The Open Bar Conundrum

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This past week, Miss Powder Puff and I had the pleasure of meeting a number of you through the wonders of BeeTV! One topic that came up was the eternal bridal issue of the open bar. (Dun, dun, dunnnn.)

Alcohol in general can be a touchy subject for many brides throughout the wedding process. Some brides have families that are vehemently against alcohol period; while others may demand it. Of all the decisions that are often harshly criticized by those around us, alcohol can sometimes be the most closely scrutinized. For brides who can afford to offer alcohol at their wedding, the decision can be fraught with stress, especially if you have one or more guests that you know have an alcohol problem. For some weddings, the vast majority of guests do not drink alcohol at all for reasons of faith or culture, which definitely avoids the problems that offering alcohol can cause. In my case, many of my guests DO drink, and I definitely want to have one, MAYBE two glasses of champagne, tops. As Miss Powder Puff wisely points out - nobody wants to see a drunky bride. No bueno. (although you are free to disagree, of course!!)

Some brides would like to offer a selection of "drinks" at their reception, but are on the tightest of budgets, and the idea of a cash bar strikes their fancy. Often these brides get the monster smackdown from other brides-in-planning. (Do NOT bring up the cash bar on The Knot Message Boards - especially the Planning & Etiquette board - if you want to escape with your life.) For me - and this is just my opinion - I have no problem with a cash bar. I understand that many brides are on a budget, especially in a difficult economy. In no way do I see a cash bar as a slight. I see it as... the bride and groom are on a budget, and they'd rather offer a way to have a beer or a glass of wine, rather than nothing at all. And really, if I am offended that the bride and groom are offering a cash bar... then I might need to adjust my priorities. The whole point of a wedding is to celebrate the creation of a new family, and that should be my focus, not an opportunity to criticize their party-throwing skills. That is just my take though!

In the end, you are the only one who knows your guest list the best. You know whether your crowd would appreciate a glass of wine or a cocktail at your celebration or whether they would prefer a "dry" reception. It's easy to get caught up in other people's judgments of how you should plan your wedding, but take other's opinions with a grain of salt. Someone who opines from a wedding article in a magazine or on a wedding message board is not your friend, and they see your wedding from a purely technical point of view. Your wedding guests (hopefully) love you and attend your wedding with that viewpoint. They are not going to go crazy because you are offering a cash bar or pull out their Emily Post reference guide. Remember that when you are reading the umpteenth article or message board post on the evils of the cash bar.

On the flip side, an open bar can provide its own set of problems, most obviously intake management. For me, Mr. Dragon and I ARE offering an open bar - with safeguards in place (hopefully some of you will find these tips helpful!)

• The super-vast majority of our guests are responsible drinkers (we are 30, most people "settle down" on the drinking by that age.) However, when we go in for our final venue meeting, we are going to talk to our onsite coordinator about keeping people from getting sloppy - just in case. We plan to let her know that we FULLY support our bartender in cutting people off who are drinking too much. We are also going to tell her that displaying the standard sign that reads "We reserve the right to deny service" is absolutely ok by us, and we will back up the bartender if he elects to act on that policy.
  
• We are setting up a soda station separate from the bar, so that my 12-year-old brother isn't going to the bar to get a Coke!!!
• Although we selected our hotel venue in an effort to make our out-of-town guests more comfy, an added bonus is that our guests that intend to drink more than a glass or two can get a hotel room. No driving required! (Thankfully, Chicago is super cab-friendly, too.)
• Another tip I would offer - and of course you have to play this strategy close to the vest to avoid hurt feelings - is to notify your bartender if "Uncle Sal" is an irresponsible drinker. Then your bartender can especially monitor the problem child's intake to avoid any embarassing incidents. Although you may feel funny pointing one particular guest out - it's better than the alternative; and there is no need for that guest to know he was especially brought to the bartender's attention.

So this was a long blog post - but alcohol at weddings is a touchy subject, with many permutations. Cash bar, wine/beer bar, open bar, etc. etc. My take is... do what works for you and your crowd; be responsible; and don't let other people make you crazy about it. Anyone have any other helpful tips for navigating this rocky road??

Dress for Success

As stated before... I was DREADING bridal gown shopping. I hate to shop; I can never find cocktail dresses that I like/flatter my body - the reasons to be annoyed go on and on... I had to psyche myself up to start looking for a wedding dress, hence why I am really riding the "deadline" to order a dress.

[Small sidebar - The Knot's timeline checklist is super-stressful!! I am perpetually 50 checks behind!]

I had also prepared myself to go alone, since my family lives in Texas and Boston, and I feel guilty about asking anyone to take time out to go with me! I got over that bridal guilt real quick, and I was extremely lucky to have *Snappymom, Snappy-T, Dragonmom, and Dragonsister accompany me. Snappymom very kindly flew up from Texas, so that I was not struggling alone!

I made appointments at three boutiques, and my mission was to figure out what styles A)flatter my bod and B)feel like ME. Let's get started!

This dress was unusual and age-appropriate, which I liked, but SO unforgiving! I'd have to lose about 15 pounds and become super-buff, which I am working on... but let's not go crazy.

I liked the fabric on this one a lot, but it just didn't feel right. Super-fun to wear though, and really light.

I wanted to try something with sleeves, so I took this one for a spin. The sleeves kept falling off! I know alterations are helpful, but.... you can see the back is open, and there is only so much alterations can do.

This dress made me feel like a rockstar! Big, poofy fit-and-flare, and that fun gunmetal fabric again. However, my, um, assets, are on full display - so this wasn't going to work. This IS when I discovered that I love the full-length veil, so not a total loss!

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this one! Just look at the train! Yummy scrunchiness. This dress was (cough) roughly three times my budget, so it had to go back, too. I console myself with the fact that this dress was way too boobilicious, as well. (Thank God! If it had been absolutely perfect... we might have had issues!)

I had been interested in the Melissa Sweet Lia dress, and when I saw this lookalike on the rack, I had to test it out. Once I tried it on, I knew I would adore it... if I were a cake topper. No moving, jumping, dancing, or sitting if I went with this selection. SO this hot little number went right back on the rack.

This was an entourage favorite, and the one halter that didn't make me feel overexposed. This is the type of dress I had always thought I wanted but after I actually put it on... meh.

I liked this one a lot, and the price was outstanding (!) However, I felt like I would want to wear this to a beach wedding, and our partay is shaping up to be a bit more formal, so I nixed this one, too.

This one was super-cute on, but really heavy. I am trying to select a dress that is at least somewhat comfy in addition to being perty. In the end, this one just didn't feel "right."

Ok, EVERYONE loved this one! I stepped up on the pedestal, and all of the sudden there was crying. My reaction was something like, "What the???" I also really liked how this dress totally flattered my figure, but I kept getting hung up on the neckline. I kept saying, "I *think* I like the neckline..." which is a signal to step away from the dress!!!!

SO, I did not end up choosing any of the dresses I tried on my first day, but - and this is a very big BUT - I learned so much about what I liked/didn't like. I learned that I didn't like traditional dresses as much as I thought I would, and my body does well with structured dresses. Also, NO HALTERS! :)

For those of you yet to embark on your own wedding gown journey, here are a few tips that helped me:

• Wear your hair up (if you think you might employ an updo for the big day.)
• Wear a button-down shirt so your hair doesn't get all crazy from the constant changing of clothes.
• This is a no-brainer, but wear granny panties (nobody wants to see TOO much booty!)
• Wear a strapless bra (even if you have no plans to wear a strapless dress - you might change your mind midday!)
• Wear slip-on shoes.
• Be open to trying on anything, and for sure try on the one style you think you will NEVER wear. You might be surprised at the results.
• Bring snacks and water.
• Bring a camera. I have immediate amnesia and need a reminder as to what I looked like!

What dress-shopping tips would YOU like to share with the Hive??

*Moniker Legend: Snappymom=mi madre, Snappy-T=one of my good friends who is a bridesmaid, Dragonmom and Dragonsister=Mr. Snappy's family (He has requested that I refer to him as Mr. Dragon instead of Mr. Snappy, as apparently his former alias is not masculine enough - what a DIVA!) ;)

The Sweetest Scent

Few things are more personal than a woman's perfume. We all often have extremely strong feelings about what scents or colognes we prefer. For me, I HATE perfume most of the time - mainly because so many perfumes are impolite - They can really overwhelm a room. To me, the best scents are the ones that really only someone who is very close to you will detect (i.e. Mr. Snapdragon.) I also have a supreme appreciation for bottled perfumes that actually smell like something real, not just a chemical concoction.

SO, this weekend my mom (she was visiting from Texas) and I went on the hunt for a wedding day perfume. Even though I rarely wear perfume, I would like to wear some sort of scenty something on my wedding day. Armed with a few recommendations... I set forth on my mission.

Originally, I fully intended to purchase something from Anthropologie or the Fresh counter. I love Anthropologie perfumes because I can always recognize the scent (smells like grapefruit or lemons, etc.) Surprisingly, Anthropologie bombed out for me this time. Though they had GORGEOUS perfume bottles, I can't buy a perfume based on packaging - that would just be silly. I am not sure what happened. Somewhere between the last time I bought Anthro. perfume and now, they developed many new lines that seem much more complicated, for lack of a better word - hence more chemically smelling. So no go for Anthropologie (though we did find several other fun items!!!) Take a look at this adorable perfume bottle though:

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While on my journey between Anthropologie and the Fresh counter, I veered into Sephora. (Really, is it even POSSIBLE to walk past a Sephora without venturing inside? Heck no!) I had heard of several perfumes that are popular for brides, so I checked those out first:

Daisy, by Marc Jacobs
NOTES - Strawberry, Violet Leaves, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Gardenia, Violet, Jasmine, Musk, Vanilla, White Woods
Snappy's Take: The bottle is so, so cute (can you tell I am easily swayed by marketing??) but the scent was too complicated and confusing for my taste.

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Nina, by Nina Ricci
NOTES - Calabrese Lemon, Ciprinha Lime, Red Toffee Apple, Vanilla Infusion, Moonflower, Peony Petals, Apple Tree Wood, Cotton Musk
Snappy's Take: I had high hopes for this one, but again this perfume had too much going on, and really had a high chemical-type quality to the smell. Again, such a cute bottle. (le sigh)

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Vera Wang, the Frangrance
NOTES - Bulgarian Rose, Calla Lily, Mandarin Flower, Gardenia, Lotus, Iris, White Stephanotis
Snappy's Take: I actually didn't mind this one TOO much. I think I related better to this perfume because the notes stick to a floral palette. However, I just didn't love it, so.... no cigar.

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Just when I was giving up hope, I hit the motherlode, a perfect storm of scents that I really liked...

Brit Sheer, by Burberry
NOTES - Yuzu, Pineapple Leaves, Litchi, Mandarin, Grapes, Pink Peony, Peach blossom, Nashi, White Musk, Blond Woods
Snappy's Take: I really liked this one. Brit Sheer is light and SO polite. I didn't feel like the smell was overwhleming at all, and the scent was like a fruit orchard - light, light, light, and recognizable. I didn't select this one, but... I almost bought it!

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J'Adore, by Dior
NOTES - Mandarin, Champaca Flowers, Ivy, African Orchid, Rose, Violet, Damascus Plum, Amaranth Wood, Blackberry Musk
Snappy's Take: One of my Snapsisters recently discovered this perfume and made the recommendataion, so I made sure to check J'Adore out. Yum, yum, yum - The smell was again really polite and soft, while the musk kept the perfume from going TOO soft. I didn't select this one either, but J'Adore was a top contender.

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And now - drumroll please - the WINNER!

Miss Dior Cherie, by Dior
NOTES - Green tangerine, Violette, Pink jasmine, Patchouli, Crystalline musk, Strawberry leaves, Caramelized popcorn, Strawberry sorbet
Snappy's Take: I LOVE THIS PERFUME!!! Apparently Dior perfumes go over well on me! If I would have read the aroma notes before test running this one.... I would have passed right on by. Crazy, isn't it? Patchouli? Really? Somehow, the Dior Masters spun all of these unusual notes into a perfume that is feminine, polite, soft without being musty - with specific, sharp notes that create a distinctly NON-chemically smell. AND - the bottle is adorable. Swoon!

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So I never made it over to Fresh... What perfumes do you recommend??

My Magical Wedding Venue: Part Two

As you may have guessed, we are totally getting married at B&B's wedding site, The Hyatt Lodge. (This is also the venue of Mrs. Emerald fame!) I am so excited, I can't stand it.

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Round about in July, Mr. Snaps and I started looking for a venue that fit our special needs. We REALLY wanted everyone to be comfortable. We started with the internet, looking high and low. There was always something wrong with everything. Either the food was iffy or the place was less-than-attractive, etc. etc. I knew The Hyatt worked for people with physical disabilities because B&B have several family members with serious disabilities, and they had a great experience. B had nothing but good things to say. That went a loooooooong way for me. If my family drove all the way from Texas, only to be uncomfortable.... well, that would really be AWFUL. The property is so beautiful that I knew our guests would love it. After getting the official blessing from B, we signed on the dotted line! I can't wait. You've already seen pics of the ceremony site, here are a few (undecorated!) pics of the reception site - use your Bee-magination. ;)

All photos my own, unless otherwise noted...

Our ceremony site, unless it rains...

The location of our soda bar. Shut it - the Snapdragons are all soda monsters - we will need our own soda station! You do not want to get inbetween a Snapdragon and their soda. This bar will be mainly stocked with Coke and Cherry Coke, with a minimum of Diet Coke for Snappymom. As Snappydad says... "Diet Coke makes me want to shave my tongue."

Where we'll be dancin'/dinin' - floor to ceiling windows on most sides of our room - love!

Here's the really great thing about this room - we are going to be able to create extra space between the tables. Why is this important, you may ask? Well, for guests who use wheelchairs/walkers, they need extra aisle room in order to feel comfortable getting around. I don't want anyone to be socially impaired because they are stuck at their own table.

The view out of the windows... at night the trees will be lit up with white Christmas lights. :)

I am so, so happy we found this place. They meet all of our needs, and we can't wait to get married here. Was your venue search easy or stressful?

My Magical Wedding Venue: Part One

When Mr. Snapdragon and I decided to start planning our wedding, I was most worried about our venue. We needed a place that consolidated all of these elements:

• Close to Chicago
• ADA-standard accessibility
• Affordable hotel block
• Ability to have all of the wedding events in one place
• Over and above being practical... we need to LIKE IT :)

We need to hold the wedding close to Chicago so Mr. Snap's family can get there (they are true city folk, with minimal cars!) We needed the ADA-accessibility and affordable hotel rooms for reasons explained here, and the need for a one-stop wedding is a bit obvious. Would YOU want to load up and transport all of the Snapdragons from party to party? Mmmm, no, and I AM a Snapdragon. :) It will be much better structured in such a way that I get ready at the hotel, my mom can pop in whenever, my siblings can go where-ever they want, and my poor Snappydad (who would have just driven a boatload of Snapdragons 18 hours one-way) can take a break from driving.

Believe it or not, we found such a place, and I am head over heels in love with our location. When everything worked out... I literally felt a spotlight from heaven and heard the angels singing - SUCH a load off of my mind!

Our venue search actually began before we even officially decided to start wedding planning.... Way back on a cloudy day in May.... Mr. Snapdragon and I attended my college buddies' wedding out in the Chicago burbs. B and I lived together with about five other girls in college, and then we were apartment roomies for about four years after graduation, so I was extremely excited to see her married off. We saw each other through several boyfriends!

B and her beau met in college, and we were all thrilled to see them tie the knot. Many of our friends from college attended, so we had the added element of a reunion, which is also so nice. B shares my love of all things crafty, and she is so creative! We could SO tell that this was THEIR wedding, their personalities were absolutely reflected in everything throughout the night.

All pro-pics by Mike Schneider Photography.

When Mr. Snaps and I drove onto the property, we were immediately wowed by how BEAUTIFUL everything was... One second we were on the highway... the next in the middle of a beautiful forest, next to a shimmering lake. For city peeps.... that is pure gold! In the midst of the natural surroundings, the hotel is uber-modern. Minimalist decor, floor to ceiling windows (wall to wall, might I add,) - lots of straight lines. So beautiful. The clouds were threatening rain - bad for bridal nerves, good for photos (cloudy days make for the best photog days.) Thankfully, the actual raindrops held off long enough for our friends to get married. :) See these pics from the ceremony...

Waiting, waiting...

B in her beautiful dress - I love that she chose a rose-aisle... it worked so well with the natural surroundings.

Mid-marrying... about right here is where we were all praying that the clouds would hold on to their rain for 15 more minutes!

Success!

Party-time!!!! So, now that B and Beau are hitched - hereafter known as B&B - it's time to drink, dance, and model! Yes, that's right, I said model. Although photobooths have caught on like wildfire, B booked one way back at the beginning of the trend, and I had never seen one at a wedding before. Best. Idea. Ever. I am a total photobooth 'ho (that's right, I said it!) If there is a photobooth within five miles of myself, you best believe I will force all my friends into said booth for a ridiculous photo session. I gave B a hug following her ceremony for two reasons: 1) I wanted to congratulate the new married lady 2) I was in tears from sheer happiness at the prospect of unlimited photobooth happiness alllll night. (sigh) It was a special moment.

B&B's entire wedding took place at the same hotel, which is actually a retreat of sorts, hence the mass numbers of trees, grass, and flowers. We loved that after the ceremony, we only had to walk about 20 steps to pick up a flute of champagne... Their reception included a cocktail hour and then dinner and dancing in the hotel's grand ballroom. Very special phrase: Floor-to-ceiling windows. Really gorgeous. There was so much natural light, that you didn't need the electrics 'til after sundown.

As we Bees love the details - here's a taste...

Flowers, flowers everywhere...

B&B's escort cards were so cute. The bride halved wine corks and then used each half to hold up the individual cards. Simple, easy, and elegant.

Ummmm, lots of dancing, hence the bare feet you see below. There *might* have been mass Soulja Boy reenactments. ;) They also had a custom gobo made, which was really beautiful, especially once the light started to dim.

B made table numbers by taking a B&W photo of her dog Comet holding a blank sign. She then Photoshopped in the different table numbers and set them up on easels for each table. It was really fun and personal, especially since Comet couldn't come to the wedding (he's sprightly!) The signs were narrow and tall and matted. Highly recommended.

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There were few things for which I do not have photos... (Bad Bee!) B also put together a yummo candy bar. This was back before candy bars caught on - B is a trendsetter! I had never heard of such a thing, and as you might imagine, I was over-the-moon delighted. I pretty much made myself sick off of Sourpatch Kids - Success!

Completely exhausted and partied out, Mr. Snapdragon and I dragged ourselves back into the city. About a month later, this wedding 'specially came back into play...

Yes, I am sure you can guess where this set of blogs is leading.... bear with Old Snaps. ;)

A Winning Wedding Website

Ok, so now that we've covered the technicalities of making a wedding website work in my previous post (redirects, masking, etc.) ... onward with content! Obviously, this is just how we created our website. There are things that I wish we did differently and things that I really like about our site. Hopefully, this will help those of you in the midst of building your own fantabulous sites!

As I mentioned in my past post... I can't say this enough: As soon as you set up your URL, have a few friends try to get to the site from different computers BEFORE you set up all your content. If the URL is tricky or prone to problems due to the company you chose... it's good to know that early on, before you spend hours slaving away at your computer. (but I'm not bitter.) :)

We picked a wedding website service where I could just select a design theme and then enter text and pictures - one where we could use tools like RSVP, Guest Music Requests, etc. Mr. Snapdragon COULD have designed and built our own site... but that just seemed like a can 'o worms. Many props to those of you who started from scratch!!!

Our site includes a Welcome Page, Our Story, Bride and Groom, Bridal Party, Grooms' Party, Ceremony/Reception Info, Accommodations/Directions, Local Activities/Dining, Guestbook, Contact Us, Online RSVP, Music Requests, and Registry. SHEESH - it is now clear why our wedding website took two months to finish: the Snapdragons are apparently masochists. However, the site is attractive and informative and pretty user-friendly, which is an accomplishment, at least!

We used candid photos where we could - not the least of our reasons being that we don't have engagement photos yet (!) ... but I think candid actually can be much more emotionally accessible and show a couple as they really are - without fancy lighting. Sometimes not looking your absolute best actually is better, in my opinion anyway! This is not always the case, but it can be something to think about. People appreciate it when you are yourself. There's a lot blurred out from these screenshots, but you should get the general idea.....

For the "Party Pages," we wrote fun bios/tributes to each one of our brides-babes and misters. We also included three photos of each of them that showed off their personalities. If they are married and had their own wedding picture, we included that too. My favorite (!) part of our pages is that right at the top, we wrote about our parents and then included a picture from their respective wedding days, and then a picture from their most recent anniversaries.

Another handy part of our website has been the Guest Music Request page. We hired a DJ that we totally trust to gig our wedding without us feeding him every single song. He is a pro! However, it still helps him to have an idea what we are all into - our guests are BIG-TIME on the dancing... so we have already been getting music requests.

The last major thing I'd say about our website was that we put a lot of work into the Accommodations/Directions/Activities/Dining info... We have so many people flying and driving in from out of town, and our wedding's on a Friday, so... this was especially important. We are really proud of our city, and we want people to be able to enjoy it while they are here! Mister Snapdragon and I listed our favorite places, and why we love them - hopefully, this will help our guests out quite a bit!

Later on, we'll be updating our site with Wedding Events and other things that our guests will need to know about. We tried to make our site really focused on our guests - I have always loved the weddings I've attended where the bride and groom were superconsiderate and welcoming to their guests - and we are trying our best to do the same!

So in conclusion, even though this site made me curse my computer out [yes, mom, I curse sometimes ;) ] it was ABSOLUTELY worth it. Our guests are already using it, leaving messages in the guestbook, and bookin' their hotel rooms. I highly recommend going tech-savvy with your wedding!

The Secret Lives of Bees: Snappy Style!

I just got here, and I am already spilling my secrets!

1. I am a freak of grammatical nature. When I was a little kid, grammar was my WORST subject. I was so, so bad at it. Consequently... my mom made me do extra grammar lessons at night. I would cry and cry all over my workbooks because I hated it SO MUCH! After awhile I could diagram the life out of any sentence.... and so now I am actually pretty good at grammar and context. I know the difference between principle and principal; President and president; their, they're, there, etc. There was a recent news story about a couple who corrected a historic sign in a national park. Ummmm, I have to say that could have totally been me on a bad day. Freak!

2. I have a major Coke addiction. In college I used to take a 40 oz. fountain drink to class every day, no exaggeration... and then I'd drink more when I got home for the day! I've recently weaned myself off of the stuff so that I only drink about 12oz. every two days... because that stuff is poison, ya'll. While I was cutting down, I had terrible headaches, and it took me about a year to really be able to stop - it was NOT EASY to go from having three-liters running through my veins down to just a smidge. Hmmm, speaking of, I haven't had a Cherry Coke in a day or so...

3. I was homeschooled from grades 4-8. My mom is a teacher, and she felt that she could give me the best education... which was absolutely true. I went to a normal high school so that I wouldn't be discriminated against by universities-and-their-accompanying-scholarships-that-I-really-needed. Sometimes people that know ask me if I would want to homeschool mine and Mr. Snapster's kids when the time comes - um, heck no. My mom did a great job because she had a master's in education... but it was a ton of work for her!!! I, on the other hand, did NOT get any degrees in education - being educated is totally different than having the skills that make up an effective teacher. Although I could definitely cover any extra grammar lessons they need... :)

4. Spicy food is widespread in Texas - we are HOT!!! I had my first jalapeno when I was six months old. I think this may have contributed to the fact that I was the BOSSIEST KID ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. I was one of the older siblings in my family, and I loved to write plays and force my brothers and sisters to be in them. If they made me mad, I fired them immediately. Finally, when I reached about seventh grade, I realized that bossiness is not really the best way to go about things, I started to tone down... a little. Must confess, I am still a bit bossy. :) Those jalapenos were effective!!!!

5. I really, really, really want a dog. This one isn't so much a secret, but I have become slightly obsessed with cute dogs, as of late! I grew up with dogs - we ALWAYS had a menagerie of sorts around my house, but now that I live in a city where the grass is minimal... no go on the dog. Between the work hours I keep and and the lack 'o yard... getting a dog would be really selfish. It still makes me really sad though. :( The first thing Mr. Snaps and I will do when we buy a house with a yard is get a dog!

Look! The dog in the Taco Bell outfit (don't ask) is Lily the Wonder Dog, who is our family's oldest dog. She is like a human, seriously. Sometimes I think she understands absolutely everything that's going on.

This beauty queen is Wendy, who is a dog that one of my Snapsisters raised from a pup. And no, we do NOT feed her Oreos!!!! :)

And these two white dogs are Tiko and Pearl. Tiko is wild and crazy! Pearl was a bait for dog fights until she was rescued and one of my OTHER Snapsisters adopted her. After all that she's been through, it's really amazing how incredibly loving Pearl is! If my sister wasn't the one who adopted her... I would totally want to kidnap Pearl and take her home with me!!! So Cuddly, and look at those smoochy eyes! That's how she looks all the time - you just want to hug her!

So that's it - thanks, guys, this blog is really making me crave a big fountain Coke - I was doing so well!!!!