Flowergirls and Ringbearers

Ah, my little flowergirls and ringbearers...composed of a few of my favourite (and CUTEST) kids in the whole wide world.

First of all, my niece Erykah, just plain and simply a given when it came to making a choice about a flowergirl. To me, she is awesome and I just love her so much. And what a cute little flowergirl she was. She was so prim and proper and serious about her duties. I was surprised at how calm she was the entire day. Only late in the night on the dance floor did she get a little cranky. She didn't want to go to sleep and miss anything but she also didn't want to "walk", perfectly content to be up in arms while I danced.

My choice for ringbearer and the perfect little escort for Erykah was Noah, my friend Tara's little boy. What a personality this kid has. Friends and family just couldn't stop talking about Noah and how funny he was with his "comments". For example...(I'm laughing my butt of as I remember these)...during rehearsal Noah overheard that he wouldn't be carrying the "real" rings. He was devestated and declared, "Well my mom told me that I have to carry the rings". So, we decided that it would be very cruel to disappoint him and tied two "fake" rings to the pillow and I told him how proud I was at him being such a responsible big boy. And then Noah told the Pastor that there was "no pushing allowed" when the Pastor was trying to nudge him into the correct spot at the altar. At the wedding, Tara seemed much more nervous than I and stood on the sidelines biting her nails at the thought of Noah's antics. Tara, he is so much like you! ha, ha...and I love that about him! So, at the wedding we are all waiting to walk down the aisle and some of us are chatting. Noah pipes us and says, "My mom told me we have to be QUIET!" Boy, were we told?! And finally, what a cutie...he decides to come over to me later in the night and asked if he could give me one of his special puppy dog kisses (just a little lick on the cheek that he does to his mom). I thought it was so precious, what a sweetie!

Jamie's niece Taylor was another flowergirl choice for us that was obvious. She was originally to be a junior bridesmaid but told me that she really wanted to be called a flowergirl because she had never been one before. I agreed. As long as she was a part of the wedding party then "title" didn't make a difference to me at all. Taylor is a great girl. She is so funny and quirky and a real cutie with a dimple in her cheek. You just never know what she's going to say next and asked me a gazillion questions on my wedding day, "Auntie Myrna, why are you wearing a white dress? Shouldn't a princess wear pink or blue"..."Auntie Myrna, how come your flowers are bigger?"..."Auntie Myrna, the girls look way better than the boys." Again, I agreed with her...what a great observation from an 8-year old.

Last but not least my cousin, Tyler. A sweet and cute blond who was the perfect match for Taylor to walk down the aisle. Tyler is in the "Cootie" stage and had a bit of a hard time accepting Taylor's advances to hold her hand. He was slowly convinced and then really seemed to like the idea. At the dance, after Taylor caught my bridal bouquet, Tyler caught the garter and proceeded to put the garter around her foot (very shyly but the kind of shy that you know means he kinda likes her...he even asked his dad if he could get Taylor's phone number when they got back home...he, he!!). Tyler decided that he wanted to give me a gift at the wedding and presented me with a tiny little fishing boat. So thoughtful...

My wedding day would never have been complete without these little people surrounding me with their own special kind of presence and unconditional love. They are amazing and I thank them (and their parents) for being such great kids!




Hoping for better kid pics when I receive the photographers photos in about 4 weeks.

And for the first time....Mr and Mrs Hynes

I'm BACK...I am very excited to begin filling you all in on the details from our wedding. It was so beautiful (I realize that I am slightly biased in this opinion of course) I don't even know where to begin...Let's start with our drive down...

So here I am driving to PEI...what a great pic, eh? lol...when I look at my wedding pictures, all I can think is, "WOW! It really is amazing what good hair and makeup can do!"

We left on Saturday night/Sunday morning at about 12:30 and ended up meeting up with my sister and the kids somewhere in New Brunswick. We continued the drive together and finally checked into our cottage at about 7:00pm on Sunday evening.
I really liked our "Angelynn" cottage. It was in the middle of nowhere surrounded by birch trees with an amazing view. It was crazy living with so many people in one "house" for those few days but it was fun to be together again as an extended family under one roof.

Our first week in Prince Edward Island was very hectic. There were a lot of final details to attend to in preparation for our big day. We had to meet with the wedding planner on Tuesday morning to arrange for our marriage license, meet the photographer, and take a trip to the beach where our marriage ceremony would take place. This was such an exciting day for Jamie and I. It was the confirmation of all of our planning. I swear, we just kept looking at each other with this "WOW!" look on our faces like we just couldn't believe how close our wedding day really was. Then we had to meet with the Pastor for an extremely condensed version of the pre-marriage counselling class. All went over very well. Jamie was a little nervous about meeting Pastor Cole for the first time but very quickly warmed up. Pastor Cole was so nice to us and took time out of his family vacation to meet with us and perform our marriage ceremony. He and Jamie even managed to get in a golf game together on Friday morning!

Thursday involved taking a planned trip to Rainbow Valley...a theme park in Cavendish that was my absolute favourite as a child. I couldn't wait to go back and take my nieces and Jamie's nieces.


Sadly, Rainbow Valley is in it's final year of operation. I'm very happy that I got to visit one last time. We really had a great time together, especially on the water slides!

Friday - Rehearsal...it is so exciting to see friends and family all together sharing laughter and memories and food. And all of them were there for JAMIE AND I...how wonderful of so many people to take the time out to join us in PEI. I just can't thank everyone enough for being there for us.

Mom and Dad Goosney

Mom and Dad Hynes holding grandbabies, Chloe and Grayson



From left to right: My Aunt Rowella, Cousin-in-law Brian with Erykah, and my Granny with Aunt Valerie

Rehearsal really was a great time "learning" how to walk down the aisle and where to stand, how and when to hold hands, etc. etc. Everyone was really having a great time making fun and laughing with us. It was such a relaxed atmosphere (only the groom had a few moments of apprehension...he, he...he was so cute)

All in all, week number one was CRAZY hectic and very overwhelming....but tremendous in so many ways.

Now, I really should go and finish unpacking and think about how to post my next blog with WEDDING PICS!

Hittin' the Road

We are about an hour away from getting on the road to PEI. The truck is being packed as I type this.
Tracey has just left, getting a bit of a head start, but we're hoping to catch up to her midway. I just had to say a little prayer for her because I know she's tired and she's driving with the two girls and my 14-year old cousin, Steph. Kids can be very distracting in the car and I get choked up at merely the thought of anything happening to them on the highway.
So, send a little prayer our way for a safe trip. It's going to be a long night but I can't wait to get to our destination.

Last Day

Today is my last day of work before I go on vacation. I am so excited! There seems to be so many little things still to do but I feel great. It's starting to really hit me that I'm getting married NEXT WEEK...Wow! I'm going to be a WIFE!

AND, today is my birthday. It seems to have really crept up on me this year with all of the wedding plans. My birthday was really the last thing on my mind lately and now it's here....28! I always told my mom that I was going to get married when I was 28 and here it is...my 28th birthday and my wedding day only 8 days apart.

I have been so spoiled by gifts over the past few days. Wedding gifts, birthday gifts....gifts, gifts, gifts...I love it! There's no denying that I enjoy being the receiver of all these special treats. Today I have been bombarded by presents - clothes, gift cards, greeting cards, chocolates (brownies, cake, etc....LOVE it!).

This may be my last blog before my trip to PEI. We are returning to Ontario on July 30th (I think) so I'll be sure to post lots of updates then. Wish me luck for good weather, a good hair day, and most of all, a good marriage! :)

Perspective

A tragedy has befallen my extended family. This past weekend, on Friday, my cousin Brian, his wife, and infant son, were in a car accident. They were on vacation in Newfoundland, a trip made to christen their son in the church back home. They were on their way to visit some family members in another town when they lost control of their van. Cynthia was driving, she was trapped in the vehicle while Brian managed to get him and the baby out. Cynthia did not make it. I am told that she probably died instantly.

Christa was the first to find out. Christa's boyfriend is the nephew of Brian. It was so shocking to hear the news. I had only talked to Brian and Cynthia a couple of weeks ago because Brian is the maintenance guy in my apartment building. I commented to Cynthia about how much the baby looked like her with his cute little dimples. He is named after his great-grandfather but he is definitely his mother's child.

After all my whining and complaining, I should be ashamed of myself. This sort of event sure does put things into perspective. Life is so precious and should be taken one moment at time. Not even one DAY at a time...because from this type of accident we know that it only takes a split second for life to take a turn in the opposite direction. Things can change so dramatically in such a short amount of time...and then time is no more. Death is so eerily close, only a breath away really. Strangely comforting, actually, now as I type those words...."only a breath away"...suffering seems to be only for those who are left behind.

After this, I would like to challenge myself to be the person I can and should be. I challenge you as well. It's just not worth it to hang on to past mistakes, to hold grudges for wrong-doings, to withhold forgiveness because of hurt. Bitterness and anger have no rightful place in our hearts.

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God" -- Matthew 5:8

And when this life passes into the next, I want to see God.

5th Annual Girls Weekend

Ah...I feel so rejuvenated. Our girls weekend at the cottage was amazing. Just what I needed - a time to relax and have fun and de-stress. I love absolutely everything to do with being at the cottage on the bay - the water soothes me like nothing else, and reminds me of home.

Saturday is always the best day. We have so much fun sea-dooing, boating, swimming, etc. This year we took a trip to a very pretty place called "The McCoys" (will post pics shortly). It was great being out in the open water riding the seadoo with waves splashing, all of us getting soaked. It was a crazy hot day so the cool water was a relief to say the least.

And as usual, we were spoiled by our hosts on Saturday evening. They cooked us a yummy meal. Appetizers were smoked salmon wraps, coconut shrimp, and a green salad with goat cheese and raspberry vinagarette. Entree was steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and (oh so good!!!!) crab legs. To die for!!

Spending time with the girls is so great. When we're all together, nobody seems to fuss or worry over makeup or hair or clothes. We just sit around in our scrubs and pj's with pigtails, sunscreen, and bug spray...eating cookies and chocolate and chips. What could be better?

Now we just have to sit back and smile over pictures and new memories and eagerly anticipate our next girls weekend (and yes, it's already booked!)

Bicker Bicker Bicker

It seems like that's all we do lately...BICKER! Jamie and I, that is...at each others throats, complaining, arguing, nit-picking, just plain bickering.

It's mostly my fault. I'm prone to bickering. I try not to but sometimes I let my impatience get the better of me.

Jamie is the worrier...when he is worried, he complains and whines which leads to bickering. Normally he just couldn't be bothered. Good thing.

Here are some of the stupid things that we have "had words" about over the past few days:
1. Who gets to take the car and who gets to take the truck on our separate weekends away.
2. Who gets to take the 407 transponder for the toll highway to drive to our separate destinations.
3. Losing keys.
4. Jamie calling me on my cell phone at work rather than at my desk phone.
5. Growing pile of laundry and who gets to tackle it.
6. When and how to move Jamie's stuff into my apartment. And where to put everything.
7. Grocery lists. Wedding lists. Weekend lists. Cleaning lists.
8. The new Barbeque.
9. Computer usage.
10. What time to begin our drive to PEI.

That is not to mention the wedding details (money, money, money...)

Yes, we really need this weekend for some time apart. This is supposed to be a happy time for us - full of excitement and laughter and love....what happened to all that? I guess it's beneath the surface but it's harder nowadays to scratch under all the layers of other stuff.

We really just gotta wind down and take a deep breathe -- Mostly a message for myself. Enjoy it, don't panic, stop the unnecessary panic attacks and move on to reminding myself WHY all this is happening right now.

Phew...I think I feel better already. Thanks for listening to my bickering.

Girls Weekend

This upcoming weekend is our annual girls weekend. Woohoo! These weekends are so much fun. I really need it this year especially. I can't wait to have a few days away from everything.

Our first girls weekend a few years ago was white water rafting. That was quite an adventure! Wow! The next year was a skiing trip to Blue Mountain. Also an adventure (we ended up spending more time in the hot tub than on the slopes). And for the past three years (this year included) we are staying at a friends cottage on Georgian Bay. Staying at the cottage is the perfect retreat. We are right on the water and the owners of the cottage (who have their own cottage next to the guest cottage that we are staying in) are so generous and totally spoil us with their hot tub, boat, seadoos, barbequed dinners, etc.

I really think that our girls weekends are so important. Soon, we will begin to have families and won't have much opportunity to think of ourselves. We all agree that this time together is precious. It's great to have boyfriends and husbands, of course, but there are just some things that only girls can appreciate and understand.

With that in mind, though, I do think the guys need their own time away too. This weekend our "boys" will be going to Sibbald Point for camping. I think it's great that Jamie will get some time away from me right now. I agree that I'm not the easiest person to get along with even under the best circumstances. And now with upcoming wedding...well...you get the idea.

Yes, the time apart will be good. It allows us to appreciate each other so much more. Seeing each other after a few days away is a greatly anticipated time.

And to make it an even better weekend, I think I'll take Friday off...

Time flies when you're having "fun"

I have way too many things happening right now. I seriously think I'm losing my mind, I can't even remember the simple daily things.

I'll give you an update on wedding stuff, etc. Maybe getting it all out into my blog will help to clear my head.

Wedding dress: I have decided to wear the new "replacement" dress. The old one, though fixed, still doesn't make me happy. The new one fits perfectly, no alterations needed. Woohoo!

Veil and hair: I picked up my veil from the bridal store last week. I love it, it's simple and so pretty. It's just one layer, ivory, with a little bit of ivory satin trim around the edge. Jennifer and I did a hair trial with my veil on Saturday. It was great! I love how my hair looked. We took a few pics. I will make my final decision between my favourite two styles when we get our film developed this week.

Digital camera: waiting for film development has reminded me that I desperately need a digital camera.

Music for the wedding: I need help with this one. I have decided on "I could not ask for more" by Sarah Evans for Jamie and I to have our first dance. And, Jamie's mom has decided on "Have I told you lately" by Rod Stewart for the mother/son dance. The only one I need is a song for the bridal party to dance to. It has to be a slow song because the groom and the best man both refuse to dance fast...lol :) Any suggestions?

Groom Attire: When Jamie tried on his suit a couple of weeks ago, he discovered that the pants were hemmed much too short. But, we took the pants back to Moores yesterday and they re-did the alterations. He looks so handsome in his suit. It is a light beige colour and he will be wearing a plain white t-shirt underneath, no shirt, no tie. Just casual...and with sandals.

Ceremony Program: I am currently working on this. I still have to talk to my Pastor to find out the exact order of the service. Am I forgetting anything in the program? I have "Order of Service", list of bridal party names, parents, officiant, pianist, etc. I am also waiting for my mom to decide on a hymn to sing. AND, on the back I added a "With love we remember..." section in tribute to Jamie's mom who passed away as well as our grandparents who have passed away. Then I added a thank you note...I think that's it.

Favours: All done! We have photo albums that look like a picture frame on the front. Hard to "picture", I know. But they're really cute. All wrapped in raffia and thank you tags and ready to go.

Centerpieces: Also ready to go. I have clear glass bowls which will be filled with sand and shells with a candle in the center. This was so easy! I think our reception will include a game so guests can "win" the centerpieces.

Final Numbers: We currently have 65 people attending. Of that, there are 13 children! he, he!

Gifts: Still have to get gifts for the Pastor and the Wedding Planner....suggestions for this too please?!

Seating Plan: I think this is going to be a pain in the butt. I haven't even started it yet. It's hard to figure out who should sit with who.

Something Old..New..Borrowed..Blue: Okay, here's what I have. Something New - Wedding Dress, veil, etc. Something Borrowed - my moms pearls. Something Blue - Ribbon on my flowers. But what about something OLD?? I have no idea...

Okay, I think that's all for now...Oh...

New House: Our basement has been poured...woohoo! No framing or anything as of two nights ago. But I'm happy to see SOMETHING happening. I just can't wait to move in!

Only a week and a half until Jamie and I leave to drive to PEI....!!

Happy Canada Day!

Just got back from watching the fireworks at Chinguacousy Park. They were nice but only lasted for about TWO minutes! It's been very windy this evening and I think there was some question as to whether or not the fireworks would even be possible. I think they must have had to cut them short.

We've had such a HOT week and a very nice day here in Brampton. The temperature today was about 29 degrees celcius (cool compared to earlier in the week). But tonight, we dropped to about 14 degrees celcius. We were all so COLD! I think we would have been fine if we hadn't gotten so adjusted to the heat wave.

Tara just wrote the funniest (and most embarrassimg!) thing in her blog about her son getting upset and pulling her pants down at the Canada Day festivities earlier today. OMG! No moments like that for me...just french fries, hot dogs, ice cream, music, a gigantic crowd of people to watch the fireworks, and then fighting to drive out of the overcrowded parking lot.

Anyways, my bed is calling...there's much to do tomorrow. Happy Canada Day!!!