Words I Used Last Weekend Without Ridicule

Pop. You guys. Billfold.

Last Wednesday afternoon I flew out of sunny Phoenix to the chilly, rainy land of Iowa for my cousin Sarah's wedding. Sarah and I pretty much grew up together even though we always lived at least five hours apart--at least up until I moved to Iowa for school when I was 19--so we've always been really close. I got into town a couple days early so I could help her out with last minute wedding stuff, keep her calm, and generally fulfill my Maid of Honor-ly duties. I also got to hand-deliver my wedding gift to her and her fiance Josh. They liked it. Also they have the most adorable dog. She's a papipoo (cross between a papillion and a poodle), her name is Molly, and she looks like a muppet.

On Thursday, Sarah treated me to a manicure and a pedicure (I can't force myself to use the phrase "mani/pedi" - it gives me the shivers). I've never had a pedicure before and my feet are reeeeally ticklish - that whole bit with the scrub brush thing was pretty much torture. But my toes were really cutely French-tipped by the time the torture ended, so I suppose it was worth it.

The wedding was Saturday. All us bridesmaids had to be at the hair salon at about 8:00. We got there right on time, they settled me in a chair, and the woman proceeded to give me what my sister would later refer to as a hairstyle straight out of Steel Magnolias. It was...interesting. We had pictures from 12-3 and the wedding started at 4:00. I didn't trip on the stairs, knock over any candles, or sign my name on the wrong witness line or anything, so I'm going to say it was a pretty good ceremony.

The reception was great! Sarah and Josh take ballroom dancing lessons, so their first dance was this choreographed Michael Buble number - pretty impressive stuff. I gave my speech in front of 260 people and they laughed when they were supposed to, so mission accomplished, I guess. The dancing was fun - a lot of people from their ballroom dancing class were there, so the dance floor was never empty. I got to see a lot of my extended family that I hadn't seen since my brother's wedding three years ago.

And so now I'm back in Phoenix. Work is busy right now - I'm working on illustrating the cover of the next Quarterly. It's coming along pretty nicely, I think. I need to do my taxes one of these days...procrastinator to the core, what can I say. And there you have it.

And may I also say...happy Bea-day. :)