Saturday, May 25, 2013

Of Wednesday's {EXTREME} Blonde Moment

disclaimer....
______________________......
{actually, there's not one}
there is no excuse for the following story that happened three weeks ago.
no medications or sunstroke or good excuses for my behavior or anything like that involved.
just PURE blondness for a brunette. =)
It is quite embarrassing to even be posting it, when I actually stop & think about it.
But somehow the whole thing just struck me as hilarious even though it was totally not brilliant.
at ALL.
I really can't believe that I'm about to share my dumbest moment ever with the whole world.
but I am.
so here goes!
Enter "Of Strawberry Plants & Wednesday's Blonde Episode"
Once upon a time....
there was a mother who was struck for the hundredth millionth time with the thought that her oldest daughter might someday/sometime/soon get married and have to plant her own garden.
mother began to worry that daughter did not know how to properly plant a garden. 
namely, that her daughter maybe did not know how to plant strawberries.
mother had bought a large {VERY large} amount of strawberry plants.
this would be the perfect opportunity for daughter to learn how to properly plant them.
so mother told daughter that she would like for her to plant the strawberry plants.
daughter was respectfully amused and reminded mother that years ago before daughter's life got so busy and diversified, and before the little brothers of daughter started on as the new "gardening crew",
 daughter actually helped ALOT with the planting, weeding, & gardening in general. 
and daughter reminded mother that she remembered CLEARLY planting HUNDREDS of strawberry plants and if, (by some bizare happening), she were to get married and need to plant a strawberry patch she was already completely qualified, after all that time that she had helped with the planting years ago.
in spite of all of daughter's kind protestations, mother was still sure that it would be good for daughter to brush up on her self-proclaimed skill in the area of strawberry planting.
so daughter & mother proceeded to the garden with (???) strawberry plants & hoe in tow.
mother went over the basics.
daughter was not trying NOT to listen but because she remembered all this she didn't pay very close attention.
mother completed the instructions and left.
daughter began the planting process.
row after row after row....
although this was not necessarily daughter's activity of choice,
daughter happened to love solitude and time for thinking and glorious SUN so it was all good and daughter actually somewhat enjoyed herself although it took quite a while to get all those plants in the ground.
mother had dug the holes so daughter just had to place a plant in each hole, fill hole partially with water, and then cover the roots.
the one thing daughter remembered especially clearly from long-ago planting times was that when planting the plants, it is crucial that the roots are completely covered, but NOT any of the top part. 
daughter was especially careful to observe this and cover the appropriate amount of the plant quite correctly.
upon completion daughter put away hoe, watering can, & other supplies, washed off, and went on to other daily pursuits. 
approximately ten minutes later, daughter was in her room working on a project on her computer when she heard a type of exclamation coming from the kitchen, and several people talking loudly.
daughter came out and upon her entering the kitchen,
several individuals (family members) stopped talking and looked at her.
daughter thought that their expressions were quite unusual; for once, she really could not read the situation, or what was going on.
so she asked
"oh no! did someone die?"
whereupon mother begins to laugh and says
"no, no...no one died BUT..well, I don't know know exactly how to tell you this but...I just went out to see how the strawberry planting went and....well.
you planted all of the plants UPSIDE DOWN"!
daughter shrieks rather hysterically
"what? nooooo!! impossible!!"
and runs outside to the garden with 
A) a sinking feeling
B) another sinking feeling
C) a WILD inclination to laugh even though this really was NOT at all funny.
upon arrival at the garden, daughter discovered this:
truly.
roots in the air.
mother dear was right.
what had happened???
agh!!
the family gave daughter a hard time
 about her mind OBVIOUSLY not being on the planting process. =)
which was true.
  there had been a lot going on that week and daughter's mind was brimful of things just waiting to be thought about and since strawberry plant planting requires no thinking
{?????}
this had been the perfect time for reflection, brainstorming, praying, etc etc etc
and leaving the roots in the air. =(
anyway.
 daughter sighed and wondered how in the WORLD she could have seriously done this?
she started in again, for round #2.
this time--digging up the plants, flipping them around, and re-planting.
two dear younger brothers of daughter felt sorry for her and came to assist.
daughter felt quite bad about the mistake since she knew it was 100% her fault so she told brothers they didn't have to help.
but they were sweet and did anyway.
{bless their hearts}
the corrected plant.
stems in ground and top part ABOVE ground this time.
{score!!}
one of the dear "knight brothers to the rescue".
daughter thinks his smile says it all.
"I love my sister even when she is so _____!!!"
and thus ends the story of the brunette's blonde wednesday episode.
let's just say she will never again plant strawberry plants with out thinking back to the experience.
actually, maybe she will just stay clear of strawberry plants period.
=)
the end.
::::::::::::::::::::::
{just for the record. I do know how to plant a garden. this was just a case of...not thinking AT ALL while doing it.
and NO.
this is N.O.T going to be a new weekly series. how could you even think it??}

may your coming Wednesdays be much more brilliant than mine, friends! =)
-chels

Friday, May 3, 2013

Jon&Marissa's Wedding Pictures Part 2

Here is the part two/continuation of the photos from my cousin's beautiful wedding back in December. I just got access to these and am excited to share them here!
My super sweet cousin Lyndsi works @ a coffee shop/cafe, and she brought the girls of the bridal party
 coffee drinks that morning. 
what fun to sip while we were getting ready...
My sis Alli was the bride's personal attendant and did a lovely job of being organized and keeping everyone on track. She also did the brides hair & mine.
I made her dress for her
(I about pulled my hair out with sewing the overlay-it was SO tricky-but very worth it in how beautiful it turned out. It was fun to redo the pattern and come up with something different)
I love how here Jon & Marissa look so happy and Alli is all business-like w/ her arms full of wedding gear. =)
I did my cousin, Sarah Liz', hair.
Tada! She looked so adorable!
cousins, besties, and partners in crime from babyhood up!
It was faREEZing cold but still such a blast to do bridal party pictures...on the other side of the camera this time for me. =)
details shot...
notice the {extremely} obvious goosebumps on my arms. =)
the fake nails were quite an adventure...
the others had gone to a salon to get theirs done "real", but we got in too late so I missed it. 
So I browsed the selection of KMart and got the shortest ones I could find.
{I couldn't believe some of what was there. seriously.
 can people really accomplish ANYTHING with claws like that?? }
Note: I'm a farm girl and nice nails are not a priority or the norm for me.
daily life involves lots of outdoor/garden work & dish washing and nails just don't last well through those occupations. =)
But...I thought being a MOH I should have nice nails. 
Just for once.
I ended up applying the nails en route to the hotel where the wedding party pictures were taken. very last minute.
they were actually quite easy to do and turned out so cute. 
I was so impressed and things went along just great....
until it was in the middle of the wedding ceremony and I was up to sign the marriage license. 
I got the pen in my hand but try though I might I COULD NOT get a good enough grip to write anything. Those crazy nails were in my way!
 I almost started to panic-its not a good feeling to know that you're holding everyone up and you can't do a thing about it. 
In desperation I finally was able to scrawl out a two-year olds version of my signature. 
{grimace}
 silently resolved that if I'm ever a MOH again the fake nails will have to be sacrificed in favor of a semi-decent looking signature.
This pic is my FAV. 
love love love...
my fantabulous Youngman cousins.
{photography credit to Daryl Musser Photography}