New Blog Feature: Gift Showcase

We are in the exciting honeymoon phase where everything is sweet and happy...and we get to start using our fantabulous wedding gifts. So, to pay tribute, we'll feature some of the gifts we have received. So, without further ado:

Gift Showcase Tuesday:
Gift #1: Shun Classic 8'' Chef's Knife and Shun Classic 6'' Santoku Knife:

She isn't just beautiful, she's sharp as a tack, too!

Uses So Far: Chopping an onion for tortilla soup, slicing up chicken breast like it were warm buttah, mincing garlic into subatomic particles (garlictrons), slicing tomatos into tissue paper thin slices, and scaring Shannon by throwing a piece of paper in the air and chopping it in half midair with this ginsu blade of doom.

Overall Thoughts: I'm an aspiring cook, and having a great knife enhances the whole cooking experience. I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I don't need to be with these.

Gift #2: Krups Ice Cream Maker

Uses So Far: Made the the best vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberry that I have ever tasted. We also made Reese's Peanut Butter Cup gelato last night.

Overall Thoughts: This was the first gift we received in the mail, so it was a special moment. Shannon grew up eating homemade ice cream, so she and "I screamed" (get it?) when we opened it.

I'll post more of these mini showcases in the future. If your gift doesn't get featured, please don't be sad. We still love it!

My 16 Days as a Sieber

Well, I've been a Sieber for exactly 16 days. The signed marriage license is in my posssion, my kids are calling me, Mrs. Ken...Sieber, and I'm trying to find new ways to answer the question, "does it feel different?"

The negatives:

• I've found that initialling SK is much less difficult than my new SS on passes, and my former signature which consisted of "shlkdy" now is a mushed up version of shlksieber. It's hard when you've perfected a signature over the last 15 years of your life to all of the sudden change it!
• Doing all of this name changing stuff is HARD! Social Security Cards, Driver's License, Passport, oh my! At least I get to change the signature on my social security card from my 5th grade handwriting!!!!

The positives:

• I've found that my husband (teeheehee-I said "husband") has become much sweeter now that I am his wife! I know that wasn't part of our vows, but I'll take it all the same!
• When my school e-mail changes, that "i" before "e" can seriously benefit me by drastically reducing the number of parent e-mails! Woohoo!
• I think the cat has taken kindly to being Velcro "Charzar" Kennedy-Sieber, he's hyphenating!
• Christopher now owns 49% of the cat, that means 49% of scooping the poop!

I can't wait to have many future years as Mrs. Sieber. I know the initials and signature will come in time, the school parents will probably replace my preferred e-mails with phone calls, and Velcro will start urinating on all that is Kennedy very soon, but I'm looking forward to my new adventures with my new husband and family.

Cruisin' But Not Losin (Part 1)

Sunday, September 17th: Getting to the Honeymoon:
We awoke extremely groggily at 7:45 am on Sunday, September 17th. It was not a pretty picture. Our cruise ship would depart Galveston at 4 p.m., so we had some work to do to make it aboard on time for our honeymoon. Of course, we both hadn't packed our bags, and our apartment looked like a wedding fairy had thrown up on it.

So, we get home and begin frantically throwing clothes, toiletries, and bottles of wine into suitcases. It's about 8:45, and we still have an hour to go until "road time". Things are looking good.

Then, I hear the sound that every cat owner dreads: "HUHR-RUK. HUHR-RUK. HUUU. Splat". Thanks, Velcro! Even after cleaning up Velcro's gift, we're still on track. Minutes later, amid still more frantic packing, we notice Velcro has left another surprise for us on the carpet. Bodily function #2. Nice try, tabby, but we're still going.

Disaster Strikes:
It's now 9 a.m.: one hour until road time. Shannon opens her halfway packed suitcase to discover that our friend Velcro has used her nicely folded clothes as a urinal. To quote Shannon, "Ohhhhhhh Nooooooo."

No Problem, Mon:
Through this adversity, we actually made it to Galveston in excellent time. Our conversation went something like this repeated every 10 miles or so: "The wedding went really well. The whole night went really fast. I hope everyone had a great time. Did xxxx have a good time? What do you think, husband/wife? Tee hee hee. I called you husband/wife."

Sweet Ending (as a result of Shannon's training):
Hand in hand, we boarded the ship, ready to begin the first of what would be a lifetime of wonderous adventures together.

We Made It!

The wedding was an amazing whirlwind of an experience for us. We weathered all the chaos and last minute actions with absolutely tireless help from true friends. Those of you baking cookies, running errands, decorating the site, driving people around, printing pages, and keeping us sane and on track...Thank you!

It's funny; since that fateful evening, January 7th, 2006 we have been in planning mode. Months and months of preparation and anticipation came down to a beautiful evening that I can barely remember. The whole evening felt like about 5 minutes. Several people had warned us that that would happen, but it was shocking.

Shannon and I were touched and honored to have so many friends and family travel from all over the place to be at the big party. We really wanted the whole thing to be about great friends, great food, and great times, and I hope that showed up in the details.

Again, thank you to everyone..We love y'all...

License

The marriage license is in hand and ready to go.

Travis County marriage licenses are issued at the same County Clerk's office where I renew my automobile registration. It was amusing to have the normally disinterested county employees stop in the middle of form printing, signing, and stamping to congratulate us.

I also chuckled when we received the actual marriage license. I was expecting something like a temporary driver's license. The fancy lettering and gold seal on the certificate were a really nice touch!

Bachelor Party (Part 2)

I promised a part 2 to the Bachelor Party weekend so here are some more thoughts.

The Irresistable Charm of Natty and Matty:
Ryan and Nate, your boundless energy and effusive charm sent shockwaves through the female citizens of Austin. They eagerly await your return this weekend.

Drinking and Driving is No Bueno (Tahoe-Nooooo!):
Some foolish schlub crashed his Chevy Tahoe into a light pole right next to us on the way back from 6th street circa 2:30 a.m. He tried to pull back into traffic with his newly pimped ride ("Yo, we added a custom V indention to yo' front end. If your clothes are wrinkled, steam 'em out using your busted radiator! Word!). An Austin Police cruiser also witnessed this event, so the Tahoe driver was hauled off to jail.

Please, please, please be careful and smart this weekend.

Something Else to Love About Austin:
Say what you will about immigration, I think it's pretty awesome that there are multiple shops in east Austin that will custom-make a pinata to any likeness. Nice find, Chris.

I've Got Some of the Best Buddies in the World:
My nickname is The Big Hurt. I'm way too competitive. I'm a horrible loser at poker games. I don't go visit my friends nearly enough, especially the ones up in Dallas. In spite of all this, there were a bunch of guys from all over Texas and Austin at the bachelor party to celebrate with me. Thanks for one of the best weekends I can remember.

The Day is Nigh

We are inside of 168 hours until the big wedding day. We're in the middle of the whirlwind with last minute details to handle. I want to apologize in advance if we mess up any of the 'little touches' that are required for throwing one of these shindigs.

We are wrapping up the music with the DJ, meeting with our reverend this week, moisturizing rose petals, finalizing dinner plans for the rehearsal, trying to get a wedding band to fit my 10 3/4 size ring finger, getting the marriage license, packing and shopping for the honeymoon, penning thank you notes, closing out on gifts for folks, managing a mountain of gifts, and doing other things that I have forgotten about (sorry, Shannon)

A wedding is a logistical nightmare tied up in a pretty white bow, but the memories and experiences so far are already irreplaceable. I love that this occasion lets us reach out across the years and across the miles to bring our friends and families closer to us again.

And so, the big weekend in Austin approaches. The support, best wishes, and love sent our way from all of you is palpable. Here's to everyone having a safe trip and to the Caribbean remaining hurricane free!

Moms, Bowling and Blowing

I've found that unlike most mom's my mine has a tendency to get less crazy as time progresses. She is a little more laid back, a little less uptight, and overall very pleasant to be around. She is easy to talk to, and so easy going that I can tell her when I don't like it when she does something, and we work out our problems without anyone getting offended!

Yes, in all of the pre-wedding hoopla, people learn your lingerie sizes, and many of your personal tastes. What is your favorite design of silverware, or a place setting, but in an e-mail to my brother, my mom got a little too personal!

Subject: Wedding activities invite for Thursday evening

You should have an e-mail from Chris Floyd. It is an invitation to the blowing on Thu. evening. I know you are getting in late, but I thought you might like to look at it and call us the minute you get in. I do not know how long we will be bowling. I can hardly wait to see you!!!!!!"

Mom, it is SO important to read your e-mail's before you send them!

I love you, and it was Danny's idea to post this on the blog!