Wedding, Death, and another pound...80 pounds done gone!

I had an absolutely fantastic weekend.  It was a whirlwind, I will admit.  First let me tell you that I took off on Friday at 11:30 from work just to get a jump start on all that needed to get done before 10am on Saturday morning. The boys left for their father's for 10 days, they will back on the 17th in the evening.


My best friend, Kristie's son Alex was married on Saturday and there was so much to do before.  On Friday night, Alan, Nichole and I met all of her immediate family at the Itoo Hall where the reception was going to be.  We had to decorate it and prepare for the next day.  My best friend is Lebanese and comes from a honking big family.  We had 300 chair covers to place and beautiful white Satin bows to tie around those chairs.  The bride and groom did not want a traditional wedding cake, they wanted cookies.  So we had to arrange the cake table with these cookies.  Kristie made 1360 homemade cookies for this shindig.  She decorated by hand, all but the chocolate chip ones.  There were awesome.  A lemon cookies with lemon butter cream frosting, a strawberry with strawberry butter cream frosting, and her regular sugar cookie with butter cream frosting.  They were a huge hit. 


I got home on Friday about midnight, and we got up at 6am on Saturday morning, and Alan and Nichole and I went out for our 5.47 mile walk.  It was a beautiful morning for the walk and a great way to start a very busy day.


I had my manicure done after and headed home to shower and get ready.  Alan picked up my mother, and we all headed to the ceremony.  It was beautiful and went off without any problems. Here are a few pictures of the event.

Lemon Cookies

Sugar Cookies

  Then it was on to the reception.  Kristie had pulled me aside and asked that I head straight to the hall as all of her family had to remain behind because of family pictures.  When I arrived at the hall Alan and Nichole began lighting all of the candles, and I assembled the cookies on the tiered round pedestal that her brother in law had made. Which we covered with white satin and hot glue gunned lace all around the edges.  It was shaped like a wedding cake and it looked like one once we finished with it.  I got them all put out and the small 8 inch wedding cake that Kristie had made placed on the top.  Just in time for the first guests to begin arriving.

Strawberry Cookies

Now I don't know about you, but my mother taught me manners.  Never in all of my 50 years have I ever attended a wedding reception and gone over to the cake table and cut me a piece of cake and swallowed it BEFORE the actual "cutting of the cake took place."  Well let me tell you, three couples, all above the age of 40 proceeded to go over to that table and take cookies, handfuls of them.  I was so mad, I guess we needed to have a sign there, but really.  Who the hell does that kind of shit?

Lebanese Salad

We had great food, and so much fun.  I had a piece of chicken and about 1/4 cup of the turkey that was served in a very light gravy.  I had a 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes because this girl cannot say no to them.  I also had a spoonful of steamed veggies and a large plate full of Lebanese salad.  I also ate three cookies, and I had a delicious Amaretto Stone Sour....my favorite.  I did not eat lunch on Saturday and I had 260 calories for breakfast so I was not at all worried about what I ate at the reception.

I love these so much!

We had to leave at 8pm and drive to Chicago for Alan's Aunt Vickie's memorial service.  We stopped for gas about half way there, and I made a junk food run for everyone in the car.....including me.  I had a three musketeer truffle candy bar...these are addicting as hell.  I also had a handful of mustard pretzels.  When we arrived in Naperville, at my brother in laws house, it was 11:15 pm.  I was not really tired, but more wired from driving.  I drove because Alan consumed much more liquor than I had at the wedding.


I ended up visiting with family until about 12:30am and then went to bed.  I got up on Sunday morning with the intention of doing a 4 mile walk/run, but was so tired I could not muster the will to do it.  I instead made a huge fruit salad as my sister in law prepared a Gluten Free Quiche which was the best damn quiche I ever have eaten.  It was divine.  I had one small piece of it and a large bowl of fruit with some granola sprinkled over it for breakfast.

My Chai from Intelligentsia

We left Naperville around 12:15 and headed to Chicago city center for the memorial service that was held at St. Peter's Episcopal church.  We arrived early at 1:15 and so we walked two blocks to a little Tea shop.  It was called Intelligentsia and was fantastic.  I had a cup of Chai and it hit the spot.  The memorial service was beautiful and everyone was teary eyed as each of her three children spoke.  Her oldest daughter lives in Australia and she spoke first, then her son who lives in NYC and is a very successful musician.  Who has played for the Queen of England, and many other notable things.  From there we went to a reception in the church that was catered by Ann Sathers.  The food was good but I did not eat, it was just too blooming hot, I did have a bite of Hummus on pita bread and a chocolate covered strawberry, but that was it.

Lake Michigan

We left the memorial at 5:30 and walked to his Aunt Vicky's condo where she lived with her sister for over 20 years.  It was three blocks away and right off of lake shore drive, with a beautiful view from the 14th floor.  They live off of Melrose and you not only see Lake Michigan but if you look in the other direction you can see Wrigley Field.  It is a very cool building.  We stayed til 7:30pm and then headed back to Naperville.  We picked up our bags and said our goodbyes and headed home.  We arrived back in Peoria at midnight.  It was a long and exhausting weekend.  But we had so many good memories from it.  We really are glad we got to do both things, that we made it happen.

My walking route

Yesterday I did not got to work, I was so tired.  I did walk however in the morning my 3.47 miles, and it was so humid.  I thought I would keel over before I got back home.  I did not run, just walked.  I was a little upset when I got on the scale yesterday after not being on one since Sat morning, and I had gained 4 pounds.  I knew it was not a gain at all, but because I had not drank enough while I was away.  This morning I was rewarded.


I climbed on the scale and not only was the four pounds gone from the day before so was an additional pound.  I am officially 80 pounds down and coincidentally I also have 80 followers.....I think that is funny how that keeps happening!  I thank you all who think that what I have to say is worth reading.


I am back at work, and missing my boys terribly.  They are with their dad this week and I hope they are having a good time.  I am trying to stay busy and pray that the week goes by quickly.  I have plenty to keep me busy as Nichole's graduation party is the 23rd and her graduation is the 30th.  We also have father's day thrown in there as well.