and then everybody totally wigged

So the aforementioned wig party went off like Uncle Jim's toupee.

All the friends got way into it, and everyone brought a wig or chose from the collection of 7 I had on display.

Seriously had no idea everyone would support this theme! I always thought my little wig hobby was weird at best.

But Wig Party II is already in the works. I would highly recommend this as a very cheap theme party.

Oh, and I went with some super fun hair-themed items to serve: bell peppers stuffed with angel hair pasta, braided bread sticks and beehive hair do cupcakes.

How to throw a wig party

So I'm having a wig party tomorrow night. Everyone must have a wig to get through the door. Then we'll play rock band. I am looking for some suggestions on what to serve. Powdered wig donuts?

Meanwhile, I happened across this tip sheet on howtodothings.com:

How to throw a wig party

• Determine how you will include the wigs. You must begin thinking about how you are going to incorporate the wigs into your party or activity early in the event planning stage. Ask yourself the following questions:
  
  Will I provide the wigs or will I ask guests to bring their own?
  Will I offer any prizes or awards for the best wig worn at the wig party?
  


• Let people know wigs are a must. Make it extremely clear in your invitations that wigs are mandatory at your wig party. Nothing kills the vibe at a wig party like anything less than 100% wig wearing participation.
  


• Organize your party or event just like you would any other normal event. The beauty of the wig party is that it is so simple but it adds a lot of fun and it tends to take a normal party to another level of fun.
  


• Stir up some excitement. A few days before the wig party, email or share some good photos of either yourself the host in a great wig or some other good photo of people in wigs to get the excitement brewing.
  


• Throw the wig party. Be sure to answer the door as the host wearing your wig and keep your wig on at all times during the event. A host's commitment to the wig theme is crucial in building and sustaining the level of fun that is possible during a wig party.

countdown

coming up on 2 months to go until the big day.
still need a harpist.
sending in the order for the invitations tonight.
would still like to lose 20 pounds (not going to happen)
but may settle for about 7 (hopefully will happen).

need to meet with judge, dj and wedding coordinator.
looking for a nice pair of pearl earrings.

happy.
excited.

25 at 25

1. I paint my toenails to look "salon-quality" using stickers from CVS.

2. I have run three half marathons. Slowly. I stopped running due to blisters. Now I do kung fu.

3. I'm not very touchy-feely. This I blame on my parents, who I am suspecting grouped me with baby brother Dally and raised us as one boy...

4. ....yet I own a fairly extensive doll and wig collection.

5. I will marry the love of my life in May. He gets me to the core. I want to be better when I'm with him. And no one makes me laugh harder.

6. I developed a strong fear of guns after taking a Social Psychology class (where I heard the statistic about being more likely to shoot yourself or your family).

7. When I was little I wanted to be a cowgirl. I'm still secretly a little country and I love rodeos.

8. I will get my first passport next month. The farthest I've gone abroad is Rocky Point. My first country of choice would be Italy.

9. I love to read Martha Stewart Living, though the recipes are too complicated and my motor skills too unrefined to do the crafts.

10. I rode a horse in a parade a couple years ago. However, I was in the wrong spot because the horse would not leave his friends.

11. I talk in my sleep. The weirdest thing I remember saying is that there was a zucchini jamming my bedroom door.

12. I often am told I look like Drew Barrymore.

13. I lived in Florida for three months. A hurricane hit my city while I was there. Nothing really happened.

14. I played All State trumpet in high school. I was also a drum major.

15. My cousin Brooke died when she was 9 after a lifelong battle with cancer. I was 8. She was my best friend.

16. When I was little, I had straight blonde hair and brown eyes. I now have naturally dark curly hair and green eyes.

17. I deeply admire my four older sisters, who are all very different.

18. I adore and feel very protective of baby brother Dally.

19. My favorite songs are very sad and usually about heartbreak.

20. I am a trivia fanatic. Tony and I often win trivia games.

21. I have fairly straight teeth and fairly horrible eyesight.

22. I studied journalism in college. Three years after I graduated I left journalism.

23. I have a fear of heights but have no problem with planes. I once rode in a helicopter with no qualms. But I would not want to go in a hot air balloon.

24. I have interviewed Bill O'Reilly, Kathy Lee Gifford and the trainer of Whiplash the Monkey Who Rides a Dog.

25. I was once an international hostage when a group of angry shrimp fisherman blockaded the only road out of Mexico.

Wedding Preview

So these are some samples of what I am planning for TBD (The Big Day).

First picture is the actual location of the ceremony, which will be outdoors and feature some kind of live musician. Haven't decided on harpist or guitarist.

Second picture is a sample of the bouquet. Mine will have purple and green instead of those colors, and feature roses and orchids.

Third pic is a flower girl dress to be worn by my nieces. Their dresses will be sage green with ivory colored sashes.

And the last pic is an image from Tammie Coe Cakes. I haven't decided on the precise design - I can also opt for polka dots if a I want - but I'll probably do something with purple and white.

Less than three months away! Getting very very excited!

Bad Biscuit, Marathon Spellcheck and other things

This morning, out of pure laziness, I ate a sausage biscuit that looked like it had been under the warmer for way too long. I didn't really want to eat it, but the deli is four floors away, so I took my chances. I'm assuming I will regret it.

Not many know this, but I share an office with a coworker and a string of octogenarian volunteers. There is a different person every morning and afternoon. They come in to use the computer. Most of the time they are barely noticeable, and one of them even brought me fruitcake. But every once in a while, I get called upon to serve as IT support. Most of the time, the problem is that they accidentally opened Excel and they don't know what to do, or they clicked off the document and can't understand what happened.

But today it got a little irritating. A very nice and wrinkled lady - skin like a leather handbag thanks to lots of tanning I assume - had me sit with her to go through every single spell check finding. There were many extra spaces and misspellings such as "terrior."

Maybe it was the sausage biscuit. But it was getting on my nerves a bit. Luckily she has gone to tool about.

On a lighter note, a friend of mine is lending me a tiara/headband for my wedding and it's sitting right here at my desk. Very pretty with pearls and silver leaves. Thanks much to Jenna for her generous loan. It will go so very well with another loan, a lovely pearl necklace worn by Beckbot at her own wedding, the first in our family. I still remember going with her and Evan to help take pictures (I was probably 12) and feeling very special.

It happened

Well I caved. T has been on my case for months trying to get me to go to Kung Fu with him. And since I had a messy breakup with Running, I finally decided to give it a try.

What's worse? I love it. Which means I'll probably shell out money every month to keep going. Because not only is it a great workout, I feel like I'm learning practical self defense skills, which any modern gal like myself should know.

I'm hoping I will be in fightin' shape come May 8. Especially if a gang of thugs crashes the wedding.

(T, after seeing my post: "Wouldn't it be awesome if they did?!?!")

2009: A Year of Miracles

You look tired. Are you tired?

No. No I'm not. But thanks.

Easy Eggnog Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for a work party this weekend. It was a huge risk, given that I've never made the recipe or even a cheesecake for that matter! BUT it was a huge hit and I've had people asking me for the recipe! And I'm only a little proud of how popular it was. :)

Easy Eggnog Cheesecake

CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
Dashes each of cinnamon and nutmeg

CHEESECAKE

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 and 3/4 cup eggnog
2 eggs
2 tablespoons rum or vanilla extract
1 pinch ground nutmeg

TOPPING
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Dash of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and butter, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. (Cover bottom of pan with foil for easy removal later.)
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a food processor combine cream cheese (softened in the microwave), 1 cup sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth. Blend in eggs, rum/vanilla and nutmeg. Pour mixture into cooled crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 250 and bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and immediately loosen cake from rim. Let cake cool completely before removing the rim.

Whip cream with powdered sugar in blender or mixer until peaks form. Spread generously on top.

Chill for 1-2 hours.

Serves 16.

My big break

So I've finally launched my modeling career. Yes, it's late, but through hard work I'm finally a cover girl.

Or maybe my friend writes for a news magazine and asked me to do their cover as a favor.

But what a fun favor!

I got all dressed up while my friend did my makeup, then we headed over to the 99 Cent Store, who graciously let us roll around their aisles throwing coupons around. The cadre of ogling onlookers was a bonus.

So check out The Times publication next month to see the final copy of yours truly. I'm sure my phone will be ringing off the hook!

Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

I love Christmas. I really do. The music, the treats, the family traditions. All bring joy to my soul.

So imagine my disappointment this weekend when I went to buy Christmas decorations for J Place, Tony's new house that will become ours in May.

My priorities were pretty simple going in: I was looking for garland and lights to hang outside; a tree and centerpiece for inside. I didn't think I would be looking for something more.

But as I looked at the displays in Target, Wal-Mart and Michaels, I noticed that anything resembling Jesus or the nativity is a little hard to come by. Sometimes they are even banished to one seemingly "Christian Corner" out of all the rows and rows of items. Instead, you can choose from fancy Santa, cute Santa, toy Santa, NASCAR Santa and any number of snowmen, reindeer and elves.

The worst was the row that offered Christmas decorations in hot pink and neon green.

I was surprised at my own revulsion. I happen to own a little white tree with pink lights. I buy into the commercialism every year it seems.

But this year was different. Maybe I was just looking for something unique. I hope it is because for the first time I am decorating MY HOUSE, the future site of a 2-person family with hopes for more. And I want Christmas to be about Christ. About joy. About the brave Mary and her loyal husband. About the grand sacrifice for mankind.

I want my home to feel warm and loving all the time, not only during Christmas. But you'd think it would be a little easier to create a Christian environment during such a holiday.

My first wedding gift

This 8-piece Serva-Snack came from my Nana Payne. She said she received it when she first got married but never really used it. I think that makes it 50 or 60 years old.

Inside are glass cups and dishes just right to Serva Snack to your friends. I love it for its 50s authenticity. And that it came from Nana.

She's 92 years old and frequently has falls or little trips to the emergency room. I'm honestly not sure she will be around for my wedding, but I really hope so. She is an anchor to a family of hundreds, with three generations proudly bearing her name. She is sweet and tough as nails, ready to give a word of encouragement or an honest assessment.

I feel honored that she would give me such a personal gift. I hope it will serve to remind me to be hospitable, generous and lighthearted like my Nana.

Yes We Can

yes we can.

Third favorite holiday of the year!

OK so maybe every two years.

I just couldn't contain my excitement to vote today. Even when I showed up and the line was down the street. I really think Election Day should be a holiday. I almost didn't have a chance to go this morning, and I could have been stuck going tonight and waiting in an even longer line!

But why don't we have the day off? Would too many people go boating instead of voting? Maybe we could save it for national election years.

I think more people would vote. And then I would also have more people coming to my Election Party!

Fiber is #1!

I met with a nutritionist this week, and it was very enlightening. Most of it was not new info (take half your meal to go, portion your meat to the size of a playing card), but it WAS nice to have the official word on food.

I am easily swayed by the advice from the last article I read, be it "focus on protein" or "carbs are OK," or "it's totally cool to eat Zebra Cakes for breakfast and lunch."

I took two major messages away from our meeting (and several minor ones): 1. Eat little snacks between meals. 2. Focus on being fiber-iffic!

Already the little meals are helping a lot. I'm not nearly as famished by dinner when I've had an apple or something at 4 pm.

And as for fiber, I was sadly uninformed about where it's found. Apparently it is in ALL fruits and vegetables! Wow! So I was given carte blanche for all fruits and veggies. I can go crazy with it.

So if you want some free second-hand nutrition advice, eat 2 snacks a day, and add veggies, fruits, beans and whole wheat to your menu.

A dyslexic man walks into a bra

We saw David Sedaris at Gammage last night, and it was wonderful! He is one of my favorite writers and so very hilarious. This was the second time we've seen him, and both times were fantastic.

Adding to the enjoyment was something I didn't expect: The sign language interpreter. (Aside: Why would a deaf person attend a book reading? Much of the humor comes from the author's vocal nuances. Oh well)

The interpreters stood to Sedaris' left onstage and did a phenomenal job of keeping up with his fast-paced stories.

The best interpretations:

"Throwing up gang signs," where the interpreter promptly put her hands up in front of her chest with index and pinkie fingers at attention.

"Slave monkey," where the interpeter curls her arms under her armpits in classic monkey fashion.

"Human feces," which is some kind of gyrating stomach movement.

Anyway, good times had by all. Oh, and he shared the joke listed in the title, in addition to "A baby seal walks into a bar. Bartender asks, 'What'll it be?' Seal says, 'Anything but a Canadian Club.'"

An open letter

I stole this idea from my shore. I was feeling a little sentimental tonight, so I thought I would partake.

Dear Colin Powell: Thank you. Your wisdom and courage has inspired me and given me hope for my future.

Dear Stress about the wedding: Can you please wait? How bout just a month or two? do I really need to decide everything now?

Dear Worries about my weight: I know you're important. I want to address you. And I'm going to try. But in the meantime, maybe you could just take a break.

Dear Tony: I love you more every day. I'm so lucky. None of this would be worth it without you.

Dear Starbucks: Thanks for making a little treat for me when I need one. I can't wait to try your salty caramel hot chocolate.

Dear Halloween: I love you! You're so fun!

The BIG News!

Collect your bets! Tony and I are tying the knot!

Last night, Tony invited me to come by his (well, almost his) new house in Mesa. There, he was waiting with a table and a vase of flowers. On our ninth anniversary as a couple, Tony proposed to me -- and I said YES! Then we had to leave because technically we were trespassing.

Stay tuned for more details on a May wedding.

The worst 'healthy' foods

I really appreciated this blog by David Zincenko and Matt Goulding, authors of Eat This, Not That.

It talks about supposedly healthy foods that are lined with corn syrup or full of fat. Like granola bars -- held together by high-fructose corn syrup. Or bagels -- up to 700 calories if you get the schmear (and I always get the schmear!).

I really appreciate blogs like these. I get totally suckered into thinking, "oh it can't be that bad," and basically ignoring the facts or calorie counts.

However, I almost always come across blogs like these at the wrong time -- like how I just bought a huge box of granola bars. :)