I just asked which way it should go. So maybe both of our faults. Anyway, he got it off, opened, switched around, more gasket goo, more bolts, more cold concrete floor, but this time IT WORKED!

This is awesome. He was looking for a new transfer case or even a used one at a junkyard, but all he could find was 3 hours away for $950! Yeah! Only had to buy more gasket goo! And extra diesel because he tore around the pastures through any snow banks he could find

Someone asked me to post a picture of my veil. I made it out of 2 yards of tulle ($2), leftover edging from a curtain project I had done over a year ago, a pearl hair clip and clear plastic thread. It was less than $7 to make, and is exactly what I wanted...simple, easy to take off, and not expensive. And I think it looks good, especially with my dress, because there is a lot of intricate detail on the back of the dress that I don't want to cover up.