Bridal Expo

My friend Lindsay and I went to the annual Jaycees Bridal Expo at the River Center on Saturday. I had intended to go in the past, but always had a conflict. I wanted to scope out the vendors and try to find some preferred companies to work with in the future, as well as check out my competition for event planning. Nothing too interesting to report, but I'm glad I went. It worked out well that I had a bride to go with!

We had quite a few visitors this weekend, both from Jord's family and mine. I left the Valentine's decor up until everyone left, then today I began the process of preparing the house for St. Patrick's Day. We'll be hosting a big party in honor of my dad, so I want to have plenty of time to tweak things so it looks perfect. St. Patrick's Day and all of the events that go with it have become all-consuming, so that will be my major focus for the next six weeks. I'll have to make time for my other commitments, but this is such a big deal for my family that I really want to make it special for everyone.

Almost There

My lighting project is nearly complete. The two new matching pendants are up in the kitchen. They are definitely an upgrade, in both their visual appeal and the amount of light they provide. Now, I just need to find one more light for the center of the kitchen as well as a hall light. Then the first floor illumination will be done!

Carpenter has packed up and left his key. He finished all the projects that we initially needed done, minus the kitchen bench which has been put on hold. All the doors have been replaced, and Jord continues to paint them – maybe that will be done someday. Carpenter will come back once the sliding glass door is replaced to finish up the quarter rounds. We might also be calling him to tile the backsplash if we decide to replace the counters, which is a great possibility.

The next project is yet to be decided. We’d like to tackle the two bathrooms, but I don’t have a vision yet. We’re both dying to have the basement redone, and although we have a pretty good idea of what we want, the funding is questionable. And then there’s the neglected backyard – we need a fence and some landscaping, not to mention building a deck. My mom keeps reminding me that we’re in no rush, but I feel like we can’t sit back and enjoy the house until everything is complete.

St. Patrick Society

I attended my first St. Patrick Society meeting last night. My dad, Jord and I went together, and of course my dad knew just about everyone in the room. We walked into the Knights of Columbus and found our way to the basement where a handful of members had already congregated along with the board of directors. The meeting was called to order and the new members were asked to introduce themselves, meaning Jord and me. We were the youngest people in the room by about 20 years. The next order of business was to announce the grand marshal. The board had voted just minutes before we arrived and unanimously selected my dad! Yes, my dad will be the grand marshal of the Quad Cities St. Patrick’s Day Grand Parade 2011, just as my Papa was in 1992. This is the first time that the second generation of a past grand marshal has been chosen. What an honor for the Collins clan! Of course as they announced this I proceeded to cry uncontrollably, overcome with emotions. I tried to get a grip, and be attentive to the remainder of the agenda items, but my mind was racing. We have to get him a green tweed jacket, we need to plan a party, we have to tell Mamie before someone else has the chance! The next seven weeks leading up to the parade and other festivities are going to be exciting and hectic, but I couldn’t be happier for my dad. Needless to say, it was a memorable first meeting. Let the preparations begin and mark your calendar for parade day, March 12th!

Baby Baby Baby

The baby shower went off without a hitch! Despite the bitter cold, we had 16 guests so it made for a full house. The food was amazing, my personal favorites being my dad’s chicken curry dip and sausage cheddar wontons, a new staple at all of my parties. Of course my mom was there to assist me before, during and after the event, and was immensely helpful, as always. Between the music, festive décor and plentiful food and drink, I think it was a success. Not to mention that Meagan and Brendan got the last of their baby necessities. Here's a look:

The adorable handmade banner by Sarah Ree

One and only floral arrangement

Dessert table

Just enough room for the lunch spread

Meagan, 2nd from left, with some college friends

Kathy, Meagan and Tootsie

Drapes

Things are looking up! The living/dining room finally has drapes. I found some curtain rods at Lowe’s – who knew it was so difficult to track down a 128” long rod? So last night, Jord and I tried to remain calm while we worked together to put up the drapes. The last time we did this, hanging the curtains in the den, it didn’t go so well. This time around was a little easier since they were being hung at the crown molding, meaning no mishaps with leveling. It turned out to be a three hour ordeal, but we got through it successfully. They look amazing, if I do say so myself. I think they’re more in the drape category rather than curtains. There’s probably not much of a difference, they just seem more formal or something. Jord commented that the neighbors would be mad that they can no longer see right into our house – we have so many passersby that are not shy about staring. Hey, I would be curious too! Anyways, what an improvement! The pewter color complements the navy walls beautifully. Granted, they are a little long – they are meant to have the rod through the top, called a “pole pocket”, however I prefer the look of using clips so they hang nicely. The clips bring the drapes down a few extra inches, so they puddle at the floor. We’ll live with them as-is for now, but may have to get them altered at some point.

Now we’re onto the final preparations for the party. Ironing table cloths, steaming drapes, cleaning every inch of the house. Tomorrow night we’ll get the last of the essentials and begin food prep: cutting veggies, making dips, preparing cake balls. Luckily I have delegated some of the menu items, so there isn’t too much to do in that department. And I get to pick out and arrange flowers, one of my very favorite things to do!

It's Always Something

The West Elm order arrived, or so I thought. The cords for the two lights weren’t included, so those can’t be installed yet. Then, come to find out, one of the rods is bent. Plus, the longer rod for the picture window isn’t even big enough. So I guess we’ll be out searching for rods this week – you know, in our abundant free time. On the bright side, the last door arrived at Lowe’s today, so we’ll pick that up and get it hung and painted. Cross your fingers that no other road bumps occur this week!

Test Run

This weekend was spent preparing for the baby shower next Saturday. Most importantly, we did a test run for one of the dips - warm curry chicken. Very tasty! I always do a taste test for any new recipes prior to a party. The menu has been finalized so there won't be any last minute guessing.

Test run of warm curry chicken dip

A whole slew of items on the checklist have been done. The kitchen cabinets under the sink are finally complete. All the doors but one are on and Jord is in the painful process of painting. The missing door somehow got overlooked at the store so we have to wait a few weeks until it comes in. Very annoying! All the Valentine's decorations are up and we even hung a handful of pictures and knick knacks. I did some Martha Stewart crafts to add to the festivity. The new lighting and curtains arrived today, so we'll have to hustle to get those up this week. It'll be a busy few days to finish everything up in time for our guests!

One of the Martha Stewart crafts - so cute!

Groupon

Over the last few days I've become absolutely obsessed with getting Groupon to the Quad Cities. I really miss all the great deals. The closest one is for Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, which just won't due. It introduced us to so many things we wouldn't have otherwise done in Chicago. I think my favorite was a beer and bacon tasting. I've already signed up for the Boston deals in preparation for our upcoming trip. Today I emailed Groupon with my suggestion, and got a generic response prompting me to vote for my location. So, help me with my campaign! Go to www.groupon.com/city_suggestions/new and enter your email address and zip code 52803. Maybe they'll choose me to help launch the QCA Groupon. One can hope...

West Elm

West Elm image of silk dupioni curtain panels in pewter

I was so excited when I checked the mail yesterday and there was a West Elm coupon for 20% off my next order. What a coincidence! I had been adding and deleting items from my cart on their website for the last few days. Their store in Oak Brook was always on our route when we’d be out browsing, but I often forget to check them out online. I pared my cart down to the essentials, but it was still a big purchase. The big ticket item was curtains for the living room. The panels, silk dupioni in pewter, are only 48” wide so they’ll have to be altered to fit the large picture window, but they’ll be just right for the two smaller windows in the dining room. They are 96” long, so they’ll hang close to the ceiling for a dramatic effect. I also ordered corresponding curtain rods, but I’m going to try something to make them more unique. Sarah found a box of these things at an estate sale – I don’t know the correct term for them, but we like the look they create. This is definitely inspired by the show Sarah’s House! To round out the order are two yellow pendant lights for the kitchen – one above the sink and the other for the hallway above the pantry. I had to pass on some other lighting, curtains for the sun porch, a side table and a cocktail ottoman. Maybe next time!

Box of architectural thingamabobs

Seasonal Decorating

Today was dedicated to housework. I finally removed our Christmas decorations, a chore I had been avoiding since last weekend. I need to get the house ready for the baby shower that's only two weeks away. Usually we go straight into the St. Patrick's season, so I don't have a large stock of red and pink items. My mom and I did some shopping this weekend and I found a few additional pieces. Plus she loaned me some of her seasonal adornments. After I got out all my Valentine’s décor, I realized that I have more than enough to work with! It's a whole process for me to decorate for each holiday. My typical fashion: display everything on a table and wait for inspiration to strike. The second part hasn't happened yet, so it looks like this will drag out all week.