City Stories #4: The Divine Miss Piggy

While sitting at the table reading the Sunday paper a little over a week ago, I came across a little blurb about a Macy's Special Event happening on State Steet - that great street. Miss Piggy was coming to town! Well, not actually Miss Piggy, but her designer fashions. You know, like Burberry, Lela Rose, Julien MacDonald, Jason Wu and Jeremy Scott. How I have always admired the full-figured...um...porkette...with an attitude larger than her waist size with a penchant for her "Kermie." Immediately, I called my sister to make a date to go give this event a look-see.

To see this outfit with its sparkling bustier and boa feathers almost caused hyperventilation!

And, how about these wraps for weather of all sorts? They sure would help in Chicago with our sometimes dismal weather.

Miss P looked lovely in her kimono...

...and stunning in her Red Carpet outfit complete with jewels on wrist and hooves/hands.

Now, this is one fashionista who really does bring home the BACON!! Let's hear it for the girls with some meat on their bones...

Wedding Recap - Per Request

Due to some of you readers who are not on Facebook, I am posting some final wedding pictures. Enjoy!

May you live happily ever after, Mr. and Mrs. Lindahl!!!

The Rehearsal Dinner Singer

Way back when I was but a 15 year old girl, I fell in love with a song on the radio by the Carpenters. It happened in August of 1970 and the song released was (They Long to Be) Close to You. In my opinion, it was the pefect romantic love song of the times. Just check out the words:

Why do birds suddenly appear Every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be Close to you. Why do stars fall down from the sky Every time you walk by? Just like me, they long to be Close to you. On the day that you were born The angels got together And decided to create a dream come true So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold And starlight in your eyes of blue. That is why all the girls in town Follow you all around. Just like me, they long to be Close to you. On the day that you were born The angels got together And decided to create a dream come true So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold And starlight in your eyes of blue. That is why all the girls in town Follow you all around. Just like me, they long to be Close to you. Just like me (Just like me) They long to be Close to you. Wahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you. Wahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you. Hahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you. Lahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you. Okay...let's admit it. The part about "On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true...so they sprinkled moondust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue" got to me as a Scandinavian girl blonde in hair and blue in eye color. Zip ahead - oh about 40 years or so - and here we are hosting the Rehearsal Dinner for our own two blond-haired love birds, both having eyes of blue and I KNEW that this was the time to pull out that old favorite love song to sing to them after having given our speeches at the dinner. Have I mentioned before that it has always been a dream of mine to sing this song at a wedding? Check this one off the Life List...it happened!! Here are our beautiful love birds following this time when the Rehearsal Dinner attendees (74 of them!) joined Wes and me in the singing of this love song. What a moment. What a pinnacle for this MOG. Pictured with Grandma and Grandpa L. and Aunt Lora. I suppose it might be appropriate to now belt out another Carpenters song, "We've Only Just Begun" but this will have to suffice for now. The "public" can only handle just so much, and I think that might be pushing it a just a bit.

Concord Grape

The concord grape is a lovely fruit to behold - a rich, full-bodied color not so garish as a purple purple. When Kari decided to go with this color as her theme, I knew this would be simply lovely. The florist balanced this concord color with orange lilies, lime greens, twigs, berries and a deep purple leaf. Truly stunning. The bridesmaid dresses were in concord grape color with a platinum silver sash. There was one dress, however, that was special in every way...it would fit over the growing middle of daughter Anne. You see, she is growing weekly as she houses their baby in her very own vineyard. The "harvest" should be in the first month of the New Year. What a joy it was to have this smallest and quietest - and nearly secret - guest at the wedding. Our family is rapidly expanding and we couldn't be more pleased about nearly doubling our original number of four. We are pretty much a "bunch" of happy grapes! Here you can see the parents-to-be and their own little hidden concord grape - simply fruit-iful, wouldn't you say?

MOB vs. MOG

The question I have most often been asked during this wedding season is, "How does it feel to be mother of the groom instead of the mother of the bride?" Three summers ago, it was Diane's turn to be the Mother of the Groom, and I so enjoyed watching her take it all in as her son married our daughter. I see so many similarities between these two - both are kind, thoughtful individuals with a love of people in general. Diane was supportive of any decision and plan being made, and we chatted often on the phone as I updated her with the wedding details and plans. We formed a nice friendship! This time, it was my turn to be the MOG. I have to say I really liked this "job" as well. When I was the MOB, I never could put my mind to rest with details, details, details always swimming in my brain. I'd wake up in the middle of the night with some idea, plan or problem to solve, and couldn't get back to sleep. Not so with being the MOG. Kass (Kari's mom) took over this nighttime shift - while meanwhile I slept with ease. Kass, you did a fantastic job as the Mother of the Bride! You made it look so easy and effortless. You thought of those details with finesse and gusto, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the hard work you did! And you looked beautiful in your beige-ish dress that I was advised to wear as MOG! The funny part was actually living out the part in the saying for the MOG with "Wear Beige, Show Up and Shut Up" when I lost my voice the morning of the wedding and didn't speak at all that day. Hmmm... As far as which role I liked better, I can honestly say that the only answer is BOTH! Lucky me to have a daughter and son to try out both hats.

Now about that Ring Bearer...

John was asked to be in his Aunt Renee's wedding party as a five year old in 1990 and we declined, can you believe it? He was just so...well...spunky and spirited, and we didn't want his antics up in the front of the church to detract from the service. After all, he was the little guy who crawled up into his Dad's choir robe while he was directing, and it would be way uncool to have this happen to the bride!

In the montage above, you can see John -- the dancing machine -- at that wedding in 1991. I won't show the picture of where he stripped his shirt off! He sure had fun, though.

Now, eighteen years later, another five year old is asked to be a part of the John and Kari wedding party - the son of Aunt Renee. And, this time the offer is accepted. Jackson did a wonderful job as Ring Bearer. He was a dapper dresser for the Rehearsal and ruled the crowd of older men.

Here John and Jackson pose together at the Rehearsal Dinner as Jackson opens the present given as a thanks for being in the wedding. All sorts of fun stuff was packed into the box including tricks on successful practical jokes, gadgets and gizmos for the young one. Like two like minds as one just eighteen years apart!

The Ring Bearer was fabulous, and very, very cute. We're all proud of you Jackson!

And now I also know the difference between bribery and rewards according to the insights of his wise mother. Hopefully by now Jackson has a new Bumblebee Transformer as a result. Wish I could have been so enlightened 18 years ago myself so that John could have been a part of that wedding party!

Take Comfort Where You Can Get It!!

There are certain flower girls that just charm you to bits - you know? They look like little fairies with their silver slippers, sun-kissed blond hair with little curls, and gossamer dresses of white with sparkles. A wreath of rosebuds perches on the little head as if a magical bouquet of flowers had been placed there by the fairy queen herself. We had one such little one at John and Kari's wedding and her name is Laena. Cousin to John with eighteen years between them. And, yes, she picked out her dress and shoes herself!

Laena is the one I have written about in past posts who literally loved the quilt I made her to threads. She even named the little red and yellow quilt "Red-dy." Last summer the quilt looked like this:

Last November, like this (above)

But, Laena is a creative thinker --- she knew the overall shorts from the matching teddy bear would work well to act as a comforter when the quilt gave up. Guess what showed up at the wedding with her? Yep. The bear shorts. She's still being comforted. Thanks, Kate for forwarding this picture to me - truly priceless!

I love this little fairy girl!

Coming: equal time for the ring bearer!

Pink Suitcase Chronicles #21: Wedding!!

This is just way too big to count as a Pink Suitcase Chronicles so future entries will not refer to P*S*C*. Just know that Pink went with me to Omaha, Nebraska as we celebrated the wedding of son John and new wife Kari!

But, to whet your appetite, some of the highlights will now be shown on this blog. Please come back for more! You can also check my Facebook page if you are one on my "friends."

The wedding was so much fun and the couple of lovebirds were so relaxed and happy for the duration of the celebration.

Thanks to you family and friends who made it out west - we appreciate all the love and support you have given to this new, special couple!

First day there: manicures and/or pedicures for all.

Second day there: dress shopping, family arriving from all parts of the country (and a lot of eating), the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. Third day there: It's the wedding day, and the morning is spent poolside watching the guys and cousins frolic in the hotel pool - a great way to diffuse any pre-wedding jittering! Fourth day there: the bride's parents host a lovely post-wedding brunch and the lovebirds open many wonderful wedding gifts before leaving on their honeymoon! What is especially touching about this stitched gift is that it was made by Kari's grandmother Elsie who passed away a few years ago - note that it is two lovebirds. This Sweden sampler was begun when Kari was only a "twinkle" in her parents eyes, and recently completed by Kass - a true labor of love!

Fifth day: departure day. I lost my voice the day of the wedding, and am so grateful to have felt well enough to particapate in everything! Now I am sick at home keeping myself entertained by pictures, more pictures and all sweet memories of a lovely wedding between sweethearts who married for love. Congratulations, Kari and John!