Big News Part 2. (Pic Heavy)

We weren't sure when we should have our civil ceremony since as far as i'm concerned, our wedding date will always be August 7th. So we went to the court house to get our marriage license and just chose a random date - last Tuesday. Most people were at work so we asked Mr. M's sister and my cousin/best friend to be witnesses. The four of us and my son jumped in the car and drove down to Manhattan. 

Once we got our license, I scoured the net for a dress and found this pretty ivory dress from David's Bridal for only $99. And most of you may remember my $14 aqua shoes.

                


















I really didn't want to be too over the top because I didn't want anyone staring at me and wondering where I was going so I wore jeans and changed into my dress when we got there.  I was so surprised to see people there in full wedding attire, veil and all and full entourage. Flower girl and bridal party.

Anyway Mr. Muscle wore a nice suit (although not the one we bought for the "real" wedding) and I think we looked pretty decent. The process was pretty clinical and if I didn't know that we would be having a celebration after, i'd be very disappointed and unhappy. You get there and present your info, license, ID and the form you're supposed to fill out; pay $35  and you're given a number.

     

  
We were then asked to wait till our number was called. We were called  to another window where we  presented all our info again and  this time we were asked to sign the certificate. Our witnesses were also asked to sign. We were given another number and asked to wait again.

When we were called this time, we were told to wait in this little waiting area and my cousin turned to us and said "this is it guys, you are about to be married". I honestly didn't feel like I was getting married and crossing a threshold. As a matter of fact, I felt a little sad because it didn't feel very romantic. Most of our loved ones weren't there to see us getting married. Mr. Muscle saw how down I looked so he pulled me aside and told me he loved me (awwww) and said that we didn't have to do it if I didn't want to and we could do it after the celebration in August. I realized then that I was really marrying my darling and nothing else should matter.

I was still a little serious when we came back to sit. My cousin said she wanted the day documented, so she took as many pictures as possible although she didn't take us when we had our little chat because she said that was private.

Mr. M decided to cheer me up by doing some silly faces and then got up and started dancing. It really made me laugh and further cemented how much I love this guy. My son also joined in the dancing but those pictures got messed up. Don't ask me how.

Finally a lady came into the little waiting area yelling over her shoulder "left or right?" to which someone shouted out "right". I had no idea what that meant until she marched past us and went opened a door on the right which was our chapel.

She started rattling off the beginning of our "ceremony" before we even realized we had started. We then scrambled to get our rings out of my son's Thomas the Train bag and she didn't stop for a second. By the time we got the rings and were properly ready, it was time to place them on our fingers.

It was really awkward and our "officiant" really didn't help the matter. She just recited everything like it was her hundredth time (i'm sure that it was). 

Then it was time to kiss. My cousin made some silly remark like careful this woman doesn't hit you or something like that and we started laughing, hence our faces looking like we were about to explode during our kiss.

Our son was running around the room the whole time and playing with his trains.
These are just some pictures we took while waiting to be called:

          

      

                

UNfortunately we didn't take any pictures outside because 1. my SIL got a call from her son's school and she had to go asap and 2. it was hot as a mother trucker last Tuesday.

The night after, we had a little get together for just family at our apartment and that was really fun. we had cake, beer, and of course chicken. We danced and sang and we really had a great time.

So there you have it, that's our story.

JEM.

My Big News!!!!!! PT1

First of all, thanks al you lovely ladies for your congratulations. For those of you who've been following for a little while, you'll remember that I told you about my employment issues or lack thereof and that we had decided to downgrade our wedding. A bit.

The plan was to have a civil ceremony and then a reception later. So our reception was planned for August 7th, our original wedding date and invites were sent out stating that there'd been a slight change to the plans. I won 100 postcards  for hosting a giveaway and used them to indicate the change in plans. The invitation wording basically announced our marriage and gave the details for the reception.

If you click on the image maybe you can read the wording. If you can't, it goes like this

Our names

are happy to announce our marriage and

invite you to join us to celebrate the beginning of our life

together at a cocktail reception

Saturday, August seventh two thousand and ten

Seven o'clock in the evening

Name of the place and address

So everything about the reception remains the same but we won't have an official ceremony before. Mr. Muscle's cousin who's a pastor in training will say a few words before the "partay" starts. So our plans really aren't changing that much we're still taking pictures in the same park that we would have been married in.

I'm sure some of you are thinking if we're going to do all that, why not just have a ceremony, well after all was said and done we would be paying almost $1000 for the ceremony with rentals, officiant fee, travel costs etc. so we just boycotted the whole idea. We went to City Hall in Manhattan and just did the deed. Stay tuned for part 2. Actually doing the deed.

Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging it'll be right after.

JEM.

25 Random Facts Award and Surprise...

I received this award back from Dancy of Beer Budget Bride's Musings and I just love it. he, he

1. I was born in St.Lucia where the population is about 300,000. That's like the number of people living   

    in my building in the Bronx (just kidding) and no everybody doesn't know everybody.

2. I love peanut butter and cheese sandwiches. I know, yum!

3. I used to swear like a sailor but stopped when I became a mommy, well sort of. I may still let one slip when my son is out of earshot.

4. I can't hold my liquor so I don't drink anymore. Although I plan to drink more than my fair share at my wedding.

5. Surprisingly I never smoked weed/ganga/spliff/chronic/grass (you get the drift) but I did smoke 

    cigarettes for 6 months. It got old, so I stopped, since it was all about image.

6. I lived in Toronto for  5 years where I graduated at Seneca College. It's such a beautiful, polite and friendly city. Now I live in NY. Enough said. ha, ha

7. Mr. Muscle is Jamaican but I speak better Jamaican patois than him.

8. I got a degree in Hospitality Studies, changed my mind and got a degree in Accounting then became   

    an office assistant. Now I want to be David Tutera. Go figure.

9. I've become so enamored with wedding planning and DIY projects that I'm going to get certified in 

    wedding planning. See 8

10. I climbed St. Lucia's 2nd tallest mountain. Twice. Although not on the same day. This is me at the top. It's the shorter mountain you see in the picture in number 1. My skinnier days.

11. Like a lot of my fellow bloggers, I want to write a book and started a few times. The closest I ever got was writing one full chapter about men and sex. well mostly men and sexual encounters. Both imagined and real. Ha, ha. I settled on writing poetry and had a notebook full of poems.

12. I lost said book of poetry, all novels, old text books, clothes,  and basically all my stuff from Toronto when my ex roommate decided to hold them hostage or whatever the hell she did when I moved back to St.Lucia. I had planned to have them shipped to me after. She refused to send them and I really didn't think a trip to Toronto to try to find  a few material things was worth it at the time. Plus i'd probably have to bust a cap in her ass. Just kidding. Remember kids, violence is not the answer. 

13. I love, love the sea, beach, ocean, water and Mr. Muscle is the exact opposite. Sometimes I wonder if he really came from Jamaica.

14. People say that after a couple has been together for a while, they start to look like each other. Just look at Mr. M and I. See a resemblance? 

15. Between Mr. Muscle and I, we have 8 parents. Both of our parents divorced and remarried. My son gets a hell of a lot more presents at christmas and birthdays from his Nana, Grandma, Granny and Ms. Paulette; his Papa, Granpa, Uncle Tony (don't ask) and Daddy.

16. I was an elementary school teacher for 4 years and loved it but when the school politics tok over, it became very unenjoyable, so I quit and flew to Canada.

17. My cousin/best friend and I once bussed to Montreal for Jazz Festival and tried to speak French the whole time. Needless to say people were staring at us like we were crazy since our french wasn't french after all. It was hilarious. Oui, oui monsieur.

18. A a teenager and in my early 20s, I had the thickest eyebrows ever and refused to have them done. Don't believe me?

19. My maiden name is my mom's maiden name for some reason and she's remarried and has her husband's name. So my last name isn't either of my parent's name. It raises some eyebrows when I fill out family info on forms. Some people must think I was a foster kid or adopted.

20. I would love to move to North Carolina. I know after living in NY, it will be a much slower and laid back pace but that's really what I want right now. I think.

21. When I was little, I had shirley Temple curls and especially hated when little old ladies said I was so cute. I wanted straight hair like my sisters but my mom wouldn't hear of it. 

22. My son is named Anthony and if I have a daughter, i'll either name her Teresa Lyzette after my and Mr. Muscle's mother. Or i'll just name her Skyla cause I love that name.

23. I just might make it. Almost  at 25.

24. I have huge news for you. Coming soon.Wait for it.

25. WE GOT MARRIED!  YES WE DID! Now you HAVE to come back for my next post.

Thanks again Dancy for starting this post and now i'll pass this award on to:

• Jacin of She Said Yes
• Frugalista of Frugalista Getting Married
• Ms. Sunday of Sunday Bride
• Tamar of The 2500 Mile Wedding
• Erica of Love at eh Lodge
• Tova of The Tova 100 Song ADD fun hour
• Leigh of All you need is Love
• Penga
• Sara of Olive Wedding

The only rule is to pass it on to however many people you like.

JEM.

Congratulations Frugalista

Today Frugalista is getting married and I would just like to wish her and MJ the best wedding day ever. I know you'll be a beautiful bride and your handsome groom will complete the package. Congratulations again.

JEM.

Inspiration

This post was inspired by Dancy from Beer Budget Musings.  She started this random thoughts blog posting which was hilarious by the way and a few other bloggers have joined in the fun. So I decided to take it a step further and actually create an award for it before I jot down my random 25 things. I got to tinkering with Word and Grab and came up with this pretty little thing.

So without further ado, I pass this on to the lady who started it all. Dancy.
The only rule is you now pass it on. It doesn't matter to how many people.  I see that a few other ladies have already listed theirs so it should be easy to get the ball rolling. I hope it comes back to me (hint, hint). Then I can list my 25 randoms. Thanks Dancy!
JEM.