little woman

I can’t believe I haven’t posted anything since the wedding. Things have been so crazy!

We had the most fantastic honeymoon in England, Wales & Scotland. I posted my favorite photos from the trip on facebook so you can see the “quick” version here. If you REALLY wanted to take some time seeing the sights, you can see ALL of my photos here and here… all 1,100 of them. Pretty sure Paul took another 1,200 in case that isn’t enough for you.

The weekend after we got back, I was a bridesmaid in my dear friend Elisabeth’s wedding. It was beautiful and we had a lot of fun! I posted pictures here. We immediately came back and had a Memorial Day, wedding-is-over, Paul’s birthday party with swimming and grilling and honeymoon pictures.

Paul got a wine making kit for his birthday and we are about to start on a new adventure. He was given a Chilean Merlot recipe!

The following weekend we headed north for Gram’s 80th birthday pool party on Saturday and Caryn’s graduation pool party on Sunday.

The garden is doing well! I am harvesting tomatoes and basil like crazy. Our potato harvest was small, but I will know what I am doing this fall! We also have beautiful snapdragons, purple coneflowers, black-eyed susans, daisies, and indian paintbrush in full bloom.

Last weekend we purchased a new mattress and bed!! The mattress just got delivered, but we won’t get the frame until August. Mattrezzz Guys & Gage Furniture are great local shops if anyone is in the market.

Tomorrow we are having Wil(l)’s 1st birthday in the park behind the house! And next weekend, Val, Vaughn & his girlfriend, and Chad (my cousins) will be coming down for the weekend. It has been non-stop for the last 6 months, but we are having a great time together.

What an amazing weekend!

On Thursday we drove to my mother’s home and immediately realized we needed to take Santino to the vet (had a bout of wedding tapeworm). After that slight crisis was averted, we started to work. Friday was spent designing the flowers (boots, nosegays, corsages, my bouquet and the centerpieces) and packing up cars. We took almost everything with us to drop off just before we had rehearsal on Friday evening at Chandor. Then we had a lovely dinner at the Fire Oak Grill just off the square in Weatherford. We wore our shirts from Think Geek! We had way too much to eat and a lovely time! Thank you to Anne & Jim for hosting this for us!

On Saturday we finished the centerpieces, loaded up and went over early to set up. They had set out the tables and chairs incorrectly so that had to be redone. We put on the linens and the food arrived just before I had to go get ready. Mother came in and helped me put the flowers in my hair just before the photographer arrived. We had a full hour and a half with him before the ceremony. We won’t get the photos until we are back from the trip, but our photag sent over a teaser picture. I hope they all turn out this well!

The ceremony went well… we remembered our vows! I wish the recessional music had been a little louder… but what can you do?! We had been planning for a long time to have the 1812 Overture playing as we walked down the aisle together. Me being me, all of the music for the ceremony and reception was carefully chosen.

The reception is a complete blur. I started to loose my temper with the photag only once during the big group family photos. Thanks to all that put up with the yoyoing back and forth about having big family photos and not having big family photos.  I am glad we got them.

Now all I can think about is how many people I didn’t get to talk to as long as I wanted, if at all. We had so many amazing family members and friends around us in a perfectly beautiful garden and I couldn’t have begged for better weather! I know blanket thank yous are lame but… THANK YOU to everyone that helped make this day so special for us. If I thought it wouldn’t be so annoying to be Katelyn McKenzie McLellan Swan Ballow Patterson, I would absolutely do it. What a wonderful family we have!

If you took pictures or video, we require a copy ASAP! Please, please, please send them along! We are currently uploading wedding pictures here and there will be a link for honeymoon pictures and videos when we return.

We fly into London and will spend a couple of days there. Then we will meander our way up to Scotland by way of Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, Stonehenge, Bath, Wales, West Yorkshire, The Lake District and Hadrian’s Wall. We pass through Edinburgh, St. Andrews and Sterling on our way to Glasgow. We then fly back down to London and then back home.

So excited!

Last weekend was beautiful! We woke up early on Saturday and went to the Natural Gardener and then headed to the Wildflower Center sale. We put in a new bed in the front along the side of the front porch by the door. The UPS lady suggested we put a shrub by the door to hide packages and I had wanted to put something there anyway.

We got a wooly butterfly bush, a Texas sage shrub, some Mexican feathergrass (been wanting this forever!), an American beautyberry and two red Columbines. We don’t get a lot of sun in the big bed just outside of our bedroom and only partial sun in the new bed so I stuck with shade/partial shade perennials.

The pot by the front door has a hops rhizome. Just yesterday we saw a sprout poking through the soil!! Woowoo!

This picture doesn’t do it justice but we have TONS of visitors to the bird house and bird bath we got for Christmas.

The snapdragon vine is coming along nicely! I just help it decide which way to grow a little bit each day…

Crossvine is making a come back!

Sonny is helping us check on the veggies and herbs.

This little guy was poking around on the front porch.

While we were at the Wildflower Center, we saw this beautiful sculpture.
It might be difficult to make out… it is three people performing a wedding ceremony.

We are just about a month away and trying to focus on writing the ceremony and, especially, the vows. From the beginning I wanted to use a same-sex ceremony as the template for the ceremony and to borrow verbiage. They are more about friendship and being equal partners than about possessiveness. No one is “giving me away”, we aren’t “Mr. & Mrs.”, and no one will be obeying anyone.

We have included quotes, songs, poems, and excerpts that have stuck with us that we feel are appropriate for the occasion. Between what we have written and adapted, I think we have come up with a beautiful ceremony. It really reflects our values, personalities, and interests.

As for writing the vows, this is proving more difficult. I want to write something that I am actually going to be able to say… to Paul… in front of people… without tearing up. Oh and without just saying, “I think you’re really cool! LOL!”

Over the weekend we got a lot accomplished. We each got shoes, got the plates & cutlery in the mail, got the lavender for throwing in the mail, got Paul’s vest and tie, and I framed the pictures of Paul’s grandparents. We also purchased some fans for guests to hold during the ceremony should it turn out to be warm that day.

Putting together these seed packets isn’t my favorite activity so I keep finding other things that need to be done… and there are plenty! But Abbie and Val were a big help at movie yesterday! Thanks so much guys!!

This week we are getting the marriage license. Funny how each major step we do we say, ok now we really have to get married. It was said when we reserved the venue. It was said when the invites went out. I guarantee it will be said when we get the license. It is like each step is another nail in the coffin… the coffin of love.

This weekend my Aunt Vickie hosted a shower for us. I have to say I was a little apprehensive… so many people sitting in a circle watching us open presents! EEK! BUT we had a wonderful time and got so many excellent gifts! Thank you so much to everyone! And a special thanks to Vic for hosting!

We also met up with my good friend Cass for brunch at Buttons in Fort Worth. Wonderful soul food! We got to catch up with Cass about his recent judicial campaign and talked about the ceremony a bit because he is going to marry us!

OH and most importantly, Sonny is back! He spent a few weeks at my mother’s house while we were out of town. Oh, happy day!

Mailed the invitations last weekend, starting to get RSVPS, and I ordered my rentals today. Forward progress!! Next up, figure out favors!

So I had my mind set on giving our guests evergreen tree seedlings as a favor at our wedding in May. However, we have several guests coming in from out-of-town. The seedlings are small so they WOULD travel but they should be planted sooner rather than later, and they might not make the trip back. Also, I know not everyone has a green thumb… some might forget, just not want to take the time to actually plant it, or they may not have the space to plant it.

Rock star Val sent me this website where you can print, cut and assemble your own seed packets! I might go get some vellum and give this a try. I can order wildflower seed in bulk for relatively inexpensive.

Maybe I can do half trees/half seeds? But if given the option, anyone might choose the seeds because it is less work. I just loved the idea of planting a tree from the wedding which would always serve as a memory. And, of course, love is “ageless and ever, evergreen…”

Had a very productive weekend. We got our rings in the mail on Friday! Having ordered them online, I was slightly nervous. However, they are every bit what I hoped for. It is a seven-strand braid of white and rose gold (yellow shown). My favorite part is that they match and are actually made from the same braid.

We went to visit Chandor Gardens on Saturday and, even though it was rainy and chilly, it was even more beautiful than I remembered.

We secured the venue, musicians and photographer with contracts this weekend. We are also waiting to hear back from two caterers. Mom and I hauled out all the serving platters my fantastic grandmother has passed down to her. We should have plenty of beautiful pieces with which to serve and decorate.

I also found some great pictures of my great-grandfather Janie who helped build the gardens to have on display.

Janie working at Chandor Gardens

Mom and I practically got kicked out of a Hobby Lobby and a Michael’s on Saturday night… We are having so much fun together. I knew this would go one of two ways… glad it is going this way!

Now for #emmapbs!

FINALLY we got the save the date sent via email.

I had it designed last week, but we wanted to get the website  up and running before it went. Paul is amazing! He took my design for the Save the Date and made it into a website. There are several ppl we don’t have emails for that will be getting a postcard in the mail soon.

Also… heads up for Austin folk… we are having to keep the ceremony and reception somewhat small for cost purposes. So we are going to be having a separate party in Austin not long after the wedding… we are thinking Memorial Day weekend. Will post details soon!

Our honeymoon is going to be AMAZING!! A few days after the wedding we fly into London, spend three days in the city and then start driving around the country. We are going to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Oxford, Stonehenge, Bath, up through Wales to see all of the King Arthur sites, York, the Lake District and into Scotland to Edinburgh, St. Andrews and Glasgow. I CAN’T WAIT.

The month of May is going to kill us. Mary graduates on April 30 in Michigan. The following weekend is our wedding. The next two weekends we will be across the pond. The weekend after that I am bridesmaid in another wedding AND we are thinking of having our Austin party. The following weekend is Paul’s birthday!! Yikes! But I am looking forward to it all. We are having so much fun.

We finally made the all important venue decision… the wedding will be on May 8 at 2pm at the Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, Texas. I havent spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted my wedding to be like… but having planned weddings for a couple of years out of college, I knew exactly what I didn’t want it to be. I never, ever thought I would be so excited to get married in Weatherford, Texas.

But my great-grandfather, Jannie Ballow, helped to build the grounds for the gardens. I think we might even have some pictures of him working there that I will clean up and have on display. Also, my grandfather, Dub Ballow, was inspired to become an artist by Mr. Chandor.

I feel good about this decision. It is going to cost more… but we are paying a less-stress tax. Having it at my mom’s would have been beautiful… if the weather is perfect. Chandor offers a much better rain plan, my mother won’t have to redo her backyard, and we won’t have to get tables, chairs, tents installed, etc…

On New Year’s Day, Paul asked me to marry him and I said yes! We are very excited and happy. In fact, so much so that we haven’t gotten around to the details. For now we are thinking it might be this Spring simply because after Mary (my younger sister) graduates in May, she will be moving to New York. She will immediately begin auditioning and, if she gets into a Broadway show, she won’t be able to take a weekend off to come be a part of our ceremony.

As plans progress we will be keeping everyone posted via emails, my blog (http://9012spicelandcircle.org/blog/) and this page (http://9012spicelandcircle.org/kpps/) dedicated to the details of all events related (right now very much empty).

We look forward to spending this very special time surrounded with our family and friends! Happy New Years to you all!