The Beginnings of a Really Good Panic...

Latest update:

Honey received his Visa on Wednesday via the special courier he had to sign up for...sticky thing in his passport and an envelope marked DO NOT OPEN which contains all the paperwork he has to turn in when he lands on US soil...which is March 5th!!!!

Our wedding is set for one month after that...

Just call it perfect timing:

I went this past weekend to visit our #1 choice of wedding venue.  We were hoping that we would know whether Honey was approved or not by then - and we did!  Antonella and I met up in San Francisco for lunch then toured the venue.  I took photos, we got specifics and asked questions.  I sent the photos to Honey that night and we discussed  everything on Sunday - by Tuesday we had it booked.

That takes care of the ceremony/reception.

We have been busy:

Honey is now at his parents packing up and getting ready to come over.  Tying up lose ends and getting everything necessary that needs doing for such a big move.

Airline tickets and hotels are being worked out for the family traveling into town for the Big Day.

We're trying to get our heads round everything else that needs to be done.  Choose invites, cake (and topper), flowers, etc etc.  Hoping we don't miss anything in the process.

It is not easy planning a wedding when the bride and groom are thousands of miles apart.  Thanks to technology though we are getting it done.  And thank Heaven for all-inclusive venues too - that alleviates a lot of stress.  Not going to say anything just yet about what we are doing.  You'll just have to wait.

Bridal Preparations

The push is on now to get hair and makeup good enough for such an important event.  

Makeup: 

I'm still not comfortable with putting on and wearing makeup.  I must be honest though and confess I haven't been doing as much practicing as I should.  That is about to change though as the clock is ticking!  Makeup is not supposed to make you look older - not unless that is the specific look you are going for...  Last time I checked, no one really puts on makeup to look older for their wedding.  It has been very discouraging to say the least.  I keep trying though and switching out this for that to see if it works better.

Hair:

I have spent the last few weeks on youtube looking at hair styling videos and videos about hair accessories and veils.

I have decided on a 'do for the wedding and have ditched any notions of having a birdcage veil and/or fascinator.  I don't do well with hats/head coverings of any sort and I honestly look a bit ridiculous with something sticking out the side of my head - and the veil is just...awkward.

With the new 'do though, I will have a nice hair accessory of some sort clipped on the back of my head.  I can handle that - yes indeedy.  What I need is confidence and comfort.  I get that with the hairdo I picked and the small but fabulous clip I will wear.

Now I just need to find that magical clip.  Or make it.  Lord knows I have enough supplies to open up my own bridal hair accessory shop.

Hmmmmm....there's a thought!

OK, back to reality.  I went to Michael's and stocked up on ribbon because I thought I would be making ribbon flowers to go in my hair.  Watched a shitload of youtube how-to videos about making said flowers.  Have now decided I don't want anything so 3-D on my head.  With the 'do I've chosen, the hair is the star - and one thing I do have is some good hair.  The search is on for the receipt as there are a few roles of ribbon that need to be returned.

Once the floral something was nixed, I decided to go with a nice flat clip similar in size to the one that was in the hair styling video.  I have searched high and low online and have not found anything that jumps out and says "BUY ME".  They are either too big or too small or on a comb or waaaaaay too expensive.  Looks like I'm making my magical clip. And so began the Great youtube search for videos about clips.  Got sucked into beading videos from there and well...  Goodness knows what I'll come up with but I'm going for understated but classy with a bit of sparkle.  It will not be a comb though.  Most everything on youtube shows accessories that have combs.  My hair is so thick it basically chews them up and spits them out.  It is OK with having clips in it though so now I have to devise something fabulous that can be put on a clip.  I think I have enough ideas, beads and wire to get this done.  If none of that works, a few crystals wired to bobby pins strategically placed in the 'do will work quite nicely.

It's always nice to have a backup plan.

In Conclusion:

From here on out I bore you with wedding stuff and blabber about how I'm trying to get myself together so I look like a bride instead of someone who hardly ever wears a dress, or does her hair up fancy or wears makeup.

APPROVED!!!!

Martin passed his interview and his visa has been approved!  We are so happy and excited and OMG!!!!

He had to leave his passport with them for processing.  We have no idea how long it will take before he gets it back.

Petition mailed April 27th, 2013

Visa approved...January 22, 2014


Correction: They told him that he should have the visa in about a week or so. YAY!

SQUEEEEEE!!!

Martin received the letter today and...

His Embassy Interview is NEXT WEEK!!!!!

He'll be heading to London for his January 22nd interview at 9am!

Which means he might know the final decision before I even wake up.

There are NO WORDS that I can say to express how I feel right now.

Except maybe SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

That's about all I can manage at the moment.

What little wedding prep I can do has just been kicked in high gear!

Still hangin' in...

We found out October 21st or so that our petition had been stuck in the National Visa Center in New Hampshire during the shutdown but was now on its way to the London Embassy.

Last week Honey got the all important letter from the US Embassy in London. Now we fill out more forms, gather more documents and evidence and soon Honey goes for his physical then his visa interview.

Things are moving along now. Exciting times!!!

Latest Info

Our K1-Visa petition has been approved and our bundle of papers and forms and evidence etc is now headed to the London Consulate for processing.

A big step forward!  This happened last week and Honey and I are very excited.

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of his official letter detailing what he needs to do next!

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE

A first of MANY squeeeees to come....

Just received notice that our I-129F petition form has been accepted into the "system" and we have been assigned a case number.  Now it really IS official. :o)

Now you know what I will be doing every hour until the thing is complete...checking the status online of course.

I can't help it!

This is very exciting and it came about a week sooner than I had expected.  I'm hoping (and so is my Honey) that the rest of the process happens just as fast!

Send good thoughts, pray, cross your fingers, light candles...we need the good vibes for a quick process.

I've suddenly become VERY impatient. :o)

Features Clothing Co

Please go check out my son Spencer's new clothing company "Features Clothing Co" - he launched his first collection today!  All the caps in his line are made here in the US.



We're all so proud of him, lots of wonderful things are happening this year!

A Chaos Holiday Visit in Pictures

Back now from the Holidays and a wonderful visit from my two men, Honey and Spencer.

Everybody on their laptops time.

Decorating the Chaos

Finishing of the Chili Peppers socks.  Can't believe I didn't take a photo of them.  I'll have to get one from Antonella.  D'oh.

The annual making (and eating) of the most awesomest stuffing  along with Honey-made mashed taters. And turkey.

Christmas Brunch at Black Bear Diner

Cow Spa Time

A trip in a ferry to see friends.

A BART ride to San Francisco for some New Year's Eve shopping. 

An awesome Honey-Do project. An up-cycled  bike rack.

A Honey Birthday lunch at Cheesecake Factory followed by The Hobbit.

Finished Honey-Do project, unpainted - it currently has one coat of paint and our bikes fit perfectly.

Socks for Honey

The socks started out as a Honey Christmas gift...

That didn't happen, so switched them to maybe a Honey Birthday Gift.  Again, didn't happen.

At the rate these are going, they might make it as a Honey Wedding Gift - because Honey asked the question on January 4th, and I said "YES".

The future Mr and Mrs Honey

Finished Sock, On Deck redo, On the Needles Now, a Happy, Productive Visit

Knitter's Husband Marine Life Socks finished the other day.  They are approximately a size 13.  That's a whole lotta sock.  Told Spencer while he was here for Thanksgiving that his feet are NOT allowed to grow any more.  It's bad enough he's at a size 12.

A WHOLE LOTTA sock...

Spencer's SF Giant's socks not happening anymore.  The yarn is splitty, the colors are NOT working out in the jumble and I do NOT like knitting them as the yarn has too much nylon and it does NOT flow over the needles.  Spencer has agreed about the colors and has picked a different yarn out of the stash.  Cherry Tree Hill's "Middle Earth".  Photos later.  Still keeping an eye out for the right yarn as I do want to make him some Giants socks.  Definitely needs to be self-striping 100% Merino - which is way out of my price range at the moment.  This is how far I went before I had to say "NO MORE" - not black/orange/white but brown/coral/white.

Going on the needles today as I watch Da Bears trounce the Vikings - socks for my partner in crime Antonella.  After slacking off for three days, they are FINALLY going on the needles - Claudia Hand Painted Yarns "Roasted Chilies".  I have five more pairs to make after these.  FIVE.  Yeah, I should really get going.

 

Once Spence FINALLY got to my house, we had a simple Thanksgiving dinner of lasagna and a salad.  But first we had dessert.  We LOVE pumpkin pie in The Chaos so that had to be eaten first!

After we rested a bit after our mini-feast, we went through all the boxes he left in his room.  I made a special pile of them and we made quick work of going through it all.  We came across wonderful things that triggered many happy memories of his grandparents, both gone now.  Here we are in two of the many awesome hats from his hat collection.  Mom and Dad always sent him various hats for birthdays and holidays and hats were his souvenirs whenever anyone traveled.  Here, he wears the Davey Crockett 'Coon hat his Papa Bernie gave him, and I'm in a fancy Greek hat that Grandma Mary brought back from her Mediterranean Cruise.  He took the furry hat back to UCLA.

It was a Happy Holiday Visit, and we got some sorting and organizing done too!  What more could a Mom ask for...

Except maybe her Honey coming on December 14th for a Happy Holiday Visit and Honey helping sort and organize too!  I'll have them both in for Christmas/New Year's so look forward to whipping The Chaos into a bit better shape while they are here.  Looking forward to having access to strong, tall men.  I'll have to cook and feed them, but small price to pay for all the much needed help they will provide.

SQUEEE.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

And now we come to the last and final SQUEE.

Now that the little lost box is safe at the House of Grandmother, we can move on...

Here we go, the last and final shipment of squee worthy yarn received last Wednesday.

From left to right:

Cherry Tree Hill Yarns:
Fingerpaints Supersock Self Striping color Middle Earth
Fingerpaints Supersock Self Stripes color Secret Garden
Fingerpaints DK Supersock Silk Self Striping color Black Cherry
Fingerpaints Supersock Self Stripes color Mulled Wine

Henry's Attic Yarns:
The Fantasy Collection Silk Sock color Hold Your Fire

Inca Tops Grupo Inca Yarns:
Alpaca Lace color Moss

And now the knitting of the current yarn continues while the new yarn ages gracefully in the stash.

Squee.

Squeeeee... UPDATED

01/11/2012

5:27 A.M.

Out For Delivery

Bring it UPS!

UPDATE:  The squee-able items have arrived.  I'll try and post pictures and have a final big SQUEEEE by the end of the week.

Squee...

OK, we're just warming up with the squee here...

Behold the first shipment.  These two were ordered after the first wave, yet they arrived first.  Go figure.  These are earmarked for a Honey Project.  These are the only ones that will be remotely connected to a project and/or a person.  The rest will just be shown and you can all ooh and ahh my stash enhancements from afar.  While I sit on my Chair and squish and squee.

No, there is no craziness in the Chaos.

Really.  There isn't any.  Craziness.

The rest of the yarny goodness should be here tomorrow.

Unless UPS tracking is lying.

The calm before the SQUEEEEEE

After many sortings and cullings of the yarny stash, I am left with not very much.  That is both good and bad.

The good:  Less to have hanging around the Chaos.  Less that needs knitting  up (wait a minute, that means less knitting - that is not good).

The bad: The hole left in the stash that is begging to be filled.

What's a knitter to do?

Enter an email from Cherry Tree Hill yarn.  Just my favorite merino sock yarn ever.

Yeah, you know where this is going...

"Don't forget about our Annual New Year's Eve Sale - 50-60% off select yarn!"

Yeah, so now you REALLY know where this is going.

Let's start here:

The stash got sorted and put all in one place (except the needles, I don't know why - that has been corrected).

Knitting patterns were gone through, matched with yarns and set into two containers that now sit next to the Chair.  A long list was made.

12in cube box of yarn and my knitting bag.  Full to the brim with yarny goodness and looking happy.

There is also my poor Juliet sweater...

...which now seems like it would fit. Whatever.

The only way I'll ever know if it will fit properly or not is when I finish it and put it on.

Whatever.

2012 will be filled with knitting.  Not going to show you my list of projects because 90% of what I'm knitting will be gifted.  Most of the people I knit for know they will be getting something - they don't need to know exactly what though. :)

The projects are all small, except for the Juliet sweater.  I think I have enough yarn to do one project per month for about 1.5 years, maybe more.

Even so, on New Year's Eve while Times Square was counting down, I was online shopping.  It was oh so darn easy.  Especially since it was not quite 9pm here in California. :)

The yarn was purty and it easily fell into my cart.  I have never in my life bought so much yarn at once (even though there is not that much of it) and spent so much money on it.  It was on sale and I had put back some of my Xmas gift money.  I had a strict limit, and I stuck to it.

It will arrive about Wednesday-ish.

Much squeeee-ing and squishing and general ooooh-ing and aaaah-ing and more squishing will then occur.

After all that is over with, I will post photos of my latest stash enhancing exploits.

Then the new additions will be put into their own 12in cube box and put up on the shelf.

If things go as planned, I'll be ready to knit on all that Next January.

Even if I'm not, I'm pretty sure I'm set for yarnage for the next two years, probably more.

Coming soon to a Chaos near you: 10 skeins of more yarny goodness.

I've definitely spoiled myself with my gift money. 

Thanks Mom for aiding and abetting my yarny deliquency.

The first item made from the new stash has your name on it. :)

New label category...Squee Worthy.

Honey and Cow are coming to visit over the Holidays. For. 4. weeks.

C'mon December!!!!

Definitely SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!