Greening Halloween- Treats to Feel Good Handing Out

After mostly living way out in the country as a kid and in really cold apartment complexes as a young adult, I am still giddy excited when we have trick or treaters come to our house. Ecstatic. It is so cute to see them, and it makes me feel like we live in a real neighborhood (as opposed to the endless strip mall we lived in before).

This year, I was thinking about how we would manage trick or treating when I was hit with a lightning bolt of bougie environmentalist doom.

Halloween candy is super bad for the environment. Crap!

This happens for a number of reasons. The biggest is that candy "has" to be individually wrapped. I have spent some time thinking about this fact, and honestly, it is super depressing (we trust corporations and plastic covering more than we trust our neighbors... blech). All this individually wrapped candy creates so much plastic waste. Think about just how many candy wrappers must land in the garbage this week. It's a bummer.

Also problematic, these candy companies are often shipping their candy shockingly long distances to take advantage of cheap labor. Hershey's makes a lot of their chocolates  (including Reese's and Kitkats- try the Boyer's peanut butter cups) in Mexico now. Nestle makes their pure evil candy bars (crunch, 100 grand, etc) outside of the US as well.

I have reached the point where I just won't give these companies my money. Screw those guys, especially Nestle, because they are essentially cartoon villians. That being said, I just can't be the parent on the block that hands out toothbrushes or apples or something. I have children, and I just cannot bear to embarrass them that much.

So what is a person to do if they want to do something a little more environmentally-responsible but don't want to hand out something the kids will want to give back?

I have figured out some solutions, if only so I can go get candy without feeling crippling guilt. Honestly, none of these are perfect. If your first priority is the environment, you should probably make the treat yourself, but that only works if you know all the kids that will stop by.

But just because there isn't a perfect solution doesn't mean we all couldn't do a little bit better. All candy is not made equal, and if the company is flippant or even problematic, you can bet they also use sketchy practices in what is actually in the food (you can look at palm oil and preservatives as obvious signals of a company's values). All the choices may seem bad, but some are definitely better than others. Let's get started.

I have 13 options to hand out this year. I'll try to organize them by easiest to the most time-consuming. Because it's a few days before Halloween, let's not pretend you have time to search for the perfect candy.

Snickers (or variety bags with Snickers in them)- If you are picking something up at Target or your regular grocery store (which is how most of us do it), pick the Mars bag over the other mixes. Snickers and the rest are still made in New Jersey. You may not cut down on packaging, but at least your candy has only moved a short distance. Probably the easiest option for last minute shoppers (avoid the other chocolate bags! Trust me)
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Alright, i have taken some solid criticism about this choice and want to make sure to include it. Ill start by saying i pointed out in earlier in the post that none of these choices are perfect, but they do generally raise fewer problems as you go down the list and get to less easy to find stuff. At the same time, i wanted to point to the even slightly better options in a regular aisle, because most of us aren't going out of our way for halloween andy.

 mars chocolate, like most mainstream chocolate, is not fair trade. the enviromental and more importantly labor costs f chocolate that isn't fair trade is extremely steep, potentially ncluding child labor and slave labor. not good- if this is really important to you, check out unreal candy and bug bites (the other two chocolate choices on this list). they are both fair trade. also, check with your local chocolate shops, they can probably speak very specifically o where their coco or cacao beans come  from.

The other charge against mars is that they participated in animal testing. this was revealed back in 2007, and it was reported on until 2009. no one talks about it now, but that doesn't mean it isn't going on. if that is important to you, this may not be your pick.

So yes, mars is a mixed bag, and you may be better off picking up dum dums or blow pops, but if chocolate bags are your last minute option, i would till go with snickers over the others.

Dum Dums- This was the winner in our house this year. They are a reasonable size, and at least half of their packaging is paper and biodegradable. Plus, these little lollipops are made in the United States. Bad side, they do have chemicals in them for coloring.

M and M's- Also made by Mars, and also made in the USA. My mom's favorite, so if she comes trick or treating at your house...

Tootsie Pops, Tootsie Rolls, and Blow Pops- I am not a tootsie pop girl, but blow pops were the business when we were kids. Candy and gum in one. The packaging is not great (minus the lollipop stick, which will at least biodegrade), but they are made in the US, so

Cow Tales- They don't have especially Halloween-themed packaging, but I have never turned down candy on that account. Made in the USA.

Jelly Belly Jellybeans- Made in the US, can get individually wrapped bunch in many Halloween sections. Jelly beans are gross, but if they are your deal, no judgement for liking the grossest stuff.

Annie's Fruit Tape- Has better ingredients for the kids, is made in the US, and still comes in individual packaging so no one suspects you are a murderer.

Stickers or temporary tattoos- My son absolutely loses his mind for stickers right now. Stickers and temporary tattoos keep you out of the plastic covered candy territory without landing in toothbrush land. Still not a perfect solution, but you can find recycled stickers and domestically-made temporary tattoos. You can find cool temporary tattoos on Etsy too.

Go local! Does your local candy company make something individually wrapped? It doesn't have to be fancy or overblown, but every state in the US has at least one brand of chocolate all their own (off the top of my head, Western Seattle has 5). Stores like Daffins will have individually wrapped chocolates that will be delicious. Are they slightly smaller? No big deal! You are doing good, and the kids probably won't care in the end. Take this opportunity to check out a local candy shop.

Unreal Candy- Unlike almost anything else mentioned, these candies are fair-trade and at least actively trying to think about the environment. You can find them at some targets and whole foods, but check out their website if you want to learn more about them.

Yummy Earth Lollipops- They sell organic lollipops made in America. We have had them in the house, and honestly, they were pretty good. I don't know that the packaging is any better then anything else in that way.

Milk Chocolate Bug Bites- These fair trade chocolates, the mini version of endangered species chocolates. The chocolates are partnered with the Xerces society, so the proceeds go towards the conservation of endangered bug species. Plus, they come with bug trading cards. I love them.

Make Something- Popcorn Balls, Caramel Apples, Fudge. Unwrapped treats may be verboten, bu it might be worth trying where you live if you know most of the  people!

Enjoy your trick or treaters and I hope this helps the last minute shoppers like me! If you want more shopping inspiration, Check the Giant Lists of Shopping Lists!

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1960s William Cahill Wedding Dress for fabulous vintage bride Carolyn.

Dear Reader
This week's Real Vintage Bride is darling Carolyn…

For her Hambleden wedding to Jim, Carolyn chose this fabulous 1960s mini wedding dress, by iconic 60s designer William Cahill. 

The dress is a perfect example of swinging 60s style - in gorgeous lace with a flattering wide boat neck and swingy cape back. What a groovy bride!

We knew this was the right dress for Carolyn as soon as she tried it. In her words…

"I wanted to say a huge thank you for my beautiful Cahill dress. From the moment I tried it on it felt just right for the feel of for the wedding we wanted – beautiful and fun all at once. And I  especially love that it came from such an important time for women.

The whole experience of  choosing and fitting the dress with you and seamstress Grace was absolutely wonderful. Thank you again for being such a positive part of the whole wedding planning experience.” 

Handsome groom Jim was rather fabulous too in his traditional kilt – perfect for a cosy country wedding...

Their day looks wonderful down to the last details. From Carolyn's teal fur wrap, perfectly toning with Jim's tartan, and even with the scrumptious nature-inspired cake made by talented bridesmaid Jenny!

And of course, one of the big advantages of a mini wedding dress – aside from being extremely fabulous and groovy – is there's no holding back on the dance floor!

Happy days. Congratulations Carolyn and Jim!

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, please try…

A Guide to 1960s Vintage Wedding Dresses

And for more Real Vintage Brides, check out my website page here...

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Bumpwatch Week 37

How Far Along: Just finished our 37th week! The Bump says the baby is the size of a wintermelon, to which, The Boy says baby sites be crazy (he is even more impressed with this week's vegetable Pumpkin, because these vary quite a bit in size). Next time, we will judge the baby's size by desserts. So at 37 weeks, it will be a very very big piece of cake.

Best Moment of the Week: Shelly had Aisley! She is very cute and hairy (who would have guessed!), and fresh babies just look so fresh I can barely stand it. Shelly had a planned induction a week early, but it seems to have gone well, and she generally makes the whole birthing thing seem pretty easy, so I am happy she went first. Happy this sweet baby is here, though it is always a bummer when big things happen, because it just makes you that much more aware that we all live far apart. Still, yay babies!

Most Interesting Prego Quirk: I am barely moving at all now (like getting 6,000 steps or less a day) and have long agonizing debates about whether to eat healthier (Halloween week was great for treats, but now we have that post-holiday regret thing going on) or to just say "F it" and enjoy the last few weeks of not having to feel too guilty eating whatever, because I am ballooned anyway. You get to the end stretch and start thinking about whether to transition where you can or go out with a bang, and I have to be honest, I think maybe going out with a bang is the right choice. I mean, if I commit to carrots and celery now, while I still have a giant riverdancer up in my ribs sucking my ability to spell out of my amniotic fluid, it isn't going to help me feel patient. I kid, but only sort of. May as well embrace the tragic landslide of the third trimester.

I Would Really Like Some: Baby Yoga (God help us all). I missed both of my classes last week for reasons I couldn't help, and I think it actually did really help keep me feeling fresh and flexible and such. Will get back to it this week.

 

Bizarro Thing No One Warned me About: Ok, they do warn you about this, but man, carseats! They also make putting baby furniture together sound difficult, but apparently those people didn't also move into their first house the same year, because it really didn't make a scratch. On the other hand, car seat pamphlets say all sorts of stuff, much of which is pretty confusing and sets multiple goals at once. 

Seattle has a famous Car Seat Lady, Sue Emory, who comes to your house to make sure you do it right. Not only did she make sure our base was put in perfectly, but she became the first person who said our 2005 Neon was actually a great idea for putting a baby in. Truly, she said if The Boy's family talks us into getting rid of it, she wants it. This whole pregnancy, I have felt like I was riding with Vin Diesel in a tin can death trap, so the news and explanation she gave us was pretty shocking, but I think it gave us a bit of a boost, and now the car seat is in, so that took a big thing off our list.

So really, the car seat thing is way harder than it seems like it should be. Nothing wrong with asking for help.

And The Boy?: Still freaking out, but we are reaching a weird point where the must do list is almost completely finished, so his panicking is less clearly directed? Also, the Car Seat Lady loved him (as well as the neon), and it always improves his mood when he can tell he is someone's favorite. Today he needs to put doorknobs with locks into the doors (for the sake of our many visiting parents), and I think we are hanging the art in the nursery, so nothing much will be left to do.

Looking Forward to: SAM date! The first Thursday of ever month, you can do art walks in Pioneer Square and go to SAM for free. So we are planning on doing that this week, and I am psyched about it. Otherwise, I am trying to destroy my quota for work early in the month so later I don't have to worry about it. 

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Unmined Costume Inspiration- Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe

You can only go this route if you are absolutely sure that you are the coolest f-ing person you know (or I guess if you want to try to identify those people). This is one of the most important art friendships of all time, and everything you read about them and their relationships with each other and others is kind of mind-boggling. It might be a fun costume for two friends who aren't necessarily a couple.Robert Mapplethorpe was one of the most iconic (and definitely most controversial) photographers of the 20th century, and Smith was a musician, a poet, and his muse.

This one is slightly trickier because their look is iconic, but not necessarily a singular vision. The most iconic picture of Mapplethorpe is either his late in life self-portrait or a self-portrait he took with a bull whip (I think it would be difficult to go out that way). The photograph that immediately comes to mind when I think of Patti Smith is this:

from en.wikipedia.org

So come on, who doesn't want to go out with amazing hair and suspenders? Why have suspenders not come back for women? Here are some other pictures of them together:

from anothermag.com

from nickdrake.tumblr.com

 What you Need (Probably a lot of the same things either way)

Appropriate Hair (think bangs or feathering)

Very tight jeans

Leather

Black and White, masculine style

Hats

A Vintage looking camera (think mid 70's to early 80's)

Most Importantly, a kind of proud look of indifference and total badassery

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Conservative Rhetoric, "Goodness," and Human Value

Ok, so this is related to the John Stewart video I posted earlier, which is a pretty incisive take on the conservative media's spinning of the 47% Romney gaff (or whatever you want to call it). There are two quotes from this piece that really cut into some of my biggest frustrations with nastier conservative rhetoric at large (this is my caveat that of course this doesn't apply to all conservative thought, just a particularly loud strain right now):

 "The biggest problem with the denizens of Bullshit Mountain is they act like their shit don't stink. If they have success, they built it. If they failed, the government ruined it for 'em. If they get a break, they deserve it. If you get a break, it's a handout and an entitlement. It's a baffling, willfully blind cognitive dissonance."

"This is the heart of bullshit mountain. The 49% entitlement society that Obama enables. That is the core of the bullshit mountain fiction is how only since Obama have the half of Americans who love this country and work hard and ARE GOOD have had the fruits of their labor seized and handed over to the half of this nation that is lazy, and dependent, and the opposite of GOOD"

The first quote has been getting a lot more attention, but it is this divisive idea of "goodness" that has been on my mind so much in this election. I have noticed in Romney's rhetoric and tactics that there is a genuine appeal to take America back for the GOOD people, which from what I can tell are the rich white people. But the problem for his campaign (which I think appeals to the fear he continually tries to tap into), is that this is a democracy, and too many people now exist who do not fit into his definition of being good and well-behaved. This kind of logic is bound to fail, but it clearly is going down swinging, and I believe that women are bearing the brunt of the social anxiety (because it is political suicide to be racist or homophobic, but being classist and misogynistic is still in style on BOTH sides of the political spectrum).

One of my facebook friends posted, while watching the Sandra Fluke speech, posted that she felt frustrated that democrats speak as if they speak for all women. I agree, this is a problem, because clearly there are intelligent conservative women who have their own opinion and should certainly not felt spoken for. At the same time, the issue of "goodness" could not be more important and imminent than in discussions of womanhood and women's rights, and I often get extremely frustrated with conversations with conservative women because there is an "us and them" mentality. Basically, I am a good woman who is doing things right, and women who do not behave like I do deserve to be punished/ have their rights taken away/ not be allowed to marry their partners/ should be forced to have children they do not want. Because they are not good like we are. I am sure there is plenty of nuance there, and certainly my many conservative lady friends are welcome to speak up, but this is what I hear.

 This same woman, maybe six months ago, posted an article about natural family planning, suggesting all women should get off birth control and let their male partners take primary responsibility for who's getting pregnant when. The article suggested that this is the one truly feminist choice, and those other feminists are actually trying to trick women into more responsibility/burdens/ whatever. There was also a bunch of stuff about how birth control is keeping women from getting married and being happy and so forth.

I want to be clear, that if natural family planning works for your situation and is agreed upon between you and your partner, it is certainly not an un-feminist choice. Being married and having babies is a perfectly feminist option, and I think that if it is what is right for you, that is genuinely a great thing. But there are so many assumptions about women, their sexuality, and their relationships with their sexual partners that are patently false inherent in assuming all women have or want a partnership in that way. But this article essentially assumes that if you aren't married, you are probably a lost cause anyway, and there is no feminist choice for you.  Any time that you try to argue that this is the ONE truly empowering choice for women, as a feminist thinker you have already failed.

Every woman has her own situation, her own born-with priveleges, and her own choices. Treating other people's difference as a threat, or even worse an affirmation of just how "good" you are, robs you of the opportunity to learn something. I can only imagine living your life like that would be scary and very frustrating, because they will never receive the punishment you think they deserve. It also comes with the very difficult tautological reasoning, as Stewart articulated at the end of this piece in the quote that has become so popular. You like you, so what you do is good. You don't like them, so when they do THE EXACT SAME THING, it is evil.

So, as a feminist, you have to be willing to A. Concede that works for you wouldn't and shouldn't work for everyone. and B. Be willing to stand up and help people have the options they need and deserve, even if it is not the choice you would make. I do not think I could get an abortion unless the pregnancy threatened my life, but I think that it is absolutely necessary that they are available to every woman. Absolutely, because you can never fully understand the situation and subjectivity of another human being.

You can educate women on their choices (and the consquences of them- because just about every decision comes with a mixed bag of those), you can stand up when people, including women, are doing things to hurt others, and, if you are willing to keep struggling with it forever, you can constantly keep your definition of goodness in flux. Because thinking goodness looks like whatever you're doing is crazy- you know all the flaws you come with and (like the denizens of bullshit mountain) you know the hypocrisy in deciding that you are good, so what you do is good. Crazy pants! So to me, that is the constant challenge of feminist thinking, but it is still a challenge worth grappling with.

This has been my first effort at a radical lack of antagonism. I truly don't have a problem with conservatives, but I do have a problem with some of the rhetorical strategies at play in this election- this easy antagonism (again, on both ends) prevents anyone from listening and learning. Let's just decide that as long as a person isn't trying to hurt or take away the rights of others, they are probably mostly ok. Maybe even good.

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6 Things I Love Today (and Yesterday)- Jordan, Schmidt, Naps, Hormones, Book Doors,

1.This- transcending failures and keeping on.

2. Schmidt- The New Girl really benefits from a great ensemble, and Schmidt is a definite highlight. That guy definitely earned his out of nowhere Emmy nod. Loved his relaunch, and his danger theme. They are doing a nice job balancing the extreme ridiculousness of his character with a soft and gooey center.
3. Long Naps- I could not sleep last night, but we got an hour nap tonight that was like the best thing that ever happened in my life.
4. Hormones- Sometimes, I kind of think it is awesome when my filter goes away. I think "damn, why did I say that" and then I think "because it was f-ing honest and it needed to be said." If I could treat the people at school like I did today all the time, people would probably wonder if I had gone crazy and become a bitch, but at least I would be treating myself with a lot more respect.

 5. This bookstore doorway- I think we need to do this in our apartment. It would (temporarily) solve the book storage problem we are constantly facing.

 6. Chris Cosentino's makeover- I was going to just talk about how much I really love the newly minted Top Chef Master. I thought he just felt super smart and committed all season, and I seriously loved the way he treated his culinary students with kindness and COLLABORATION a couple episodes back. Someone who can be that successful and still have the humility to really listen seems very rare and refreshing. I am glad he won. Then, I looked for a picture of him for the blog, and got a good look at his old frosted tip punk phase. Thank goodness for the sort of ironic hipster 50's clean cut retro thing that is in now, because he looks much better now. Thank you mainstream subculture for shifting to something where men can look handsome and not like an accountant at once. And men with dark hair- just don't get frosted tips. They will be orange and embarrassing.

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3 Things I Love Today- Raspberry Popsicles, Romans 12:9, and Durer's sketches and etchings

1. Raspberry popsicles- We got a Zoku popsicle maker as a wedding gift, and it has changed our life. It is so simple to use, and now we know actually unstrained fruit juice and a teensy bit of sugar makes the best popsicles in the whole world. Delicious, amazing, and it at least feels not too terribly bad for you. At least not as bad as cake, which is what we would usually be eating.
2. This- "Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!"-Romans 12:9

from www.wga.hu/html_m/d/durer/2/13/1/019.html‎

from unseenbestiaryblog.tumblr.com/post/9208752436

from www.wga.hu/html_m/d/durer/2/16/2/01hare.html‎

from fineartamerica.com/art/all/albrecht+durer/prints

3. Anything Albrecht Durer ever made- Italian Renaissance is grossly overrated. Check the North, people. I've been looking at his sketches and etchings today for inspiration. So incredibly detailed and beautiful. Like looking at a photograph hundreds of years before they were invented.

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100 Things I Love this Week Part 3- Wedding Stuff

 

51. Jill at Shear Expressions in Franklin PA- If you need an updo for any reason and you are in Franklin, you would do yourself a big favor to go to Jill. She is so fast and she does a really beautiful job. I am so glad that we went to Shear Expressions for our wedding hair-I have been in plenty of wedding where the hair made things run behind, but they went so fast that we actually started the day ahead of schedule! It was a wedding miracle!

 

52. My whole Bridal Party's hair- I mostly just let the girls do what they wanted, and everyone looked so beautiful. I hope they felt that way too, because who likes not feeling pretty when you put the effort in? I thought they all looked gorgeous!

 

53. Princess Cupcake Charm- A Little nod to original wedding theme (Disney Princess/ Seven Deadly Sins at the FHS Track with a wheelbarrow and Celine Dion). Mostly, they fell apart or got lost, because apparently the charms weren't made to actually be used, but they still made me happy. And I got to kick mine to Shell once it fell off.

 

54. Technology- There is a lot to be said about Aunt Ann not being there, but being there for decorating, for getting ready, for the ceremony, and for the reception. Even if she just looked like a phone with a pretty cool white cover. I know it's not the same as the real thing, but it is a whole lot better than nothing, so I will be thankful for it forever and ever. 

 

55. Getting honked at by cars- it cracked me up. It will probably never happen again for a happy reason, not a mad reason, so I enjoyed it.  

  

56. Getting our picture taken on my grampa's antique firetruck- My grammy was not too excited about the idea when I asked her, but both she and my Grampa looked pretty excited about it on the day, and getting those pictures there will mean more to me than pictures at some random place that is just photogenic. I am lucky that people will humor me!

 

57. Having liturgy we really cared about, and a priest who really seemed to care about us- I loved that Bishop Sean was so open to our changes in the liturgy, because the politics inherent in their wording meant so much to me. He was also extremely caring in the last few weeks leading up to the wedding. But one of the very best surprises of the day was  Bishop Sean's homily. I didn't know it, but I had taught a devotional on one of the same texts we chose, so he spoke about what i had said as this high schooler on a mission trip and applied it to some of the things we had insisted our wedding was about. It was an important reminder of the things that matter to me, which surprisingly haven't changed that much since I was 18. It was just incredibly special, and I will remember it forever.

 

58. The Boy's cousins at the wedding- Is it a pleasure for every bride to see their new in-laws get into the party? Because if only Josephine and Nonno had danced, I think on some level the party would have been a success. I felt it was a major win that they all at least seemed like they were having a good time. 

 

59. These asparagus- this is definitely in the top ten wedding decisions we ever made. They were delicious, and phyllo-y, and cheesy, and amazing. And my Nana was the best and saved me some. I only have good things to say about all of our vendors, but JPC was really the bomb and the food was ridiculously delicious. I didn't hear any complaints. And if someone had complained about the asparagus I would have made them leave! (I kid) 

60. And while we are on the subject of how awesome JPC is, I have to say I loved all the flowers too. They really made some gorgeous miniature centerpieces and I loved our bouquets as well. I was just so happy to see how beautiful they turned out, and I loved all the little vessels they dug up for the flowers as well. I have to say, no that I am slowly gaining some perspective on the event, having great vendors really makes a world of difference, and pretty much all of ours were the bomb.

 

61. Marrying into a family where the Cousins will lovingly help me pick the bugs out  of my dress- The thing turned out to be a bit of a cesspool. But a very pretty one, so I won't complain too much. And I love the Boy's cousins Kristy and Kari, who got in there and picked them out.

 

 62. Chalk and big fluffy white dresses- Mostly I am just happy they talked her into wearing that thing at all, because when we tried it on her she was not having it. Even a little. She apparently freaked out the morning of the wedding too, but with a little encouragement from her dad, she held it together, and she rocked the dress most of the day. Pretty much the cutest kids in the whole world. 

63. Bullyhill Brass- Hearing "Wolverine Blues," even from a distance across Anchor Village, just makes me smile.  Same with "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." The sounds of these guys playing are just pure happiness and home to me.

 

64. Doing family pictures at Cocktail Hour- Sure it made things a little more frantic, but it also marked out a chunk of time with each branch of the family once everyone is already feeling festive and fun rather than stuffy. I would highly recommend this strategy to people who really don't want to spend their day stuck in the church taking pictures. 

 

65. Cornhole- My nana and Poppop made the set and it was a big hit I think. I never got to play at the party, but it looked like someone was always playing! 

66. This man's dancing- Amazing.

 

67. Jeremy Ganss- I think I will write specific notes for all the vendors later, but JG didn't even play ABBA, and I still love him. He was on point all night, never played one of those songs that cleared the floor, and genuinely seemed to be having a good time himself, which makes a big difference. Best DJ ever!

 

68. Also, our photographers. They made us robot heads, and they were amazing.They also actually already put up a blog of our pictures, which was totally unexpected, but is why we can show some of those pictures here! Check out the blog at http://www.firstblushphotos.com/blog/?p=1435 !

69. The Photo Booth Pictures! We got these back the next day and I love them so much they make me want to cry. I am just so happy to see everyone having a good night and I wish I had just camped out in there all night! My biggest regret (well, tied with that I never fixed my bangs!) is that I didn't get in here with my cousins.

70.  The lego cardbox- it turned out to be a real tour de force. I am pretty sure no one has ever seen a cardbox like this one, so I am pretty excited it came out so weird and wonderful. Well done to the Boy and all his brothers, biological and honorary!

 

71.  Reuniting with former tutors! Just seeing all these faces made me smile, and they were such a fun addition to the wedding and reception. Hoping that things go according to plan, and this wedding kicks off real planning for an annual tutor reunion!

 

72. Glow Bracelets- Why do they make people so happy? I truly have no idea, but man, they were all over them. Definitely a good investment.  

   

73. Our dance floor! My dream was that it would look glowy and magical, and it looked glowy and magical. Kudos to my dad and pretty much everyone at decorating for making it happen, but as the sun went down it became really clear that we had made something awesome! I was pretty excited about how it all turned out, not to toot my own horn, but this was one of the coolest parts of the party, I think.

74. Having my Bridal F-ing Powers for one day- I never really got into the center of attention thing, but I did love that badass things can happen when you are a bride! After the reception my dad realized he had lost his car keys, and after excessive collective fretting, a call to AAA, and lots of walking around with cell phone lights, I was walking out to talk to my dad and I just stepped on them. It was AWESOME!!! I never have that kind of luck, but that day I did, so yay bridal powers!

 

75. The Boy- Ok, I promise to keep the gushing to a minimum, but I am pretty excited to have signed up for a lifetime with this person. Anything good that came out of this wedding, at its root, comes from a partner who said " Sounds cool, how do we make it happen?" I feel like it shows one of our most formidable compatibilities; I am always plotting an adventure, and he is ready to help make it happen. Plus, he has great dance moves, real confidence, and looks pretty damn cute in a bow tie and suspenders.

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