I'm Back! (And Linking Up at 7QTF and WIWS)

Hey, remember me?  I used to spend a lot of time keeping this little blog of mine updated almost daily; but recently, I've been a bit of a slacker in that area.

Lest you think I've become a slacker in other areas of my life, however, let me tell you how I've been spending my non-blogging time lately.  And I'm not only going to do that, but I'm going to endeavor to turn this post into a double link-up opportunity.  I think I can make it work for this

and for this, too!

I'm late to both of these blog parties, but let's see if I can pull it off.

1.

First of all, my husband and I just returned from a five-day trip out to the Midwest to stay with our oldest son's family, so that our boy could have some help with his three little girls while his wife attended her college reunion.  We took off from Boston's Logan Airport last Thursday morning and returned last night.  So I've spent a lot of time sitting in a chair with a view like THIS.

Talk about "touching the face of God"--a line from an aviator's poem that is a favorite of my aviator husband (and by favorite, I mean it's probably the only poem he really likes at all).  Really, who can look at that magnificent view and not believe that this earth has a Maker and He loves the people He created to populate it?  Feasting my eyes on that slice of Heaven right outside my window could almost turn a scaredy-cat like me--who used to write "Good-bye my beloved sons, if I don't make it home from this trip, know how much I love you, etc. etc." letters before each and every flight I was forced against my better judgment to take, and who figured out ways to get out of pretty much every situation that would involve having to board an airplane--into a fearless flyer.

2.

Full disclosure, however, because I just can't lie to you good people who stop by here (and thank you for that, by the way--I know I haven't given you much reason to lately): that picture was actually not taken on this latest plane trip.  I snapped it with my iPhone back in May, right after take-off, when I was heading down to VA (without my husband, who was working that weekend--sitting in the driver's seat of a different aircraft) to attend the gender reveal party for our latest grandchild.

So while I was gallivanting around the country, going to parties and visiting with my kids, the poor hubby was in uniform and on the job.

There he is.  That's my favorite guy.

3.

But I digress, so let's get back to this past weekend.  As always, it was a total joy to spend a nice little chunk of time with our granddaughters.  The twins, Bonny Babe and Cutie Pie, are three now, and Little Gal is 16 months.

The twins are utterly hilarious.  They have the most lively imaginations.  In the course of the five days we spent there, they each changed identities about a dozen times.  My husband or I would call one of them by their given name and be told, "No, it's giraffe--sorry" or "No, it's Fergus--sorry."   (Their parents would say "Oh, giraffe--sorry" when they'd forget to call one of them by their name of the moment, so now the "sorry" is something they automatically tag on when correcting people!)  At any given time, one or the other of them was Emily, Percy, Hudson, Fergus, Hello Kitty, giraffe, gazelle, tiger, rhinoceros...If you have a young child, you probably know who Percy, Hudson, and Fergus are--but my husband and I are a bit out of the loop.  We think some of those names have to do with Thomas the Train (a favorite of theirs), but we're not even sure.  (I've heard that Cutie Pie is also occasionally Grammy--and if you don't think I'm absolutely thrilled that she pretends to be me sometimes, then you don't know me too well!)

Here's another thing they do that slays us.  My husband's trademark is his leather cowboy hat.  The girls will say, "Grammy, you have no hat.  Papa has yes hat."  :)

Little Gal is every bit as loquacious as her big sisters now, pretty much parroting everything she hears.  I'm sure it won't be long before she is correcting us when we call her by her given name as well.

4.

Our granddaughters spend a lot of time with books and a limited amount of time in front of a TV screen.  Their mom set up a "book nook" for them in a cozy little area between the stairs and their bedroom on the second floor of their house, and they love to hang out there.  I don't post pictures of my granddaughters on the blog anymore, out of respect for my son's family's privacy.  But this wonderful illustration that I found on one of Nancy Shuman's blogs gives you a good idea of how they look much of the time.  (They even sleep with stuffed giraffes and baby dolls, along with about ten other "must haves" each.)

By the way, readers, you should really get to know Nancy, who has three phenomenal blogs: The Breadbox Letters, It's Only Write, and The Cloistered Heart.  (Three!  I can barely keep up with this one here, and she regularly posts on all of hers.)  Nancy is a great writer, and the artwork she chooses to go along with her prose--whether it's a painting by one of the masters or a sweet vintage illustration--always gives me a lift.

5.

In case you were wondering what we wore Sunday for Mass while we were out at my son's house, take a gander at Little Gal's get-up--a mash-up of fashion don'ts that on a 16-month-old add up to a killer ensemble that is a major fashion DO!

Her adorable dress, which looks like a t-shirt and flowered cotton skirt combo, is accessorized with striped socks and leopard shoes.  I don't believe I would put these particular items together myself, but they seem to work here.  Agreed?  (Excuse the blurriness of this iPhone photo--this little sweetie-pie is a girl on the go, and getting her to pose for a fashion shoot was easier said than done.)

I won't even show you what I wore, because it's my old traveling stand-by, a wrinkle-proof dress that I've modeled on this blog already.  I did wear my lace mantilla, as always.  The neat thing this weekend was that I was far from the only woman in the church who was wearing one, which is often the case.  We attended a Latin Mass (with the three girls in tow--isn't our son courageous?), and there were many other similarly covered heads in that congregation.

6.

After the Latin Mass, I chatted briefly in the back of the church with a beautiful young mom who was holding her baby daughter (who had a lace mantilla on her sweet little head, tied under her chin to keep it in place--she looked so precious!).  Apparently, she'd met my daughter-in-law Regina recently at a homeschooling co-op group meeting, and she asked where Regina was.  During our brief conversation, I remembered that Regina said she'd met Dwija after Mass not too long ago and they'd chatted, and I thought this nice young mom I was talking to looked a lot like her.  "Are you Dwija?" I blurted, before I could stop myself.  She said she wasn't, but that she did know her.  And now I feel like a total blog-celebrity stalker.  It's becoming a bit of a habit with me!  On one of my recent travels to VA, I also spied Rosie at Mass, and I went up to her afterward and babbled like a star-struck fan.  (She is, by the way, even sweeter in person than she is on her blog.)

I know anyone who frequents the Catholic blog world doesn't need me to explain who Dwija and Rosie are; but for my family and any other readers who might not recognize their names, these well-known ladies blog at House Unseen, Life Unscripted and A Blog for My Mom.

7.

Okay, so if constant traveling (and staying in places where WiFi is not always readily available to me), hanging out with three little girls who are three and under, and blogger stalking aren't enough good excuses for why I haven't been devoted enough to my poor little String of Pearls lately, here's another very good reason:

The ink on the contract has dried, and I've had my nose to the grindstone.  I don't want to divulge too many details, but I will say that I was approached to write a YA novel for Bezalel Books by Cheryl Dickow, a publisher like no other.  Case in point: when she received the contract with my signature on it, she took it to Adoration with her so that it would be covered in prayers before she signed it and sent it back to me.  Somehow, I doubt that all the big-name publishing houses do that at the start of a book project.  With God involved right from the get-go, how can I doubt that I was meant to write this book (as I did, I must admit, when the offer was first presented to me--because as all of the above Takes illustrate, I'm on the road visiting with kids and grandkids a lot these days)?  I don't doubt it.  I still have moments when I wonder if I can do a good enough job with it, but then I put it all in His hands and try to just enjoy the process.

I'm not going to say much about the book, except that it's not a sequel to Finding Grace.  But here's a little hint about the content:

I know, I know--I have a major soft spot for the Irish, which is evident in my first book.  But this one is quite different, I promise.

Okay, now if you want to see what other bloggers (whom I stalk online, and sometimes even in person) are saying, head on over here (where Kathryn is guest hosting for Jen) for some more Quick Takes.  And if you'd like to see grown-up gals who dressed even better on Sunday than my wee granddaughter did (if you can believe that!), check out Fine Linen and Purple.

7QTF: Marketing Books, Reading Books, and Blogging about It All

Okay, I'm a day late and I don't even know how many dollars short.  But I decided to join the 7QTF party this week.  My husband is leaving for a 3-day trip today, so what better way to fill the lonely hours than by connecting with all of my blogging friends?

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Speaking of blogging friends, one of my favorites--Iris, from Country Girl's Daybook, just nominated me for a liebster award.  I've been liebstered once before, and I think I've given my readers more information about myself than they'd ever want or need to hear; but Iris has come up with some interesting questions, so...I'm in.  Thank you, Iris, for thinking of me.  I plan to start tackling your questions early next week, and then I'll come up with some of my own and choose some other blogging friends to send them to.

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I was very generously gifted a Classic Nativity Stones Cross a few weeks ago.  This gorgeous cross, layered in 18K gold and hanging from a gleaming 22" chain, contains a small stone that was extracted from the Cave of the Nativity in Bethlehem.  As in, the birthplace of Our Lord.  Truly.

The Nativity Stones Collection was even honored with a plaque in the Vatican in 2000, so you can be sure that the stones used in these stunning and beautifully crafted pieces of jewelry are authentic.  And right now, you can get one of these amazing crosses at a reduced price, because the people at Nativity Stones are offering a 15% Easter discount to readers of this blog.   Just use the coupon code FAITH15 when you place your order, and the discount will be applied.

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The parents of my middle son's bride, Preciosa, are currently visiting Cuba (where Preciosa's father was born).  While there, they have been snapping photos of good-natured Cuban citizens "reading" my Catholic novel Finding Grace.

I could not have hired a more hard-working or enthusiastic marketing team, I'll tell you--that is, if I had the funds to hire one.  I just wish I could have given them a copy that was translated into Spanish. 

 

Speaking of the book, I recently gave away 7 copies on my blog, and the winners were announced on Monday.  I plan to do another giveaway this summer (because I think Finding Grace would be a good choice for inspirational summer reading for teens and young adults--and maybe even a good beach read for their moms, too).

 

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Let me use this Take to apologize--for using this blog so often (lately, almost daily!) as a forum to talk about my book.  I really must give you guys (or all y'all, for any readers south of the Mason-Dixon line) a break from the constant promotion/marketing.  You might not believe this, but it's hard for me to keep bringing it up.  I'd much rather hide away in a corner and hope Finding Grace will just go out and sell itself.  Unfortunately for this dyed-in-the-wool introvert, it doesn't work that way.  But perhaps I need to try another tack: you know, legwork, actual face-to-face sales pitches, and the like, instead of the much safer route of writing emails that don't get answered and blog posts that very few people will ever even see! 

 

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While we're talking about books (one of my favorite subjects), I am currently reading The Book Thief, and I think it's just amazing.  I saw the movie with my husband and then decided that I absolutely had to read the original prose version that had inspired the screen version (which is very powerful and touching).  Well, I'll tell you this: Markus Zusak's writing is so incredible and profound that it makes me re-read passages, simply to experience again the sheer enjoyment I get from his brilliant usage of the English language--to marvel over how he takes simple words and arranges them in such a way that they astound me.  He is brilliant, there is no other word for it.  A wordsmith like no other.

 

For instance, in one scene, Hans Junior, who has joined the Nazi party and is now a true believer, is fighting with Hans Senior, who has refused to get on board; the son says to his father, "You coward," and then leaves the house in anger.  Here's how Zusak describes what happens next: "Ignoring futility, Papa...rushed the gate and ran pleadingly after him.  Mama hurried to the window, ripped away the [Nazi] flag, and opened up.  She, Trudy, and Liesel all crowded together, watching a father catch up to his son and grab hold of him, begging him to stop.  They could hear nothing, but the manner in which Hans Junior shrugged loose was loud enough.  The sight of Papa watching him walk away roared at them from up the street."  A roaring that can't be heard; what a description.  Later, when Liesel goes to watch the Nazi book-burning celebration in her neighborhood, where an enormous pile of "dangerous" books is going to be turned into an epic bonfire, Zusak says, "Although something inside told her this was a crime--after all, her three books were the most precious items she owned--she was compelled to see the thing lit.  She couldn't help it.  I guess humans like to watch a little destruction.  Sand castles, houses of cards, that's where they begin.  Their great skill is their capacity to escalate."  Chills, right?

 

In the author interview in the back of the book, Zusak says that he thinks there can be a gem on every page of a book.  He explains, "It's what I love about writing--that words can be used in a way that's like a child playing in a sandpit, rearranging things, swapping them around."  And this guy can really swap them around like nobody's business.  In my opinion, there is at least one gem (something that deserves a re-read) on every page of The Book Thief--at least so far.  My friend Iris (see Take #1) was not a fan of the fact that Death is the narrator of this novel; but I think it works.  I'm not finished yet, so I won't say more.  Besides, I think this book may show up in a future What We're Reading Wednesday post over at Housewifespice (a blog you should be reading if you aren't already!), so I'll save any further thoughts for that.

 

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#5 was way too long, so...

 

PASS.

 

(And now I'm plagiarizing writers I admire, because some of the humorous bloggers I know have said this in past 7QTF posts.)

 

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Now I'm going to link you up to a wonderful blog called Footprints on My Heart.  Sarah Therese has a beautiful thing going on over there, wherein she invites blogging friends to write guest posts (published on Saturdays) about their favorite saints.  If you love to read about the lives of the saints, or if you're just interested in learning more about some of our Heavenly helpers, stop by and check out her "Our Friends, the Saints" series.

 

Thanks to Sarah Therese and all of my other talented and inspiring blogging friends out there, in all different corners of the Internet.  You provide me with inspiration, entertainment, enlightenment, and laughter on a daily basis.

 

Okay, readers, time to head on over to 7QTF at  Jen's (where there's always plenty of all that good stuff I just mentioned).

7QTF: Giving Away 7 Copies of Finding Grace, and 7 Endorsements

I’m announcing a giveaway!

“FINDING GRACE IN LENT”

I AM GIVING AWAY seven signed COPIES OF MY NOVEL, Finding Grace, during the Lenten season.

Just as the different characters in my Catholic novel (a pro-chastity, pro-life, coming-of-age love story) are searching for God’s grace, to help them deal with disappointments, bad choices, and painful losses, we could all use His grace in our lives.  That being said, we could all benefit from inspirational spiritual reading, especially during Lent—and often fiction can stir a reader’s soul in a way non-fiction can’t.  So what better time to host a giveaway for you, my dear readers?

Finding Grace tells the story of a shy and unassuming young girl named Grace Kelly who longs to become a saint, to be in the world but not of the world; but as she begins high school (in the early 1970’s) and falls head-over-heels for the best-looking guy in the class, she realizes that the path to sainthood is strewn with many thorns.  As she struggles through her high school and then her college years, she learns a lot about the lives of the saints in Heaven, about suffering and mortification, and about the importance of following the will of God in her own life.

A recipient of the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval, Finding Grace was also a finalist for the CWG’s Catholic Arts & letters award (CALA).  Those who do read it are usually quite positively affected by it; but it is my goal to get it into the hands of as many readers as possible, particularly young people whose souls are yearning to be fed the Truths of our beautiful Faith.
 

If you’d like to enter the contest to win one of 7 copies, just leave me a comment on my blog, on any post between now and March 24.  (And please tell your friends, too!)

God Bless you—and may you find grace in lent!

And now, because it's 7 QTF, I'm going to give you 7 reasons why you should enter to win one of 7 copies of Finding Grace.  Here's what other satisfied readers have had to say about it.

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Author Therese Heckenkamp (Past Suspicion, Frozen Footprints) gave it this thumb's up:

 

"Not a shallow romance, Finding Grace has all the hallmarks readers could want: romance, conflict, humor, life, love, laughter, and tears.

Parents can feel confident in buying this for their teens. Finding Grace is a moral read, without being bland or boring. The importance of family and faith is highlighted. Yes, there are lessons to be learned, but readers will be highly entertained along the way."
 

 

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And here's an endorsement from blogger Sarah Therese, who writes at Footprints on My Heart and The Catholic Young Woman:

"I've read other books that are strongly related to Finding Grace and found many of them to be rather idealistic.  Though long, this book is an easy read, realistic, and relatable.  On a personal note, reading it inspired me to deepen my prayer life and wear my miraculous medal more often {actually, constantly}.  It's inspired me to focus on my personal Marian devotion and deepen my friendship with dear Saint Therese {as well as several other saints mentioned throughout the story}.  This is a great book for any Catholic young woman who is seeking to deepen her relationship with Christ."







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Author Amy M. Bennett (End of the Road) said I must have been hiding under her bed when she was 13, because she identified with the main character so strongly:

 



"It's not often an author can combine solid Catholic theology with laugh-out-loud and almost cringe-worthy real-life characters. Laura Pearl does a masterful job in Finding Grace.

As the story of Grace's teen years unfold, American society during the turbulent '60s and '70s with its radical ideas becomes Grace's biggest opponent to her goal of becoming a saint. I, for one, strongly identified with her and her desire for true love, especially in a world that seems to find traditional mores impossible to live with and personal sanctity an impossible ideal to live up to. Yet through it all, Grace perseveres in her faith and love of family, and despite her myriad setbacks, she discovers that true saintliness is achieved by discerning God's will for one's life and accepting it whole-heartedly."
 

 

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My dear blogging friend Kate Harvey of Something Ivory (and also a co-author of a cookbook called Finger Lakes Feast) had only good things to say:

"Finding Grace is so beautifully written and so refreshing to read. It is a far cry from the usual young adult novels (although this book is wonderful for adults, too). Its themes of faith, family, finding true love, growing up in a fallen world, and having compassion for one another really resonated with me, and Pearl has a true gift for infusing these deeper topics with light-heartedness and humor and, well, grace.

Each character was clearly so lovingly crafted and the love story that runs throughout is oh so romantic! For so many reasons, I can see myself reading this with my future daughter. It brought both tears and laughter and is overall a beautiful, moving novel. I highly recommend it."

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Author, blogger, and Catholic Writers Guild VP Sarah Rhinehard's review meant the world to me.  She writes:

 

"I won't lie: this book was long. That said, it was REALLY well-written and the character development was stellar. It's set in the 1970s and early 80s, and the story is Catholic in a way that's both cultural and ingrained. It gave me a sense of what it's like to be raised Catholic and to have it be part of everything you do.

 

Did that make you feel like it's shoved down your throat? Because it's not: not at ALL. One of the things I appreciated about this book is that it doesn't seem to talk down to its audience, which is the young adult market. It's written like literature and it seems to assume that its reader has a brain. I like that. It's a book I highly recommend and one I'll be sharing."
 

 

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Blogger Rebekah Es (who is currently on a sabbatical from her blog, Rebekah's Web Log), gave my book her usual thoughtful analysis:

"Pearl's in-depth characterizations and study of the human heart are definitely the high-light of this endearing novel. Little Grace, in all her insecurities and hidden desires of the heart, her short comings and her successes, cannot but help to find a place in the reader's heart.

I also particularly enjoyed the tales of saints, and the infusion of literary figures (Grace's analysis of their behavior) throughout the novel. Pearl deftly explores Grace's strengthening perception of right and wrong, desire and will, through evaluating the choices and consequences of those she reads about. And very cleverly, I might add.  

I don't recall reading any books with such a theme when I was in high school, a time of great introspection and soul searching for me, as I am sure it is for many girls...I know that I would have appreciated and benefited from reading Grace's story during that awkward time, just as I benefited from reading it now!"

 

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And just to prove that Finding Grace is not just for teens, and not just for chicks, here is an Amazon endorsement that just made my day (and Scout's honor, it wasn't written by anyone related to me!):

"I'm not technically this book's target audience, as a 40-something male, but the story of Grace Kelly drew me in bit by bit and before I knew it, I was in "I can't put it down" mode. It's a great mix of the simple heartwarming life in an Irish Catholic family, along with the growing pains and tensions of coming of age in high school, and then there's the gradual building of distance between Grace and her best friend Irene. Furthermore, the author does an excellent job of showing the trials of unrequited love that Grace feels towards one of her close male friends and never lets on how it's going to play out until we get to the outstanding conclusion.

This book does a terrific job of blending simple uplift with real tension, and squarely confronts issues that confronted society, and by extension the Catholic Church in the early-to-mid 1970s, the fallout with which we live with today. And even if you're not Catholic, it's just a good story."

++++++++++++++++++

Well, those Takes weren't all that Quick...but I hope they inspired you to visit my blog and leave me a comment, so that you have a chance to win one of the 7 signed giveaway copies of Finding Grace.  Now head on over to Jen's for more 7QTF fun.



7 QTF: Another Rehearsal Dinner Success Story

I haven't been here at the 7 Quick Takes Friday table for a while; but as always when I have lots of pictures to share, this seems like a particularly good place to show them off!  I'm a day late, but I know Jen graciously saves spots for late-comers like me.

So hi fellow Takers (and followers--if you're still stopping by my little blog, when the offerings have been so meager lately)!  I hope you enjoy these images from the Friday before son #4's wedding to my newest daughter-in-law, who shall be henceforth known here as Braveheart.  (She joins daughters-in-law Regina and Preciosa, adding another jolt of much-needed feminine influence to our formerly testosterone-heavy household.)

As the parents of all sons, it appears we will always have less to worry about when it comes to wedding preparations and expenses than the parents of the young ladies our boys marry.  No matter how modern the world has become since my husband and I got married 33 years ago, or how much wedding etiquette has evolved, that still seems to be the case.  Our biggest responsibility, therefore, is putting on a nice rehearsal dinner the night before the nuptials--a party that gets the families and friends of the bride and groom together for food and fun before the big day.  We have now put on three such dinners, and I have to say that this latest one turned out to be quite enjoyable for all involved.  My husband and I think we're getting pretty good at this rehearsal dinner stuff (excuse me for a moment while I give my own back an enthusiastic pat); but I'll share some photos of the event with you, my objective readers, and you can let me know if you agree with this assessment.

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I must say, this dinner was pretty swanky.

Because our son got married in our old hometown in Upstate, NY, in a decidedly non-metropolitan area, we were limited as far as available venues to host a special dinner for a crowd of about 40 or so people.  But there is a successful restaurant in town that offers the most delicious and sophisticated cuisine, and they happen to have an event room off the main dining area that is just exactly the right size for the number of people we had invited, so we booked it several months in advance--and boy, are we happy that we did.  The room is so rustically pretty and elegant all on its own (and the proprietors promised to adorn the the tables with white linens, little vases of fresh flowers, and burning taper candles) that it really didn't require any extra decorating touches from us, so I didn't even bother to make centerpieces.  I had two photo banners made up at Walgreens, with pictures of the bride- and groom-to-be on them; but otherwise I left it to the owners to set the room up the way they usually do when there are private parties held there.

We were able to offer our guests six delectable entrée choices, so I typed up a mini menu on my computer as a Word document, and I printed copies out on card stock--to make it easier for guests to order and to also offer them a souvenir of the evening, if they wished to have one.

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But not TOO swanky.

Lest you think we were all very staid and serious during this lovely, elegant dinner, rest assured: the Pearls like swanky, but they like it with a twist of humor and down-to-earth-ness (word? Yes or no?).  There was a good amount of laughter and goofiness at this party, in spite of the elegant surroundings.  One of the ways I kept the dinner from being too fancy-schmancy was by baking the rather silly cakes we served our guests for dessert, instead of having them choose high end confections from the restaurant's menu.

Baking cakes for our boys' rehearsal dinners has become a bit of a tradition for me now.  I baked a huge sheet cake decorated with tropical flowers for our oldest son's rehearsal dinner in December of 2009, because it was held in an enormous inflated tent-like building that housed a tiki bar and a sand volleyball pit.  I made a dinosaur-shaped cake for son #3's rehearsal dinner a couple of months ago, because I filled the souvenir English crackers our guests opened with little toy dinosaurs and because...well, because Pearl boys love dinosaurs!  For son #4's rehearsal dinner, I made his and hers character cakes--because the two of them share a love of kids' movies and cartoons (along with a love of science facts, nerdy jokes, and video games), and I knew just how tickled they would be by them.  Braveheart's favorite Disney character as a little girl was Ariel (the Little Mermaid), and my son was a dyed-in-the-wool TMNT fan (with a special affinity for Michelangelo).  So there you go.

These two kids are seriously not serious.

Those cakes crushed pretty much every other cake I've ever made, as far as decorating goes.  Just call me "Cake Boss."

Even my twin granddaughters were impressed.

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And definitely not too swanky for small children.

Small children (and medium-sized children, and pre-teens, and teens, and most definitely BABIES!) are always included in the guest lists for major events in the extended Pearl clan--especially family weddings!  So our oldest son's three little lasses, including the two-and-a-half-year-old twins who were going to be flower girls during the ceremony the next day, were in attendance.

Our tiny granddaughter Little Gal caught a cat nap in the corner before joining the festivities...

while her older sisters Bonny Babe and Cutie Pie provided built-in entertainment for our delighted guests throughout the evening.

Doing "Cheers!" with the uncles.

 -4-

The groomsman gifts were a hit, as always.

Are groomsman gifts always drinking-related, or is that just the way my boys roll?  Our oldest son gave his brothers and father the most amazing Viking-style drinking horns (which were made out of hollowed-out horns from real animals) on the night of his rehearsal dinner.  We have a cute photo of the guys all raising them before taking a drink.  Our #3 son gave all the guys in his wedding party tall beer glasses that had their names and the date engraved on them.  And we have a cute picture of them raising those, filled with beer from the brewery where the rehearsal dinner was held, before they took a drink.  So you will not be surprised to learn that son #4--who is not one to break with tradition--chose engraved glass beer steins with metal lids as gifts for his groomsmen.  And we got the requisite cute picture of them raising these steins for a toast.



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My rehearsal dinner dress was an eShakti winner.

I loved the dress I wore to the rehearsal dinner.  It may, in fact, be my favorite dress of all time (and even though I'm one to use hyperbole about a million times a day, I am not exaggerating here).

This navy blue and black cotton dress with an illusion neckline is from eShakti, my new favorite website.  I had it custom-fitted using my measurements, and the $7.50 extra I paid to have that done was well worth it.  If you haven't checked out the eShakti site, I urge you to do so.  Their styles are so feminine and pretty, so delightfully retro, and the prices are reasonable.  This dress cost me less than $70, and that included the cost of the custom sizing and the shipping.

Of course, it looks even better in the above photo because it's accessorized by the six handsome men in my family.  But I seriously love this dress.

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I love hosting rehearsal dinners so much, I can hardly wait for the next wedding in our family.

But no pressure, sons #2 and #5.  Really, no pressure.  Just know that your dad and I will do our best at your rehearsal dinners to see that everyone gets a great meal and that their cups are never empty.  And know that I will bake you a cake that will probably be cooler than any cake I ever made you for your childhood birthday parties, now that I've learned a few tricks from watching how the pros do it on TV.  But most of all, know that we will be thrilled to welcome the women you love into our growing family.

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And here are a couple of last photos of the guests of honor, who were relaxed and happy the night before their big day.



Like all of God's creations, these two kids are absolutely unique--but what's best is that they are absolutely perfect for one another.  They make a great couple.  They really "get" each other.  They go together like peas and carrots...or like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and a Little Mermaid.  And that's a pretty great combo, as it turns out.

Now head on over to Jen's, where everyone else got their Quick Takes in on Friday, like they were supposed to!



7QTF: Seven Posts from the Old Days

I'm joining Sheenazing blogger Jen Fulwiler (et. al.) for her awesome Friday link-up extravaganza, but I'm not writing anything new for this post.  I do love to write; as Jen explained in her 7QTF post today, some of us have "the charism of writing (a charism being a gift from God that fills you with energy when you use it)", and I like to think I have this.  Well I must have it, I guess, because since I started String of Pearls back in March of 2011, I've published over 900 posts.  But if 10 people stopped by to read any one of my posts back in the old days, it was a good day.  And all you could hear in my comment box was the sound of crickets.  But I didn't really care--I knew very little about the wider world of blogging back then, and I was doing my little daily writing exercises because...well, because I just had to.  These days, I get a lot more "hits" and comments each day than I ever could have dreamed of when I was a blissfully ignorant newbie blogger.  So I suppose I've come a long way, relatively speaking.

(My blog profile pic, which I haven't changed since I started this blog.  And it was old then--taken in 2007.
But it's my favorite picture of me with my favorite sons.)

As I said, I'm not writing anything new today.  Instead, I'm going to re-post some oldies but (I hope) goodies.  I was still working to find my blogging "voice" when I wrote these, but here are some of my favorite posts from 2011.

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This one is from 6/17/11.  The first time around, it got 12 page views and zero comments, but it's dear to me anyway.  I give you "Random Thoughts about Adorable Things."

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And here's a post that came right after that one, on 6/18/11.  It also got 12 page views (most likely the same 12 relatives!) and zero comments, but I think it's a good one because it's about my favorite person in the world.  It's short and sweet, and it's called "An Early Happy Birthday to My Husband."

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As a mother to all sons, I have been surrounded by lots of testosterone for a long, long time (until recent years, when two daughters-in-law and three granddaughters came along and injected the Pearl family which a much-needed shot of sugar-and-spice-and-everything-nice).  The differences between the sexes has always fascinated me.  Ditto for anything old, antique, or vintage--especially old letters.  So this post from 8/13/11 (20 whole page views--a big day!--and zero comments) remains a favorite of mine: "Men Are from Mars, Women Like to Talk."

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This one is dated 10/13/11; 8 page views, zero comments.  When I wrote it, I was still adjusting to being an empty-nester for the first time, because the youngest of my five sons had left a few months prior to begin his freshman year in college.  I was really "Missing My Baby Boy."

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So, being the mother of all sons, I have learned a few things about the hairier sex.  On 10/15/11, I wrote this post on the topic, called "Boys Will Be Boys."  The first time around, it was read by 9, commented upon by zero.  But I like it because it's about my second oldest son, a wonderful high school teacher and football coach.

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One thing I love to talk about on this blog is my three beloved granddaughters.  This post from 10/17/11 was only seen by 5 readers when I first posted it, and guess how many comments it received?  But if you want to see undeniable "Proof of Life" in the womb, you don't want to miss this one about the twins.

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I couldn't decide which one of two favorite posts to use for Take #7; but then I decided to use both.  They're each short enough that they could be counted as half a post.  The first, originally published on 10/19/11, completely tickled my middle son.  He was one of the 12 who read it that day, and although my comment box was empty, he e-mailed me to give me a big thumb's up.  It's called "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover."

And as if that wasn't enough humor for you, check out my ridiculously outdated glasses in this post from 11/19/11, titled "Babies and Bad Fashion."  It got 10 hits back then (and you guessed it, zero comments)--now you can be the 11th person to read it!  It'll only take you a minute.

So that's what String of Pearls looked like back in 2011.  Three years later, I hope this blog isn't getting too tired-out and repetitive.  I mean, maybe this is the year I'll give it a new look; most of the blogs I read have updated their page designs since I've started following them.  But I have the same look going on that I did at the beginning (with a few do-dads and gizmos added onto the right side of the page).  Because I'm set in my ways and I resist change with every fiber of my being.  But we old folks can be like that!

Now off to Jen's with you, for offerings that were freshly written this very day for your reading pleasure.

7QTF: Snapshots of Boys to Men (Not to Be Confused with Boyz II Men)

I'm a little late to the 7 Quick Takes Friday party--but on Friday, I spent most of the day traveling down to VA to attend a bridal shower for son #4's lovely fiancée.  Before I left, very, very early in the a.m., I published a post I had all ready to go in my "drafts" pile, so that my husband wouldn't be disappointed when he checked later on to see if I'd blogged that day.  (It was bad enough that I had gone off and left him for the weekend [sniff, sniff]; the least I could do was to make sure he had that link between us that he looks forward to whenever we're apart.)  But I was really hoping to link up with the Takers over at Jen's as well.  So here I am, a few days late and mucho dollars short.

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Two of my sons (#3 and #4) live together down in VA.  Well, actually they no longer live together, because son #3 got married in December and he now shares a cozy little apartment on the grounds of the UVA campus with his beautiful new bride, Preciosa.  But until that happened, for the past couple of years the boys shared first a condo and then a house owned by their aunt.  Son #4 is still in the house, which he is now sharing with both of the brothers' big old lovable mutts...and a whole lot of dog hair.  When she heard I was coming to the shower, my sister-in-law invited me to stay with her a few doors down from my boy; but when I arrived, I was touched to see that he'd washed some sheets just for me, to put on the double bed in what used to be the master bedroom where his older brother slept when they were bachelor pad-dwellers together.  So he had clean sheets ready, and plenty of K-cups for the Keurig--so of course I decided to stay with my son.  How could I resist an invitation like that--especially when I know that although he rarely changes the sheets on the bed he shares with the two dogs, he had changed them for me?  That, my fellow moms, is an offer that is much too good to refuse.

This is the way my two VA boys look now (in a photo take on December 7, when son #4 on the left was best man at his older brother's wedding): they are strapping lads, well over 6 feet tall, with smiles that melt this mother's heart.

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But their smiles always did melt me.  When I was down there staying at my son's place in VA, I came across a little photo album I'd made for son #3 years ago, and I grew very nostalgic flipping through its pages.  Let me show you these two boys (now men), in grainy snapshots from the pre-digital camera age.  They were always the best of buddies growing up, as you'll be able to plainly see.



That's son #3 on the right in this photo from 1988, the day we brought his baby brother home from the hospital.  While our oldest (who was 4) admired and patted the new baby softly, our 21-month-old mama's boy wasn't so sure about the whole thing.  Not sure at all.  But it didn't take long before his father and I were calling him and the new addition "Frick and Frack," because they were so inseparable.

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Six months later, here are the besties.  This one kills me.  Not long after this photo was taken in the summer of 1988, son #4 (who was almost 11 pounds and over 2 feet in length at birth) weighed the same as his lanky older brother.

 



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Fast forward to 1990.  Where one goes, the other follows.

Is it me, or are little boys with mussy hair the cutest things ever?

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Here's a winner from Christmas 1990.  Some might say these two look like they were dressed for an "ugly sweater" party.  But I say is it me, or are little boys dressed up to go to their older brothers' school Christmas concert the cutest things ever?  A dapper duo they were, indeed.



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This 1991 shot absolutely cracks me up.  Son #3 (right) was 5 years old and his little sidekick was about 3-and-a-half, and they were champing at the bit to follow in their older brothers' footsteps and go to school.  I got them these backpacks when I went back-to-school shopping for sons #1 and #2, and they dutifully carried their toys and other essentials around in them, happy as clams to be like the "big guys."

 



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These two boys were always there for each other, for every milestone and significant event in each other's lives.  Here they are in 1993, celebrating son #3's 7th birthday.



And they continue to be there for each other now that they're men--as the first photo up there illustrates.

[Sigh...]  [Deep sigh...]

Thanks for indulging me, dear readers, while I took that little stroll down my favorite street, Memory Lane.  I probably do this sort of thing a bit too often on this blog.  But I am one of the few Catholic "mom bloggers" that I've come across in my cyber-travels whose children are all grown-up and out on their own, so I suppose that gives me a different perspective to share.  I think, however, that sometimes I sound somewhat maudlin when I reminisce, and if so I must apologize.  I don't want any readers who are currently wrangling toddlers and nursing precious newborns to dread the passing of time and be obsessed with the idea that before they know it, their babies won't be babies anymore.  Because although that's true (as you may have heard, time does fly!), there is much more to rejoice about when you witness this circle-of-life phenomenon than there is to lament.  All I have to do to remind myself that trying to stop the clock would be the worst thing in the world is to think about the boy-now-man who washed sheets for me this weekend, hoping I would be a guest in his house, and his best friend, the boy-now-man who is at once a doting son and a doting husband.  All I have to do is to look at the picture up there in Take #1, and I realize how very abundantly I have been blessed!

Now head on over to Jen's for more Quick Takes--from bloggers who got theirs posted in a timelier fashion than I did.









7 QTF: The Wedding of Son #3 and His Preciosa

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Time to talk weddings!

And since I have a lot to say, I thought the 7 Quick Takes Friday forum might be just the ticket.  Actually, I might need 14 Takes (and none of them all that Quick!) to do this thing justice, but I'll try to squish all of my gushing commentaries into 7 meaty sections. 

Okay, as you may already know, our middle son got married on December 7.  (He's the one who, when at the age of five or so was asked by one of his female cousins which one of them he intended to marry, said, "Why do I have to marry anyone?  I've got my mom!"  Is that not THEE cutest?)

The wedding ceremony took place at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church on the grounds of the University of VA, and it was incredibly beautiful and holy.  I blogged about that already here, if you haven't read that post.  And aside from that post dedicated entirely to the nuptial Mass, I blogged briefly about the big day here, here, and here, and I posted a few teaser pictures as well.  But I'd like to tell you more about it, because it was quite an event.  As one of my sisters-in-law who was in attendance remarked, it was "magical."

The young men in this picture, with the exception of the one who stands third over from the bride, are my sons.

I'm going to end Take #1 right here, so if you'd like to go back and peruse the previous posts to which I so helpfully gave you links, you may do so now.

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The Warmest of Welcomes

Welcome back, dear readers!  Are you all caught up?

And speaking of welcomes, I must tell you about the amazing thing that the mother of my new daughter-in-law daughter Preciosa did to welcome all of the out-of-town guests who came to the wedding.  Keep in mind that this was a big wedding, with somewhere in the neighborhood of 180 guests--and almost all of them came from afar.  Although son #3 and Preciosa, son #4 and his fiancée, and my husband's sister and some of her family live in Charlottesville, VA, the lion's share of the wedding guests had to travel that weekend.  It was, for all intents and purposes, a "destination wedding."  Lots of folks traveled all the way from Miami.  The bride's parents are from FL, my husband and I live in NH, and other family members and friends came from CO, AL, NC, CT, NY, and other states far and near.

But do you know what my son's new mother-in-law did for all of the out-of-towners?  She put together welcome bags for every single one of us!  She hand-stenciled the first initials of our last names on the canvas bags and filled them with water bottles, packages of tissues, little guide books about all there was to do and see in the area, and snacks that included a FL orange and a bag of VA peanuts.  I forgot to ask her how many welcome bags she put together, but trust me, she had to make a lot of them.  And then she had them delivered to all the hotels where the guests were staying so that they would be there when they checked in.

Notice that a bag made for a male guest has a simple monogrammed letter on it (nice and manly); but a bag for a couple or a young lady also has a burlap strip embellished with pearls.  Such attention to detail!  Such thoughtfulness!

Preciosa's mother is one of the most thoughtful and caring mamas you'll ever meet, as this none-too-easy-to-pull-off gesture illustrates.  With all she had to do in the months leading up to the wedding, giving the guests a hearty welcome was a priority with her.  This gesture alone--although it is only one of the many thoughtful and loving things I've seen her do in the short time I've known her--convinces me that my son will be cherished by his new family.  That's a great feeling. 

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Décor to Die For

This mother of the bride was a busy, busy lady from the time my son put a diamond ring on Preciosa's finger in April until the big day in December.  She and her daughter had a vision for decorating the event room at King Family Vineyard--a huge, majestic space with soaring ceilings, giant chandeliers, a mammoth stone fireplace, and rustic decorative touches such as wine barrels stacked in cubbies high up on the walls.  That vision was a combination of country charm and urban chic that included, among other things: burlap tablecloths for the round tables and burlap runners for the long farmhouse tables at which the bridal party sat; navy blue monograms (on the burlap covers on the chairs of the bride and groom, as well as on the wedding cake topper); antique-looking mottled silver vases filled with baby's breath, pine cones, and roses; King Family wine bottle corks glued together and tied with burlap strings, to fashion holders for the cards on which the table numbers were printed; and a huge hand-painted sign above the mantle that read "I have found the one whom my soul loves."

Every guest sat down to find a handled mason jar filled with ice water, personalized specifically for him or her--to use during the dinner and to take home as a favor at the end of the night.  Preciosa's mom had painted each and every one with chalkboard paint and then added the names in white.  Such attention to detail!  On top of the rustic-chic navy blue and white linen dish cloth that served as a napkin, there was a printed card filled with thanks and expressions of love from the newlyweds.

In the bar area, there was an antique suitcase sitting open, with a burlap sign above it to let guests know that if they had brought cards, they could deposit them there.  There was a big wooden hutch at one end of the room, and Preciosa's mother had filled it with framed photographs of the bride and groom at all ages, and creative little burlap discs on which she'd printed out Notre Dame and Florida State logos--because if I haven't told you yet, you should know that these two kids are equally fanatic about the football teams of their alma maters.  Every single detail that could be thought of--well, it was thought of.  The bride's mother also had little pennants made, to be carried by young cousins of the bride, announcing when it was "Time to Cut the Cake" or alerting guests to get ready for the "Sparkler Send-off."

I could go on and on!  Suffice it to say that this wedding was packed with so many lovely and creative details that it should have been covered for an article in a bridal magazine--and Preciosa's mother could open up a wedding planning business!

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Food and Drink Aplenty

One of the best decisions the bride and groom made was to have their big event catered by a local barbeque place rather than to serve prohibitively expensive plated dinners.  The guests were free to go through the buffet line and heap their plates with tender beef brisket, delectable grilled chicken, gourmet mac and cheese, salads, vegetables, and homemade bread.  And they could (and did!) go back for seconds!  The food was plentiful and pleasing to any palate. 

There were also plenty of spirits for the over-21 crowd, and the bar was open all night.  My husband and I decided when son #1 got married four years ago that since we don't have any daughters and will never have to put on an entire wedding, we would always offer to take care of the bar bill, along with several other incidentals.   For this event, we were able to buy all of the hard alcohol in tax-free NH (live free or die!) and cart it down to VA, which saved us a bit of expense.  Now that we no longer have our beloved 15-seater Dodge Ram Van (I miss my big red house on wheels!), we had to wait to buy the bottled beer, soft drinks, and mixers down in VA.  King Family provided the wine for the reception, of course.  And as a piece de resistance, my sister-in-law and her husband, who are getting ready to open up a microbrewery in Upstate NY, brewed a special IPA for our boy and his bride as a wedding gift (and let him give it a special name), and they provided some kegs of that to be enjoyed by all. 

We bought more alcohol than we needed, and we ended up bringing quite a few bottles back with us; so...party at the Pearls!

Instead of a gigantic wedding cake, the bride and her mom chose to go with cupcakes for the guests, along with a small (topper-sized) traditional white-cake-with-white-frosting wedding cake that the bride and groom could cut and feed one another.    And when I say cupcakes, I don't mean just white-with-white.  There were some of those.  But there were also red velvet ones with cream cheese frosting, Snickers ones filled with caramel and peanuts, Heath bar ones, and I don't even know what other varieties of nirvana were on that tiered cupcake holder that was designed and made by the bride's mother (because--AARRGGHH!--I somehow never got around to getting a cupcake!).  The amazing thing is that one of the bride's friends from Miami baked all of these delectable items--AFTER she arrived in VA a few days before the wedding, with her baking pans packed in her suitcase!

As if all of this feasting wasn't enough, later on during the dancing, homemade apple cider donuts were available, freshly made on-site and served from a cart parked just outside the reception hall.  (This was my boy's special request.  Good call, son!  All that dancing sure makes a wedding guest hungry!) 

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Music and Dancing

The reception started out with chamber music during the cocktail hour, followed by DJ'd dance music after the meal was over.

The newly married couple danced their first dance as man and wife to a beautiful song called "You Wouldn't Mind (Body and Soul)," which was written and recorded by the bride's good friend Colleen Nixon--who also did the music for the wedding Mass.

When father and daughter danced, there was not a dry eye in the house, I'm sure.  I danced the mother-son dance with my beloved middle child to pretty much my all-time favorite song, the Backstreet Boys' "The Perfect Fan."  My son said some very sweet things to me while we danced.  I cried.  But then again, I can't listen to that song, sung by FIVE [Backstreet] BOYS who love their moms, without crying.

After the tear-inducing numbers were over, the party started and the dance floor was hopping until they turned on the lights to signal the end of the festivities.

I just love my new daughter.  She is so full of life, outgoing, loving, and fun.  As you can see from these pictures, she enjoyed her big day to the fullest!

And no Pearl wedding would be complete without my baby dancing to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," with everyone gathered round him in a circle.  It's a crowd pleaser--every. single. time.

There was one other musical component at this wedding--something that the bride arranged as a special surprise for her new husband.  It was AWESOME.

Right in the middle of the festivities, an Irish bagpiper in a kilt and full regalia, entered through a back door and proceeded to play the "Notre Dame Victory March."  That really got the Pearl contingent fired up, and we all sang ND's famous fight song at the top of our lungs.  Look at my son's happy face.  He was just beyond thrilled by this thoughtful--and really fun--gift from his new wife.

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Brothers Make the BEST Best Men

There were two best men in this wedding--son #4 and a good friend of the groom's from his college days--because the bride had chosen two maids of honor.  Son #3's college friend spoke first, and his speech was wonderful.  Then son #4, with a tough act to follow, gave an incredibly moving speech about his big brother.  He nailed it.  His speech was funny and sincere and heartwarming all at once, and his words were just chock full of love, admiration, and respect for a brother who is also a best friend.

Our sons all decided long ago that they would be the best men at each other's weddings: son #2 was our firstborn's best man four years ago, and he gave a killer speech; son #4 was the best man for son #3 at this wedding; son #5 will be the best man at son #4's wedding in February of 2014; when son #2 gets married, son #3 will be best man; and when our baby gets married, our oldest will be his best man.  Their dad and I never asked them to do this for each other; they made this plan on their own.  And after listening to two of my boys speak so movingly about a brother at two different weddings, I have to say that this might be the most touching part of the whole deal for me.  That or the mother-son dance; it's a toss-up.

Mothers of only sons, take heart: men may not be as comfortable expressing their emotions as women are, but they are capable of giving the most incredible tributes when called upon to do so.  They may not always show it the way we gals do, but their emotions run deep.  These boys of ours might jokingly call each other "losers" when they're hanging out casually together; but they would absolutely take a bullet for one another.  They support, respect, and appreciate each other, in spite of the differences in their personalities, and they truly are the best of friends.

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The Sparkler Send-Off

I loved this send-off for the bride and groom!  Back in the day, people threw rice at you.  This is so much prettier!  (Not to mention safer for the birdies.)  What a spectacular ending to a perfect wedding day!   This newly minted Mr. and Mrs. look about as happy and in love as two young people can be, don't they? 





AWWWW....

And on that note, I'll sign off and send you over to Conversion Diary, where you can find out what's been shaking with Jen and lots of other bloggers whose posts I'm sure you'll enjoy.