It's all in a weekend.

Okay, well, obviously the MOST important thing that happened this week was not the fact that Morgan successfully went searching for her wedding gown, or that Project Save the Date is now under way... It's the fact that Corey and I made our first major electronic purchase as an engaged couple:  WE BOUGHT A TV.

We headed over to Best Buy last weekend to check out some photo editing software (for Morgan), and saw immediately that in honor of the holy grail of the National Football League (Super Bowl Sunday), every TV under the sun is on sale.  No, we didn't plan on it, but life is not just about planning.  I told Corey he was going to have to talk me out of getting the shiny new plasma screen television on sale for what even I would consider a steal.  We came back the next night and became the proud mommy and daddy of a 50" beauty that should make college football season all but a religious experience for our friend Corey.

Apparently we're having our first TV-based party on Super Bowl Sunday.  Let's hope it doesn't get too rowdy and we don't end up with a plasma screen casualty.


On other news, yesterday I had an appointment at a bridal boutique here in Redlands to try on gowns.  I hadn't considered that a place that read "Bridal Couture" on the window would be a place I would find a gown I could fathom affording, but the boutique, called Beloved, is a foundation whose proceeds go to assisting family members taking full-time care of loved ones suffering from cancer.  Thus, being a not-for-profit foundation, the dresses are donated by designers and marked down sometimes up to 75% off.  Breast cancer has had a profound effect on my own family, and so I went in with crossed fingers that I'd find a dress I loved (and could afford) in this very special place.

It was a really lovely, very feminine experience, and I was touched to be able to have my mother and sister there with me.  A woman named Jennifer that I'd set up my appointment with was kind and warm and full of really helpful information, which I couldn't have possibly done without.  (I'm not exactly a perfect specimen of brideliness.)  All the same, though, it was moving and very emotional, especially to see my mama's face glow as she watched me step out in bridal gown after bridal gown as the cozy afternoon slight spilled in through the windows.  The look on my mom's face made it an incredibly rewarding day, and I got to spend the rest of the evening with her, talking about marriage and life, and what it means to transition into this unknown part of my life (and Corey's).  Even though I'm all growed up, I don't know what I'd do without my mommy.


And?  Our Save the Dates arrived!  I'll go ahead and pat myself on the back now for the embellishment I've been working on; Corey and I were both hard at work for most of the afternoon.  Me, stamping, addressing and fawning over our Save the Dates, which I love.  Corey, juicing lemons from our tree for homemade lemonade (and hand-washing the stamps as I shoved them in his direction as I finished with them).  It was a productive day.  I'm hoping to get the Save the Dates finished and in the mail to all of you before the end of the week.  Yay!

To wind things up, I'd like to publicly thank Corey for surprising me with Avatar last night and agreeing to eat Thai food (again).  He really knows the way to a girl's heart.