A Typical June Weekend

June 21, 20132 Comments

OH HI.

This past weekend was a random one, of sorts. We had sun, we had rain, I was drunk, I was sober. On Thursday afternoon, Bryan announced that he was climbing Rainier with his pal Josh from Jackson Hole and they were set to leave in the wee small hours of the morning on Friday.

This left me to my own peculiar devices on Friday evening and were they ever. On my lunch break, I went to the Targs as I usually do 5-7 times per week. I have unsuccessfully been trying to decorate Bry and I’s sorry little apartment since we moved in and well, our bare walls speak for themselves. Whilst Targeting, I picked up 2 things for said walls and the Bandaid Brand Friction Block which I have been looking for. Because couldn’t we all do with a little less friction?

After work, I strolled the aisles of World Market, Pier 1 and Bed, Bath and Beyond, picking things up and setting them down. If somebody watched me shop for home decor, they might think I was a sad clown on her day off. Although a sad clown probably has lots of days off, cause really, who wants to hire a sad clown? ANY-who… the point is, shopping for home decor is quite confusing and frustrating for a girl like me who can’t make a decision to save her LIFE. Furrowed brows and plenty-o-frowns. RHYMING.

“This mirrored end table is cute but so is this bright turquoise slightly antiqued one look at that black lacquer bookshelf but I came for an end table OMGee these candles smell good.”

I go in with an idea, a purpose and leave feeling totally overwhelmed and oftentimes sweaty. I will emerge with a cute package of black and white paper napkins or an iPhone case or a lovely reed diffuser, only to return home to my white walls and solitary picture frame. Also need to take more pictures, because slutty photos from spring break in Vegas are no longer appropriate.

Friday night was spent eating bowls of cereal for dinner, crafting and watching Pretty Little Liars season 3. Netflix timed the release of the new season perfectly, as Bryan cannot STAND this progrum. I am ADDICTED. I mean, you’ve got Ezra for man-candy, makeup inspiration from Hannah and plenty of suspense thanks to A. WHO IS A?? After my third bowl of Bunches, a few paper cuts and a coconut oil hair douse – it was lights out for me.

Saturday morning commenced with an elusive event, which had not taken place in weeks: exercise. 30 minutes on the elliptical catching up with those damn Kardashians. And lemmejustsay, Kimmy’s derriere has reached a new level. I mean, I know you were preggers but COME ON. It has a roundness to it that is seriously NOT HUMAN.

Then I hit the showers for a hair washing after a 6 day sabbatical. Bryan doesn’t understand why I brag about such things and I remind him that going 6 days in a row with nothing but a can of dry shampoo and a couple a top knots isn’t the easiest thing in the world. So I washed & conditioned using my new absolutefavoriteholygrail product:

Then I self-tanned and walked around our apartment naked with the blinds closed listening to Abba super loud and eating handfuls of chocolate chips.

Oh and check out my white nails. #loveorhate?

After I was tanned and properly made-up, I made a trip over to Snoqualmie to visit sister Rachel and my pal Jaclyn.

What is going on with my eye?

Of course, Rachel was baking (what she does best) and was cursing the lack of baking sheets at the house Jaclyn was house sitting for. But really, who doesn’t own baking sheets?!

Rach made butterscotch cookies and then we made a family favorite, Oreo balls. I DIE for Oreo balls. We scamped around, chatted about boys and I played with the dog whose name was Shelby but Rachel called him Molly, which was really funny at the time. Then I did Rach’s makeup for fun and discovered the shocking fact that she does not use under-eye concealer and also has a love for NYX roller ball eye shadows which are all quite lovely. I always learn so much from Rachel.

Shenanigans:

Donning Rach’s New Sephora Lip Stain

Jumping Picture FAIL

After that, I headed to really exciting places like Michaels and Hallmark. Quite possibly the most popular stores for women over the age of 80. I then made a quick stop at Marshalls where I snatched up a creme colored blouse (yes, blouse) that I am now in love with. It was a geriatric shopping trip, minus adult diapers and prunes. Maybe they should sell these products as a two-fer?

I got home and settled into the couch with Cheez It’s and P.L.L when Bry called and told me he was off the mountain. Yippeee! Ever since this incident, I am always a complete worry-wart when he goes up Rainier.

A couple hours later he was home and we went to Red Robin per tradition. Bry went for the Royal burger and for me – clucks n fries with ranch. Healthy.

Sunday was spent with Bryan recuperating from ascending a jillion vertical feet in SKI BOOTS. Katie and Josh stopped by to exchange some gear and Josh’s feet were GNARLES. I almost took a picture. Needless to say, I don’t know HOW these boys shove their feet into ski boots with the edges literally slashing through their skin in 80 degree heat with a headache and nothing in their stomachs but a vanilla flavored Hammer Gel. Like, what?

I ran a few errands while Bry unloaded the Jeep and nursed his sore muscles by staying inside and sipping on Rainier beer because it was just so appropriate.

While running errands, I noticed this new establishment:

I feel like my cousin Mike would appreciate this.

Then we celebrated Father’s Day by meeting up with mom and pop Nash and brother KC at Via Tribunali in Fremont. I love it there. The pizza is amazing and the ambiance is even better. A perfect cap to my weekend!

Meaty

Lake Chelan Mini-Holiday

June 19, 2013July 30, 20135 Comments

I love how the brits calls it a “holiday”. So Bridget Jones.

With CFA 2 behind us, Bry and I were in dire need of a holiday. Last year, we celebrated by going to Vegas and this year, we decided to stay a little more sober by joining the Nash’s for a weekend of fun in Lake Chelan.

Bry picked me up from work around 3:00 pm and we loaded the Jeep.

Overnight Bag – 1
Pillows – 2
Bottles of sunblock – 3
Bags of Gushers – 20

Oh! And I finally purchased some white Chuck Taylor’s, i.e the ULTIMATE summer shoe. Maybe it stems from my lifelong crush on Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez from The Sandlot.

We picking up KC (Bry’s older brother) and dispensed necessary + nutritious road-trip eats.

Magically delicious!

A couple hours later, our tummies grumbled for more healthy snacks. So we wisely stopped at Rusty Burger to re-fuel. Bry and I split a burger even though I was craving a corn dog hard. Am I the only person who loves corn dogs? Ohmygod Zips!

Gotta Love the Point

We later discovered that KC mistakenly ordered the double-meat-double-cheese burger. #happyaccidents

We arrived at our condo in Wapato Point and were warmly welcomed my Mom and Pop Nash.

The View

Vacations with Nash family, I’ve come to realize, are basically as close to perfect as you can get and are vastly different from a typical Danielson vaca.

Nash Family: Activities are planned, not with crazy itineraries, but a general idea for a sequence of events is considered.

Danielson Family: A very loose idea of a few things are thrown out there the morning of. Fighting ensues.

Nash Family: Meals are planned and tables reserved or shopped for in advance. Mom and Pop do the cooking and often times, the cleaning up.

Danielson Family: Vacation too hard and too long. Give no thought to meals. Reservations never made and last minute decisions lead to discovering the place is closed. Fighting ensues.

You see the pattern here?

Don’t get me wrong, I love my weird little family and our lackadaisical attitude…at times. However, when traveling with the Nash’s I know I won’t, a.) Go hungry b.) Be bored or c.) Go hungry.

So when we arrived at the condo in Wapato Point, what did we do? We ate. A lovely spread of bruschetta was thoughtfully arranged for us on the patio and an array of beverages including G&Ts and Coronas. I obliged. We decided to have a friendly game of putt-putt to kick off the weekend festivities and help KC digest his Rusty’s burger in time for dinner.

Lemmejustsay, boys get competitive no matter what. We could be playing barrel-o-monkeys and there would be bloodshed. KC eked out a win over Bryan, but it was a battle.

KC Linin it Up!

Sinking the Put For a Birdie. Idon’tknow.

For dinner, we enjoyed salmon and steak with a yummy salad and corn with a bottle of red wine. We had strawberry-rhubarb crumble ala mode for dessert and then promptly passed out.

The next morning, Bry and I went to the Starbucks in Lake Chelan and waited in the longest line of all time. Then we took our venti misto and cinnamon chip scone down to the water and strolled along the path, gulping in delicious coffee, the beautiful surroundings and each other’s wonderful company :).

And we’re pointing…

Arriving back at the condo, we were fed the Nash signature pancakes and bacon which I die for. Then we discovered the best part about the trip – the Mary Poppins bag. Bryan’s mom had thoughtfully packed a large tote full of everything you never remember to bring on vacation, yet always wish you had. Items like frisbees, horseshoes, floaties, various balls and maybe even a lawn dart or two! Seriously Mary Poppins.

The condo also came equipped with one of my most favorite lake pastimes – puzzles. Bry and I selected a “junior” puzzle, obviously and 20 minutes later had killed it:

We decided to blow up 2 floaties and were going to head down to the rec center to inflate them, when I discovered a random hidden talent of my fiance. It seems Bryan may have missed his true calling as a tuba player, as he can inflate a floatie in mere minutes. Here I was, turining purple in the face and Bryan is already surrounded by a fully inflated rainbow floatie. So much for 1o years of band.

Then, we loaded up the cooler with necessities like beer, sunblock and Gushers. Have you ever applied sunblock when it is slightly chilled? OH law, it feels nice. The same goes for Gushers. When eaten while cold, they turn into little nuggets of sweet fruity magic. In yer mouth.

So much for sober

And can I just say, what is better than laying on a floatie? Ours had a headrest and cup holder, I mean COME ON. We all took turns on it, drank Bud Light Limes and dutifully applied sunblock to our pale, Seattle-tinted bodies. I was sad to reach the final pages of a book I cannot recommend enough, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. So. Good.

KC, Basking

After a delicious lunch of paninis with COUGAR GOLD we took a walk to the point and I practiced my cart wheels, pulled my hammy, then headed back to the condo and got ready for a little wine tasting!

Since we were technically in E-WA, I knew it was time to poof up the hair a little.

First stop: Vin du Lac

I was excited to try out this winery since I have enjoyed many glasses of this wine at Maison de Nash. We were able to sneak in a few tastes of delicious whites before a truck-load of twenty-something gals in maxi dresses and big sunglasses swarmed the place like the shoe department on the first day of the Nordstrom half-yearly. Needless to say, we drained our glasses and jumped in the car for Benson Cellars.

Benson is situated up high on a hill (was a lonely goatherd) and the view is quite remarkable. Sweeping views of the valley, the sparkling lake and of course the vineyards are perfectly complimented by the beautiful tasting room and yummy wine. As it happened, there was a wedding taking place! We gawked at the party guests, gave our opinions on the color scheme (brownish-red for a summer wedding?) and as we pulled out of the parking lot, made our final assumptions as the bridal party arrived in a stretch Hummer. Oh, E-Wa!

Last on the list was Tildio, which also boasts amazing views and really tasty wines. We sampled the whites, snapped a few pictures and decided to head on back to the condo for appetizers + drinks and maybe another riveting game of putt-putt.

Bryan, KC and myself ended up toting our red solo cups with a 1/3 of a bottle of wine each down to the mini golf course. I improved by a couple a strokes but my skills were becoming decidedly worse with each game.

Dinner that night was an Ina recipe, called Greek Panzanella salad. MUST re-create at home. Basically you chop up a bunch of veggies, dress em up with a vinaigrette and throw in some homemade croutons (which I’m already obsessed with making) and little feta. Opa!

Our final day in Chelan was a sad one. We all wanted to trade in our Mondays for more BLL’s, sunshine and guacamole. We concluded the weekend with more beach time and of course, a third round of mini-golf. And yes, I continued to get worse if that is even possible.

Shenanigans

We waved goodbye to Lake Chelan as I tried to convince the boys to “pool our money” and buy a house on the lake. Instead, Bry promised me we would go back for a longer trip that involved s’mores. Because what kind of summer is complete without s’mores?

Wapato Point on Dwellable

Beauty Product Misses

June 13, 20134 Comments

For any gal who has fallen victim to a product slathered in catchy marketing and boasting “miracle” results only to discover it’s complete and utter uselessness, I say this: I am you.

I am the girl who spends hours, yes hours watching, reading and researching products that lay claim to serious results with no avail. While I like to think that the majority of the items I choose to buy have been methodically selected, sometimes this is far from the truth. I, like so many women, am easily wooed by product displays, limited editions, or my weakest spot – cute packaging. Stick a piece of poo in a pink box with a cute font and I’m smitten. You get the drift :).

Recent evidence of ~~genius~~ cute marketing:

Instantly Instagramed Post-Purchase

The purpose of this post is to hopefully save some of you (the millions who are reading) from repeating my beauty section mistakes.

Got2Be Beach Trippin

Basically, I feel this entire brand is garbage. The name is bad enough. Textbook example of how cute packaging and unrealistic promises can break our hopeful hearts. Or maybe it’s only me. I really should just splurge for the Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray, but can’t yet justify the $25 cost for what seems like a little salt-water.

Tresemme Dry Shampoo

My never-ending hair growth saga has constituted the purchase of many hair products to aid in my quest for boob-length locks. Dry shampoo is a necessity as frequent hair washing is a major no-no in the hair growth department. For this beauty miss, I simply cheaped-out on my all time favorite dry shampoo, Batiste , for this $3 version. It comes out like a jet (TWSS), the formula is too wet (again, TWSS) and it leaves a dreaded white residue on your hair (this is out of control).

Macadamia Natural Hair Oil

I was surprised by my distaste for this hair oil. Lots of beauty gurus love this line. The smell was nice at first, but I grew tired of it overtime and I felt it actually made my hair more dry! The horror! For a MUCH better alternative, albeit, substantially more expensive is Moroccan Oil. Or, Nectar of the Gods as I call it.

Ulta Brand Tanning Products

Self tanning products have become all the rage suddenly. I guess people are finally getting hip to how bad the sun is for your skin, derrr. As a child of a skin-cancer survivor many times over, I quit my tanning bed regime long ago.

As a result, I have become a connoisseur of drugstore self-tanning products. Neutrogena, Hawaiian Tropic, Jergens. They all aight. L’Oreal Sublime Bronze is one of my favorites, save for the trail of glitter it leaves behind. Strippers prolly buy this stuff by the buckets. I have yet to dive in to pricier options like St.Tropez, Fake Bake or the one I covet over all else by Tarte.

The Ulta self-tanner performed as well as you’d expect it to, which was completely disappointing. Hardly any color and it faded terribly, read: lizard skin.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Finding the right mascara is kind of like shopping for jeans. What looks great on one person gives the other saggy-butt. You understand. Mascaras can be lengthening, volumizing, separating, moisturizing, the list goes on and on. For most, a combination works best. I have tried the Falsies multiple times, due to it’s wide popularity and good price. Each time, I was left with stiff, jagged spider eyes which isn’t exactly what I was going for. However, I have seen this product perform beautifully on others so I suppose the vote’s still out.

So that’s it, I hope I helped. Save your pennies for sensible things like a magic set or a quesadilla maker. Splurge on a vacation to Dollywood but please, don’t buy these products.

Crafting on Heavy Meds

June 6, 20134 Comments

Last Friday, I had two wisdom teeth extracted.

Attractive

At the mention of a needle I grow week in the knees, so needless to say I was not looking forward this procedure. However, the gaping cavity on my upper-right wisdom tooth wanted out and I surrendered. I wore this shirt, a gift from Nan who admittedly passed down this unrelenting love of suga.

Truth

Almost 2 weeks recovered, I can honestly say the ordeal wasn’t bad. There were pros and and there were cons.

Pros –

Laughing Gas
Milkshakes
Hours of Call the Midwife on Netflix

Cons –

Insertion of the I.V
Chipmunk cheek (singular, because I only had them removed on one side.)
Pain

Ice Pack or Partial Burka?

Certain things can be pretty fun whilst doped up on ‘dros, like watching 19 Kids and Counting while emitting soft, baby-like giggles at the antics of Jim-Bob Duggar. Other things, like going to work or walking around for any extended period of time proved to be slightly more challenging.

With sister Megan’s bridal shower growing nearer, I have been in what I call Martha-Mode. Martha-Mode involves hours of scouring Pinterest for any DIY project fit for anyone below the age of 10, several trips to Michael’s and Ben Franklin juggling armloads of Mod Podge, scrapbook paper, ribbon and of course, sequins. I got crafts on the brain, people.

Pinsperation:

The cuteness is overwhelming.

Additionally, Megan has graciously approved the playing of games at her shower. Unfortunately, it’s a bridal shower so the poopy diaper game doesn’t really apply. Instead, party guests will enjoy more traditional bridal shower games not involving melting candy bars inside a diaper 😦

Hopefully the DIY crafts I have and will continue to haphazardly piece together will not resemble the work of a kindergartner. It’s a shame Martha-Mode doesn’t result in work worthy of Ms. Stewart herself.

In Travel News…

Tomorrow we embark on a lovely little weekend with the Nash clan to beautiful Lake Chelan! I’ve procured all the essentials for such a venture: big sunglasses, sunblock and of course Gushers + Pirate’s Booty (who are we kidding?). Oh! And I have a delightful new book I’m about 1/3 of the way through so try to contain your excitement. And who knows? Maybe I’ll actually remember to snap a few pictures in my wine-induced haze. I’m making no promises :).

Last Weekend, Part Deux

May 28, 20131 Comment

Wellll, now it’s more like two weekends ago. MY BAD!

Sunday I met up with my sister-in-law Karen. Ok, so technically she isn’t my “sister”-in-law because she married my cousin, but these are just minor details. Karen invited me to go to the Fremont Sunday Market, including a ride. Yeehaw! Driving into Seattle scares me, much like bangs.

We arrived at the market around noon and the sights blew me away. Booth after booth of just about anything you can think of. Vintage lawn gnomes and blown-glass baubles. Re-stored furniture, sanded down and painted bright turquoise for a mere $150. Soaps perfumed with lavender and honey, vintage clothing – some with pit-stains, some without. Welded metal bent into peculiar shapes like Ren & Stimpy or a melted-faced fairy princess.

Or this.

Duh.

Technicolor Bow Staffs, Obvi

Washington Onesie!

Food trucks a’plenty, pedaling everything from modestly sized pulled pork sandwiches for $6.50 to elephant ear sized naans, dripping with cilantro and garlic infused butter. Oh yeah, and chocolate-chip-coconut macaroons – j’adore!

Veraci Wood Fired Pizza

We stopped at nearly every booth, save for the one with the giant black metal sculptures of demon-possessed Ravens (yikes!). The artist himself seriously could have walked out of the Nightmare Before Christmas, threw on some leather and rolled around in white talcum powder. He kinda reminded me of the people who worked at Hot Topic when I was a wee lass in high school. Yes, I was scared of that store. I would literally run in and run out, clutching my bag of face glitters and trying to get whatever Marilyn Manson song (or so I thought) out of my head.

We sampled the enormous naan and debated our ability to re-create the carb laden masterpiece in our own kitchens. We laughed at people who look like their dogs and noted how very cute pugs are, despite their incessant out-of-breathness.

Massacred.

After walking by the hula-hoop booth several times and both of us agreeing how impossible this seemingly easy activity should be, I decided to give it a whirl (see what I did there?).

I was instructed to keep one foot in front of the other and move my hips rythmically back and fourth. Despite the fact that this white-girl completely lacks any kind of rhythm, I did decently for my first lesson. Karen stood by, laughing at my sorry attempts and happily snapping pictures along the way.

Meee I want a HULA HOOP!!

We were given flyers for a hula-hoop class (hey yo!) and childishly snickered at the large puffs of hair protruding from the hula-hoop gal’s armpits. Funny is funny.

One of the last stops was a retailer of all things toys. With Karen being an educator, she was able to clue me in to the new “it” toy called a Kendama. All the rage with Karen’s classroom, we tried mastering this Japanese game of coordination. As expected, I was terrible. Karen on the other hand was brilliant at it. She haggled with the owner for a few minutes (obviously a Policar) and scored 2 Kendamas at a great price. Oh how I love haggling.

Loot

After we had done the martket, we decided to grab a brewsky at one of Karen’s old college haunts, the Red Door. Lots of wedding talk was had and future plans were made. I felt so grateful to have spent this glorious day with Karen. Being a new gal in a big city aint easy and it’s nice to know that she is just a phone call away #imnotastalker.

All for now. Stay tuned for tales of my wisdom teeth, bridal shower preparation and maybe some new reads.

Last Weekend Part Une

May 23, 2013May 23, 2013Leave a comment

Happy humps! (Lovely little lumps).

I wrote this on Wednesday and it was muckalicious, overcast, gray and rainy (still is). Luckily, I have thoughts of last weekend to keep me warm!

With Bry-Bry hitting the books day in and out, we have been setting aside a little time on Friday evenings to have dinner, throw back a few and partake in attempted witty repartee. Last week, we happened upon Purple Cafe in Woodinville for our date night and it did not disappoint. Crab cakes, filet mignon, caesar salad and of course, wine were consumed. Our table was awesome and the food was delicious.

On Saturday, I kissed my study-crazed fiance goodbye and headed to Bellevue Square for some returns.

Item 1: MAC eyeshadow in Ablaze.

I have been digging this new-to-me eye look I like to call “sunset eyes”, where I pair orange-toned, bronzy, golden shades on my lids with an aqua-colored liner + shadow in my lower waterline and lash line. It is really a beautiful look. I went to MAC wearing said look and the makeup gal buffed a little “Ablaze” into my crease to amp up the warmth a bit. I will admit, the effect was lovely. I was all prepared to snag the eyeshadow and the Baking Beauties MSF (mineralized skin finish) in “In For a Treat”.

Say La Vie

Dun Dun DUN! They were sold out. So I bought the eye shadow and haven’t used it since. I mean, who needs a $15 bright orange eyeshadow anyway?! #whatwasithinking

I returned the eye shadow for another MAC must-have. Wonderdust I call it – Vanilla pigment what what?! Not drugs.

Go Get You Some

Item 2: Banana Republic sweater. Accidentally bought a 6 petite. Me + 6 petite = big girl in a little coat.

Item 3: ALDO ballet flats. This store actually sells really cute shoes but you must get them on sale. I hope someone who works at Aldo is reading this because – I tried on a pair of flats in size 9 at the store and they were just a wee bit too small (their shoes run big, obviously). The sales girl and I determined that a 9.5 would be perf. So, I spent 5-7 minutes at the register placing an order to have a 9.5 shipped to my house.

The shoes came…they were size 10 and basically the size of small tug-boats. I went online to check and see what the deal was, which is when I discovered…they DON’T CARRY SIZE 9.5! I was lied to. So naturally, I turned to Twitter where I cooked up a tasty little tweet and hit enter. Here was Aldo’s response:

@cupcakenat In a perfect world we would have all sizes! Unfortunately we don’t carry 5.5 and 9.5! We’re sorry that you were misinformed.

I accept your apology, Aldo. Accepted but not forgotten.

I wandered into Madewell, Norstrom and other stores slightly outta m’price range at the mome. Then I did something I haven’t done since High School – went to JC Penney’s. Or Penney’s to those who know and love this purveyor of Arizona Jeans, St.John’s Bay and G-Dot’s go-t0, Alfred Dunnar.

It’s a shame to me that J.C Penney’s “new look” has failed. As a kid who spent hours in Penney’s, hunting through the pile of 75% off Christmas turtle necks and finding a dirty diaper – the recent updates are a breath of fresh air. The absence of clutter, over-stuffed racks and price tags with 7 mark-down stickers is reassuring and welcomed . However, I fall within the “young” group where roomy aisles, pleasant lighting and less “crap” are viewed as positive. The little old lady, tried-and-true Penney’s shopper must feel differently.

I was floored by the new collab lines (excuse me, Marchesa!) and amount of items I could have easily purchased. The prices are low and with a little hunting, quality pieces can be found. I snagged two items for just around $60. Kindof alot for Penney’s but I was in love.

I Heart Ronson Dress

Joe Fresh Fancy Shorts (My legs will be tanned)

Also decided to get these sandals from the Gap, but I’m still not 100% sold. Feedback is welcomed.

Love or Hate?

A’course I had to pop in to F-21, where I have been royally striking out, as of late. In the market for trendy, wallet-friendly shorts, I decided to purchase these guys.

Pleats? Don’t mind if I do!

Might not be styling these as girlfriend has, but then again I don’t consider showing a lil’ cheek a trend to grab on to. Literally.

Now that I have shared my entire shopping trip with you all, I realize I have written a chapter-book sized post. Apologies.

The next day was Sunday and was spent having even more fun.

Oh yes, it is possible.

Always a Bridesmaid…

May 20, 20133 Comments

Never a bride.

In just a few, err…um cough-thirteen-cough months this statement will no longer be true. I will be the bride. But for now, I can beg for sympathy and attention since I will be bridesmaiding at sister Megan’s upcoming nuptials.

While I have bridesmaided before, this will be my first MOH experience. For you acronym illiterates, I will be the maid of honor. The right-hand-woman, the speech-nailer, the wiper of tears – the dancing ENFORCER. I take my duty seriously and aim to be the best I can be, much like the army or marines or whatever.

First things first, we needed to find the bridesmaid attire. With Megan being fabulously unconventional and fashion-minded we quickly opted out of the typical experience at a run-o-the-mill bridesmaid dress store. One reason being that we have 3 bridesmaids with 3 very different styles and also the fact that none of us felt like paying $300 for a satin monstrosity in some hideous hue with matching Dyeables brand shoes. Do people still dye their shoes to match the dress? Oy vey!

However, locating a garment with specific coloring, silhouette and length proved to be quite taxing. Hours upon hours of internet-browsing, phone calls, angry texts and unavailing appointments were logged and many glasses of wine were consumed. So, I decided to make the pilgrammage over to the Tri last weekend and put this dress-baby to rest.

I arrived in Kennewick on Friday evening around 5:30 and it was gloriously warm. Pulling into the driveway at my parents house and stretching my legs after the 3.5 hour drive was made even more amazing by taking in the familiar smell of the spring air. I was fed taco salad, local white wine and a healthy dose of good ol’ fashion Danielson gossip. My sisters Meg and Rachel J and I made a plan to visit a couple of stores the next day, having seen a few new spring dresses pop up on the internets.

The next morning I made coffee and cuddled with Chloe McDoogal, our ill-tempered chihuahua whom I love more than anything.

She Doesn’t Know She’s Beautiful

I did my makeup real nice and then took a picture of myself in the main bathroom. #totallynormalforme

Oh, and I got new makeup brushes. I heart them.

A photo is needed.

First stop: David’s Bridal (no judgements, please).

Megan refers to David’s Bridal as the “Wal-Mart of bridal stores”. I didn’t believe her until I stepped foot inside and was greeted by, well…The People of Wal-Mart. We made a bee-line for the rack we came for as I wove my way through the sea of carnies (harsh). Recently, Vera Wang designed a line for David’s Bridal and the photos online looked quite pretty and not so bridesmaidy. Here are the dresses I tried on:

It actually turned out to be a fun experience because the gals who worked there were very sweet and helpful. The crowd thinned out a little and the carnies that remained were all pretty fun. They were fun carnies. We spent a couple of hours trying on, re-trying on and then needed sustenance. After a quick lunch at Twigs (love that place) we shopped around Macy’s and came out empty-handed. We did make it into BBW where I secured an adorned wall flower plug-in for Nan’s new kitchen.

We decided to try the other 2 bridal/bridesmaid stores in Kennewick, namely Amy’s Bridal and The Purple Parasol. Amy’s Bridal is a very cute little shop and the owner is super nice. Also, it is right next to Bruchi’s which just happens to be delicious. I found 2 bridal gowns that I have torn out of magazine’s and inserted into my wedding binder but alas, no bridesmaid dress caught our eye. So, we did what anyone would do. Headed across the street to MyFroYo to drown ourselves in tubs of yogurt a’course. I had strawberry/raspberry + rainbow sprinkles.

Megan was a tad upset about having nothing to show for the fruits of our labor. We tried to remind her of the cute Vera Wang dresses and decided we would go home and maybe make a list of our favorites. Lists are good. So we drove home but ended up getting a wee bit side tracked with YouTube makeup tutorials, the taco-truck delicacies that fiance Ben brought over and a competitive game of Catch Phrase.

On Sunday, we woke up with new-found focus and sheer determination. So we hiked up our britches, slapped on the ol’ warpaint and made our way to beautiful downtown Kennewick in pursuit of a dress at the Purple Parasol. ‘Twas closed 😦

“Oh blah-dee, oh blah-da, life goes on ohhhh brah!…Lala how the life goes on!”

Luckily, the day was saved by a trip to Calloway Gardens with Meg, my Mom and my Aunt to visit one of my all-time favorite peeps, m’G-Dot. Grandma Dorothy for those of you who don’t know this sassy little lady. She can’t remember much these days and enjoys her food mushed up a little, but girlfriend is still fierce and I love her so very much.

Dorothy in Tribal Print

I left Kennewick just in time to make it back to Bryan’s parent’s house for a mother’s day dinner. We had Qu’ed up shrimp, the Canlis Salad and a yummy strawberry-rhubarb crumble ala mode. Bry’s mom cooked for US on mother’s day…yeah, we owe her big time.

And then a miracle happened! EUREKA! Megan went back to the Purple Parisol on Monday and found the perfect MOH dress. I texted her my measurements and we are well on our way to bridesmaid perfection. Btw, apparently I have a large rib cage.

Up next will be her shower and then the moment we’ve all been waiting for…the Bachelorette party.

Oh yeaaahhh!