Baby Stuff

Here are some stuff that we got over the break. One great way to greet the New Year. Everyday was just a day of adventure, hunting and discovering stuff. Mind you, my aunt and her daughter in-law were of great help in finding the best stuff for the baby.

1. The Nursery-Babies R Us has it all.

Theme: Baby Cocoa -more of like cute little jungle animals. My Mom calls it the Jungle Book.

2. The Stroller- Bugaboo Frog from Right Start

Thanks to my aunt, this was our Christmas present. I've been hearing lots of people raving about Bugaboo and even the clerks from every store I went to say that it's the Cadillac of prams. Well, it really is quite impressive. Just 20 pounds and this pram changes to a regular stroller from a bassinet. You can also attach your infant car seat if you like. What's so special? It's light, very modern, and probably it can handle any kind of terrain---just like a car. Yes folks, you need to put air in its cute wheels.

3. The Car Seat-Maxi Cosi Mico in Black

There are only three car seats that are compatible to Bugaboo. Maxi Cosi was priced reasonably with good quality features.

Half-way Mark!

There are a lot of things I'm thankful for. A week ago, I found out that I am having a baby boy and that everything is normal. Other than that, I'm on my 20th week of pregnancy. I've hit the half-way mark. 20 more weeks to go and I'll be meeting my little one. I can't wait!

After the Wedding...

Baby Bowman at 8 weeks!

Baby Bowman at 13 weeks!

is this.

Hoping to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Tied the Knot!

with the Best Men
Bridal Party
Nephews
with Parents
at last!
Petal Toss
Cake Slicing
Finally, the wedding is over and everything went well. It was almost a year of preparation, a month of being with family from Scotland and the Philippines, a week of people from all over the States, and a lifetime of memories. The wedding was wonderful.

Days til the Big Day

A week and a half to go and I'm tying the knot. I can't believe that the big day is nearing. I remember that I had a year of wedding prep and now, time is flying so quickly.

Anyhow, I'm very excited. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with Alan. I can't wait to enjoy the summer with him.

Cool Doggy Blog

As I was checking out Jen Lancaster's blog (coz I'm a blog stalker)---I came across a cool site on cute doggy pics. I guarantee that you guys will have a smile on you face. Check out I HAS A DOG.

Always Be My Baby

Now tell me---how good is that? DAVID COOK, I HEART YOU!!!

Knock... Knock!

Knock...Knock!


Who's there???

Steve's Pictures

It's April and I can't believe that time is flying so, so fast. Remember the blog that I wrote about our photographer? Well, last Spring Break, Alan and I had our engagement pictures taken in Steve Tarver's residence. My dad was even there to assist a little bit. The photo shoot was fun, a little bit chilly, and hard. Now I know how models feel. Eventhough this was the case, Steve and Sandie made it a point for us to be relaxed and comfortable the entire time(despite the chill).

The pictures are now out and the Tarver Family also wrote a very sweet blog about the two of us. How great is that? I remember them mentioning last year that they want every photo shoot we had with them to be very personal. True to their word, this is how we felt. The pictures turned out to be amazing.

Thank you Steve, Sandie, and Nicole for the wonderful pictures and the blog. We can't wait to work with you guys again this summer. :)

Feminine...told you so!

Who want's to be a Stepford Wife?

This is an interesting blog from one of my links. I want to laugh my head off to all those who said that we don't need men to live. In reality, we do. To what extent? I don't know. This totally contradicts my first blog. Sorry but my belief has changed. Typical woman ...me, right?

Read this and laugh.

***

Late on a weekday night, I found myself at my friend’s elegant New York apartment enjoying a cup of herbal tea after an utterly uninteresting night out. We’ll call my friend Rio because his background includes a decade long stay in Brazil, as well residence in several other South American countries. As we sunk into the sofa listening to Portuguese love songs we got to discussing (surprise surprise) the enigma that is male-female relationships.

“Describe sexy,” he prompted me.

I went on to pause, gather my thoughts and illustrate sexy as:

“Confident, independent, and strong.”

“Interesting,” he replied. “Because I’d describe sexy as vulnerable, dependant and warm.”

Thus ensued a conversation in which we dissected our theories about the difference between Italo-Latin and American love.

In a nutshell, Rio made the point that Brazilian woman are experts at being feminine – they’re used to relying on men. They constantly ask men to do things for them with the charm of a child and males relish in attending to their every need since it makes men feel ‘like the shit.’ Interesting, right? Because as girls growing up in America the mantra is that we can do everything ourselves, should strive for utter independence, and never rely on men for anything. Ever. To which Rio responded:

“You’re never going to keep a man like that. Okay, you’re never going to keep a Latin man like that. Men stick with the woman who makes him feel like he’s ‘the man.’ He wants you to ask him to do things for you.”

“Wouldn't I be bothering him?”

“Are you kidding? If he loves you and can fulfill your needs that’ll be the high point of his day. That’s the feeling he’s going to crave and come back for: Validation of his worth.”

Me: “I guess that does explain why so many guys I like end up with stupid, silent, needy lapdog girlfriends.”

Rio: “Those girls aren’t as stupid as they look. They’ve learned to use their feminine vulnerability to keep men. Again, if I want someone independent who didn’t need me I could hang out with my co-workers. That isn’t what male-female relationships are about.”

“But don’t you want a best friend? An equal?”

“Best friend, yes. An equal…”

“OMG this so wrong.”

“No, no, no. You’re misunderstanding. Yes, an equal. But American women often seem so busy proving their independence that they miss out on the whole tango of love that’s about how men and women fundamentally need each other.”

“You just said ‘tango,’ didn’t you?”

“Why would I be interested in a woman who doesn’t need me?”

“I thought men liked the unattainable. That they like to chase things.”

“True. But once he’s got you, he doesn’t want to hear about other guys and how ‘independent’ of a superwoman you are.”

“So basically I gotta get vulnerable, when my life mission since puberty has been to never appear vulnerable.”

“Yeah. And get feminine.”

I gesture to my outfit, “I am feminine!”

“You look feminine. But you don’t act it. You’re so guarded.”

“Because men are assholes!”

“You came in here and just made yourself your own tea. You never even asked me if I wanted some.”

“You were in the other room. And since when do non-British guys like tea?”

“Being feminine means focusing on the five senses. Scent, smell, touch. Slow down! Enjoy life. Be caring like a mother, innocent and playful like a little girl.”

“Gross." I stop to think, "I have no idea how to do that.”

“Americans get divorced cause they got it all wrong. Women are meant to be feminine. Embrace it. Use it in your work life too. You’ll get ahead and manipulate men even better. Doesn’t mean you aren’t smart.”

“Does this femininity project mean I can’t talk and make jokes? I mean, that’s a big part of my personality. I verbally run a mile a second.”

“Of course, be yourself. Although at least at the beginning, with women, less is more.”

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”

“You act the way you do right now and go to where you’re going on Brasil, not one guy is going to talk to you.”

“That would be tragic.”

“Cater. Ask him to do things for you. Play along. If he loves you, he’ll feel great accomplishing your tasks. He doesn’t pull through, means he’s not into you. Men will slay lions for the woman they love. They won’t make dinner reservations, but they’ll slay lions.”

“Okay. Let’s try: Rio, will you drive me to JFK when I leave next Monday?”

Rio: “Absolutely fucking not.”

Off my twisted face –

“The asking to do stuff doesn’t include airport transfers.”

Me: “Huh. Good to know.”

Yet another theory to stuff in my carry on.

Those who want to learn more should be directed to the simultaniously ingenious and ridiculous concept of wikiHow which actually has an article about how to be feminine. I'd be lying if I said I didn't skim it.

***

When you're done, you may secretly look at the wikiHow on being feminine. Just an after thought. See how thoughful I am.

How to Be Feminine

Follow these steps to become more feminine and give off a better impression to those around you.

Steps

Take care of your hair and make sure it smells good. It's okay if your hair is slightly frizzy or imperfect, as long as it is not stringy and/or greasy.

Also, try to keep your hair out of your face.

Wear only as much makeup as you need.

Always have powder handy wherever you go. Keep make-up minimal. You decide how much, but too much isn't very attractive. Many may view you as insecure and in reality not very beautiful if you wear too much to cover up. If you use more then 10 minutes in front of the mirror, you should think about toning it down.

Wear neat but conservative clothes. Really short skirts come across as slutty, not feminine.

Don't be loud and obnoxious. This is a male trait and people believe you to be more masculine than you actually are.

Don't fish for compliments. Fishing is also a male trait. Remember, you are a woman. Be confident even if you aren't completely happy with yourself.

Be happy with yourself. Accept your body for what it is and others will love you.

Remove unattractive body hair. Wax your upper lip if necessary and tweeze your eyebrows. Shave your legs (all of them), arms, and back (if it needs it). Hair is disgusting.

Meryl's comment: Uh-oh!!!

Be confident and happy. Nothing is more beautiful than a smiling woman. Just keep your lips together, if you don't like your teeth.

Try not to use profanities. We all do it , but if you could make a sailor blush with your mouth and not your looks, you should think about toning it down.

Be aware of your posture. Chin up high, back straight and thoughts positive.

Be smart. Most people like smart women who are able to have a discussion about something.

Don't make yourself dumb. But also don't be a know-it-all. Accept if a man is right, especially if you like him.

Tips

Follow these steps, but don't try to be someone you're not! Unless you are hairy, in which case you should probably change a little.

If you have talents such as ballet, cheerleading, cooking rice, etc., try and make it known without bragging.

Shower daily, wash your face twice a day, brush and floss your teeth twice a day, and use deodorant!

Be organized and neat with your things. This is a feminine trait (have you noticed that all men are sloppy?) Having a pigsty of a dorm/apartment/house has never been girly.

Meryl's comment: Uh--oh!

Confidence isn't about using a bold tone of voice or always appearing happy and solid. To be genuine, confidence must be about knowing yourself really well and being brave enough to be yourself in public without being pushy, defensive, or embarrassed. It takes a long time. But stick in there, girlfriend.

Another important point is that you should love yourself, just the way you are.
I take back that last point. Be the change you want to see in your life.

***

To check out more juicy blog stories, check out http://www.girlspoke.com/

Cute Announcement!

CAN'T WAIT!!!

Butterfly Kisses

My Dad will be with me during my wedding. I am so happy that he'll be by my side as he walks me down the aisle. My dad has been my partner in crime and constant companion through the years. What more can I ask for?

Things I Have Accomplished over the Holidays

I've been very quiet lately. I feel that I have accomplished a lot for the wedding and here I am now, just sitting and waiting (for money--lol) for Spring break to come.

1) I am done with the cake. A simple design with the basic yellow sponge with white chocolate filling. I'm still wondering if I want to add the raspberry on the other 2 tiers. I'll see if I could have the design printed out. I still have to order a groomscake for Alan. That's a surprise because he doesn't believe in it

2) I am done buying stuff for my maids of honor and flower girl.

3) Wedding gown and accesories are done too. Include all the drama and chaos that arised.

4) Pastor is done...all we need to do is meet him during Spring break to talk about the wedding.

5) We now have candy bags and candy scoops---no candies yet though. Still to get the jars and the candy selection.

6) Have invitations done which will be out by March. Yeepee.

7) Got the car paid off. What will I ever do without you, Al? You really are my ANGEL.

Here are my TO DO LIST:

1) Songs need to be sent to the DJ for the ceremony and reception

2) Need to organize things for the choreographer for our First Dance ( aww...blush...blush)

3) Talk to wedding organizer about a gazillion things

4) candles, pillow, toasting flutes, cake slicer

5) candies

6) organize menu

7) organize accomodations

8) transportation aka limo

9) pay them!

Map Struggle

The original map

It took me three hours just to tweak a semi-detailed map for my wedding invite. Why? Because I am totally clueless on what program to use. I feel that Microsoft Word still rules and " Cut" and "Paste" are the only two things I need to accomplish this task. Totally wrong. I used the text box and the insert bar. Hmmm...

Check out how my Map Card for the wedding would look like.

The tweaked map (not much of a difference eh?)

Another thing: As I was trying to attach the map I made, I discovered that I am not able to download the document because it's not in jpeg format. Ho-hum...

Samples

This should be in Aqua

For months now, I've been looking for the perfect place cards for the tables of my wedding reception. I've looked everywhere and even tried doing the place cards at home but I wasn't satisfied. After browsing through several wedding invitation websites, I came across the White Aisle. The online Martha Stewart inspired shop specializes on wedding invites, bridal accesories, calligraphy, and almost anything that deals with wedding design and accesories. One thing nice about this shop is that they have the vintage style in them. Their invites are coordinated by theme and color so you can match every invitation you have with the place cards, table cards, menu, and program of your choice. The designs they have are very simple yet artistic and their rates aren't that expensivetoo.

White Aisle

This should be in aqua

Since I'm having orchids as a centerpiece, I decided to have the "summer " theme. Basically, the design is just orchids. My color motif is aqua/tiffany blue. My save the dates are aquamarine, my favors are aquamarine, my invites are semi aquamarine and my bridal party will be wearing a semi aqua-marine motif. I decided to get the summer theme in aqua color so that it gets to blend with everything.

Samples of White Aisle's work

A week ago, I ordered samples consisting of a place card, a table card, a menu card, and a wedding program. When I got the package they were all in different colors and none of them were in aqua. I knew about the possiblity of this happening because they mentioned that samples being ordered will just be taken from present orders they have which were in stock. Since their website mentioned about the vintage feel, I noticed that the edges of every card they had were "torn". The torn effect their products have though make it look like the make is of poor quality (this is my opinion).

Somehow, I expected more in terms of workmanship. I guess that's the con of ordering online. They all look nice at first but when you get a hold of it , you end up disappointed with what you see.

The entire thing was a so-so. I still love the orchid design that they have and I really doubt if I'd be able to see something close to it. The poor workmanship evens out with the amazing orchid design... so okay, they can be forgiven.

YES, I'm still ordering it inspite of... and despite the...

Cupcakes Everywhere!

The Cookie Jar Bakery

My being a blog stalker has made me discover that cupcakes are the "in" thing nowadays. For the past month, I have read several blogsites that revolve around cupcakes. First, I read my favorite blogger, Jen Lancaster, talk about cupcakes which then led me to another website about cupcakes called, "Cupcakes Take the cake ", then led me again to more and more cupcake blogsites. To top it all, while I was checking my brother's Flickr site, he had several pictures of cupcakes in different forms and colors. Hmmm...is this normal?I now believe that we are presently having our own little "cupcake culture" (which btw is another blog).

My curiosity about these cupcakes made me ask Alan if he wanted to have a little adventure in downtown Houston to check on two different cupcake shops. I wanted to know why people are so into it and if I could also be a fan of the so-called "in" thing.

Are people wanting cupcakes instead of the traditional cake because it limits the size and calories they're eating or people like cupcakes because they could eat more variety of cakes in a single blow as compared to a traditional cake wherein you're stuck having an entire 8 X 8 or 9 x 13 which we'll all be sick of after a couple of slices?

I'm off to my journey...

First stop: Sugar Baby's Cupcake Boutique

Located near my fave, Wholefoods, Sugar Baby's is a cute cupcake boutique shop. I like its retro-ish decor in black and pastels. When I went there though, there wasn't a huge selection of cupcakes . I ordered the velvet cupcake and my fiance fancied a plain choco cupcake with vanilla frosting. I guess the fun part of being in the shop is actually not about eating the cupcake but taking pictures of the new place. I feel that people go there, not because of their cupcakes, but because it was designed beautifully. The people in the shop are so friendly too. I recommend that you see the place. It's a little bit Serendipity-ish
Rate: the velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting tasted good, I just ate it a little too late. (like after 2 days)


2nd Stop: The Cookie Jar Bakery

Located across the local elementary school of Post Oak, this bakery reminds me of the traditional bakery where the locals would just stop to read their newspaper and have a cup of coffee. This bakery looked a little bit run down as compared to Sugar Baby's but this shop has more of an at home feeling to it. As you enter, there are stuffed toys, game boards, books, and magazines all over the place. Totally kid-friendly. The cupcakes are also cheaper. I ordered a choco cupcake with nutella frosting while Alan ordered the tres leches cupcake.


Rate: the nutella choco cupcake is divine!

***The two shops had almost the same cupcake menu but both cater to different crowds. I think Sugarbaby's has a little flair to capture the yuppie crowd while the Cookie Jar targets the kids from the school across them.

When we got home, I took a bite of my nutella choco cupcake and it was quite okay. I wasn't impressed with the tres leches though. I guess I was expecting a little bit more. Thanks to actually living in a border town I know how to decipher what authentic mexican food is and tres leches is one of them. I also needed to taste the cupcakes from the other shop so the following day, I had a few bites of the velvet cupcake. It was yummy but it was too rich. One cupcake would actually fill you up immediately.

Finally, I can now say that I've tried the cupcakes and won't be joining the club. They're just glorified buns for crying out loud. Thank God!

Wedding Escapade Series- PAPARAZZI

Who would've thought that photographers nowadays cost an arm and a leg? Well, the last of my wedding escapade was all about getting a photographer. My brother offered his services and said that he'd do it for free. At the back of my mind, I was thinking that this was such a great idea in terms of how much we would be able to save. Alan then told me that if something goes wrong though, I wouldn't want my brother and myself to feel crappy. Also, I wouldn't want my brother to feel pressured during the event.

To prove how naive I am with the latest trends in photography, I thought that it was still the traditional layout wherein you could choose the pictures you like and the photgraphers would just do the layouting for you. Well, I was wrong. It's totally different now. All the photographers we've been to are actually into the "magazine" layout style. What does this mean? Think about the magazines we usually read, it's flat right? That's how albums look like nowadays. Pictures aren't just matted in anymore, they're more artistically presented with the "magazine" format.

I was actually impressed with the pictures and surprised with the prices. I've thought of a way on how I could tell you how much photographers charge in the Kingwood area without actually telling you what the rates really are.(checkout the legend)

***-Tres tres EXPENSIVE
**- Expensive but reasonable compared to a three star
*- Reasonable, still expensive, but who cares...we're running out of time.

Photographer # 1

I have thought that this photographer was on the list of vendors Kingwood Country Club gave us. I was browsing through it and his name isn't listed as a contact. Since we always see this photgrapher's shop along the 1960, we just decided to stop by, take a look at their work, and check what packages they have for weddings. Chris Walter Photography was the name of their shop. Husband and wife operate the business and Mr. Walter looks exactly like Santa. Hohohoho! A funny thing here is that their shop was actually advertising that Santa will be available for pictures this coming December. I wonder who that would be.

Anyway, Chris showed us a variety of albums, styles, and add-ons. The couple were very professional and as I've said earlier, we were very much impressed with the albums they showed us. When we discussed prices and packages, I just took a big gulp because I couldn't believe it. It wasn't the rate I was expecting. I remember mentioning to Alan that we should scout for three more photographers before we made a decision. Alan knew that the was the going rate of photographers in the Kingwood area.

Rate: * *

Photographer # 2

Alan and I decided again to check out the packet Kingwood County Club gave us for contact numbers of their preferred photographers. First on the list was Charles Falk. I gave his office a call and made an appointment in the afternoon. His place was still in the Humble Area but boy was it hard to find. This guy mentioned he didn't need to advertise because he had an abundance of clients. Lucky him then.

Again, it's a husband and wife tandem. Wife is incharge of finding out the details of the wedding and the husband is the master photographer. My impression of Charles is that anyone who'd ever work with him will have a blast because he loves to talk. He kept conversing with Alan the entire time that at one point, I was a little distracted and semi-annoyed. Hello...I'm here for the pictures!

Looking at his work, it's quite obvious that he's been in the business for so long. This was another very professional encounter that made me an immediate fan of all the photographers who take pride in their work.

The downside of this meeting was when the wife gave us their quote, it was way above our budget. For someone who didn't have a budget at that time, I just had to put my foot down and claim that it's not within our budget. This was an obvious one, it wasn't them.

Rate: * * *

Photgrapher # 3

It was actually Mama Florist who recommended this photographer. His name is Steve Tarver. Alan and I actually met up with him in his house after Thanksgiving. We were greeted warmly by his entire family. He told us that taking photographs is a family business and his wife and daughter were part of it. Each one of them had a role to play.

Mama Tarver was incharge of the interviewing, gathering details, and showing off their work. Daughter Tarver was incharge of the business side of things and Papa Tarver was the head honcho.

Most of the information we needed was discussed to us by Daughter Tarver. Their packages were reasonable enough and there were so many freebies included. Since I was aware of the rates, any package they showed me didn't come as a shock anymore.

One thing nice about this family is that they made you feel at home right away. We were even able to insert some humor now and again. The family was also able to recommend some vendors for a band and a minister.

Towards the end of the meeting, Nicole (Daughter Tarver) surprised me with a goody bag. In that bag were coasters, a bottle of water, and some brochures about their business. This was way too good. I had a feeling that they would end up being our official photographers. (Hah! I knew I could be bought)

Thank you, Nicole ;)

Rate: *

I was right! By Sunday, November 25, 2007, we were able to finalize our decision and we decided to hire Steve Tarver as our official photographer. Alan and I can't wait to work with them for our engagement shoot and the wedding.

Wedding Escapade Series-MINISTER

Okay...what's Hugh Hefner doing on my blog? At one time, Alan and I thought that the minister we were dealing with was a Hugh Hefner look alike. Seriously!

Day 2
November 21, 2007

We had a meeting with the minister at around 10:30 and it was quite a long trip because he was from La Porte. La Porte was actually closer to Galveston than Kingwood.

In all honesty, I found the minister online and obviously since I don't know anyone in the Houston area I gave the website a shot and asked the fiance to contact them. I won't be putting their website as a link for I have actually mocked him a little bit by showing a Hugh Hefner photo. I am to blame here.

I knew that something was already fishy when I saw the town. I was like thinking, who would actually be conducting services over here. Then, as we neared the place, it looked so "un"holy because it turns out that the minister we were checking out was actually a real estate agent. Hmmm...it doesn't sound right at all. To make things worse, the office building was closed and fliers of all the houses the minister was selling were posted outside his office.

Suddenly, you see a man driving a shiny black top-down sports car waving to Alan. (Hmmm, my eyebrows arched again--this time higher!) Alan immediately tells me that the guy who was over speeding was him. No f$%&$"g way!!!!

Man in sports car tells us that the minister will be late but he is also another minister in the company. Something was very wrong here. The bright side of this was that the man in the sports car was very friendly. Told us about how he became a minister and how he got his certificate online. Okay, you decide...should we get him or not?

Minutes after, a man in dirty clothes, a cowboy hat, and a cowboy accent enters the room. Introduces himself as the minister and sits on his leather chair. We wanted to run there and then, but still being polite, we continued having a conversation with him. I couldn't help but notice that the minister actually had a tattoo on his right arm and a diamond earring on his left ear. Alan on the other hand noticed the clicking sound of his false teeth that bothered him to bits. Since he was already turned-off with the entire thing, all he heard was, "click, click,click".

(Add the diamond earring, cowboy hat, and lightnin' tattoo)

That's it! Who really needed signs? No way on earth would we be getting him or sports car guy to officiate our wedding. It felt like the solemnity and importance of our upcoming wedding would just be put to waste if they were handling it. It wasn't their personality that turned us off. It was more of how they presented themselves to their clients. Do you actually think that I'd be proud telling all of you that the Hugh Hefner look alike or the sports car guy officiated my wedding?

I felt so relieved leaving the place. Luckily, our official photographer (which I'll be blogging about next ) recommended someone who officiates weddings.

Now, we have a reason to make fun of our adventure. Totally hilarious.

May God understand why I wrote about this and may we be led to the right person who will handle our wedding ceremony perfectly.

***Note: This is not to ridicule the minister nor his company.

Wedding Escapade Series- FLOWERS

This is how I want my table to look like.

Alan and I have decided to use the holidays for planning, checking wedding vendors, and basically getting things accomplished.

The drive to Houston took 10ish hours. It wasn't that bad because we got to Kingwood at around 7:00. We were so tired so it was an early night for both of us.

The following day was work day for the fiance. Since I was stuck in the apartment I decided to make Chicken Pot Pie from scratch. In a semi-kinda-sorta way, I felt it was a success despite the dryness of the sauce (I left it in the oven while we went out for a breather--breather means like 4 hours).

Going back to the wedding, I tried Virginia's Bakery for a possible meeting to inquire about wedding cakes. Each call I made was answered by her very informative answering machine. Answering machine informed me that Virginia is booked til the third of December.
Finally, I got a hold of her. She seems warm enough and told me that we can have an appointment around January of next year. Okay...isn't she in demand? So here I go explaining my dilemma that I'm not from Houston. She did understand my concerns but I guess she told me, just in a nicer way, that I could have a meeting with her this January...still (didn't get my hint at all).

Taken in one of the flower shops

Day 1

November 20, 2007

I still had to figure out what this day was about. We were going downtown to check on flowers. Turns out that we made numerous side trips to; 1) my cupcake shops (which I'll be blogging about next); 2) my favorite, Wholefoods, and; 3) Borders for CD's, coffee, and a bridal magazine.

As we hit Main St., we saw a lot of shops that were selling their flowers wholesale. It was like the trading post of flowers. Prices were very reasonable and I was able to see the flowers I wanted. I learned that the orchids I wanted are called Phalaenopsis. They're white, pretty, simple,and elegant. The long stem holds around 3-4 orchids. Again, I was envisioning how it would look like on the table (check picture on top).

1st Shop,

They had the flowers but none of them understood what I wanted and they couldn't communicate with me because they didn't speak English. The orchid was sold for $25.00 but it was set in a pot. What I was trying to point out to them was that I needed these orchids to be in a vase, a glass vase to be exact. No one gave me an answer and just handed me a business card.

Phalaenopsis Orchid

2nd Shop--Nora's

Better people because we were able to communicate. All their orchids were in a refrigerated room and the Phalaenopsis came in several colors. Nora, the lady incharge, was saying that they don't know when these flowers are available so it would be better if we get back to them around April and check again. Price of orchid--$28.00 per stem. The shop was better than the first too.

3rd Shop

The rudest of them all just told us to "GO HOME"... literally! If we weren't buying his flowers today, then we don't have any business being there. So there...$%^k him and his store. We were actually plotting something very evil with Alan. How about throwing eggs and flour at his shop during the night and TP his entire store? Too juvenile eh?My frustration and blood pressure just went up BIG TIME. All I can say is that he lost a client who was willing to spend on flowers. So eventhough his shop had the bestlooking and biggest Phalaenopsis, he had an attitude of a miserable ogre. Btw, the price of the orchid was $26.00.

***
The following day, we found our Mama Florist, Connie. It just so happened that we were driving by and decided to check her shop out. Ironically, she turned out to be "our" florist. She welcomed us immediately and answered most of our questions. Her shop is a run-down trailer named the Flower Market. She told us that she started her business during the late 70's and knows Kingwood Country Club very well. I told her what I wanted and she gave me a quote that was actually more than okay. The package included everyone in my wedding party. Aside from that, she said that she would personally deliver the flowers, help with the bouquets, and pin the corsages and button holes. This would mean less work to do during the wedding.

Phew!

That's one task down, a lot more to go.