life and puppies

I know I’m a few days late here, but I’d like to extend a formal welcome to December.  Welcome, December!  When we Wisconsinites hit December, it brings us mixed emotions.  Yay!  Holidays!  Yay!  Heather’s birthday!  Stephanie’s birthday!  Rose’s birthday!  But, boo! Winter is really here!  And it is here for a long time!  And it is very dark out!

This December, though, has the added bonus — for me — of being MOW (month of wedding)!  We have decided upon a small party on New Year’s Eve with around 30 people.  I think it should be a good time.  We rented a big house in Door County and have invited everyone to stay with us.  It’s a wee bit expensive for us, but it’s the way we want to go — small, intimate, friendly, loving.  I haven’t been to a winter wedding in a long time, and I’ve never been to a wedding like ours will be, so I’ve been struggling some with the planning.  So far, I have the dress (a grey light-wool dress from Garnet Hill), a kick-ass necklace (from JCrew) and awesome Kate Spade flats that were half-off at Zappos.  We also have our rings, four cases of Pellegrino from Costco (they were on sale), luminaries I made, sparklers my mom bought, lots of blue glass Mason jars for the flowers I ordered online from a wholesaler that my friend Gwen is going to arrange for us, coffee that Aaron’s mom bought us at a fundraiser, silver chargers from Michael’s and two dozen ramekins that we bought for an appetizer we probably aren’t going to serve.  So, you know, that’s something.  Oh!  And a very important thing came last week!  My wonderful cousin, Maggie, got her minister certification from the Universal Life Church in order to marry us.  I’m so excited and grateful for that.

Although there are many other details to work out, I’ve been fixated on a honeymoon.  I think one is in order.  We’re all over the map — literally — about where we want to go and when.  St Maarten in January?  Maritime provinces in June?  Rome in May?  San Francisco?  Banff?  Boundary Waters?  Any help you, Dear Reader, could give in this area would be most appreciated.