A December Wedding

Photo by Katharyne Dunn Photography

My son got married on December 10, 2011! This year I have been the Mother of the Bride AND the Mother of the Groom with in three months of each other. Quite the year of strong emotions, crazy busyness and happy times. There were times the year flew at the speed of light and times I thought it would never be done. I honestly tried at one point to talk Josh and Caitlin into having their wedding in January or February, just to have a little more time between the two. They had their hearts set on December 10, two days after Josh's birthday and two days before Caitlin's, (something I think they will one day live to regret what with Christmas being in December as well. Ah, but they knew what they were doing.)

Photo by Katharyn Dunn Photography
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Caitlin had hoped for a snow storm a day or two before the wedding for pictures. A storm didn't happen, but we did have a little bit of snow on the ground, she had to have been freezing in this picture!

Josh and Caitlin's wedding was different than Alyssa and Shane's. Caitlin had always wanted to get married in her grandparents' church. With a church wedding comes a little longer ceremony, a little more tradition, and a bit more formality. As different as the two weddings were, both were so perfect.

The church was decorated for Christmas with large wreaths on the walls and very tall Christmas trees at the front. The colors used on the trees and wreaths were the same as the colors chosen by Caitlin for here bridal party. A happy coincidence, not planned in anyway. The church was beautiful, ready and waiting for a storybook December wedding.

The rehearsal the night before was a strange experience, I think in some ways all wedding rehearsals are. It was being run by two wedding coordinators from the church. One was a strange little man who was a bit of a control freak. And when I say bit, I mean complete and overwhelming, and when I say control freak, I mean ego maniacal dictator. That said, he did know his stuff. He just wanted things a little more formal perfect than the bride and groom. For instance, he told the groom, best man, groomsmen to stand up at the front like little soldiers with their hands at their sides, practically at attention. He barked his orders at them, "Ok, now, men, you are to stand up their, hands at your sides. No, Adam and Eve (he demonstrated by holding his hands together in front of him), no hands behind the back, no folded arms." They looked uncomfortable, and awkward, so Caitlin told them to practice the way he told them, then they all decided to hold their hands in front of them for the ceremony. They looked more comfortable, but I heard the wedding coordinator was not amused.

Mr. Coordinator also wanted Willie to follow Josh and I down the isle as he escorted me down to my seat. Willie didn't like that, so we decided to have him walk down with us with me in the middle. (Not the worst thing ever, I was wearing heels after all. )

The wedding the next day was beautiful. Josh looked every bit the grown up man about to be married. He was glowing as much as the bride. His tux fit him perfect, and as he stood up on the alter waiting for his bride to walk down the isle I was so proud of him, a tear welled up in my eye. His happiness filled the room.

The Mother of the Bride was escorted to her seat. Once there she and I went up to the alter and lit the candles that would be used by the bride and groom to light their unity candle. The candles that we were to light had the family names, Bair and Berry on them . As we got up to the candles we noticed that the candles were backwards. So, we quickly and quietly switched them, lit them and returned to our seats.  The bride's maids, Alyssa being one, and matron of honor entered and took their places. Alyssa looked very beautiful in her long burgundy dress and champagne colored sash. Her hair was up and to the side. It was curled in a way that framed her beautiful face, just so. Kahlen, the flower girl, wearing a champagne dress with a burgundy sash, and the ring bearer came marching down the isle, big toothy grins on both faces. Each bursting with pride, knowing that they were stealing the show. After all, Kahlen was an old pro at this sort of thing. She knew exactly what to do and how to do it. They both cooperated grandly, especially for being two year olds.

The intro to the wedding march signaled the arrival of the bride. Everyone stood up and watched as Caitlin, with her father at her side came down the isle. The lights on the wreaths, which had been dark, came on one by one as the bride and her father passed each one. She looked stunning. Her long veil flowing  gently behind her. Her dress sparkling but not as brightly as her eyes. Each step she took her smile grew wider as she looked at her groom waiting for her.  His eyes fixated on her, until finally she reached the alter.

The ceremony went well, their vows spoken, rings put on each of their fingers. Friends and family smiled and weeped tears of joy as the new bride and groom committed their lives to each other. Josh's sisters quietly watched and wiped their eyes as their only brother became a husband. Willie and I held hands, with Kahlen on my lap, as we witnessed another milestone in our only son's life.

I'm not sure who took this one...

Lopsided Meatballs

Alyssa's wedding is one week from today. One week! This week has been very busy trying to get things ready that I can help with from here. I've made eight corsages, and three bridesmaids bouquets. I bought my dress. I've made meatballs.

I've made and frozen many meatballs. I am still making and freezing many meatballs. Many, many meatballs.

All summer I have felt a little guilty, I bought and planted a bunch of herbs. I planted rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, sage and chives. Then this summer, I never felt like cooking anything. At all. The herbs kept growing and I kept not using them. I felt bad for spending the money, on them and not using them.

 Well, the guilt is gone. I have harvested, washed, picked through and chopped so many herbs the last week that my fingers may be permanently green. I have used just about all of the herbs except the sage and chives. They have paid for themselves many times over now. If I had bought all of the herbs for the meatballs at the store it would have added up very quickly. I probably would have had to use dried herbs just because of the cost.

I have smelled like a walking talking meatball for days! No matter how many times you shower or wash your hands the smell just stays with you. And then of course there is the onions and garlic.

Anyone who knows me, knows I HATE onions. I hate them with a passion. I don't like them cooked, I don't like them raw. I know, and this is the ONLY reason I will ever use them, that they do add flavor to dishes. When I do decided to use them, which is very rarely, there is only one way I can do it, I "slap chop" the hell out of them. I dice them up very, very small with my knife, and then put the tiny dices in my slap chopper, and pulverize them. After that, I must cook them down to nonexistence, or I won't be able to eat them.

So.... that's what I have been doing. Chopping, slapping, mixing, cooking, frying and of course testing meatballs.

Yes, I said frying. I guess there are many thoughts on how to cook a proper meatball. When I was growing up, my mom pan fried her meatballs to brown the outside, and then put them in the sauce to finish cooking. I have always made them that way as well.

I am a big fan of the Food Network. Out of curiosity, I have watched many different shows about making meatballs. Alton Brown says that my way of making meatballs is NOT "Good Eats." He says to bake them. Tyler Florence, says to bake them too. He says, "it's how we  do it in our restaurants." They hold their shape better, they said. You can cook them faster, they said. Valerie, my daughter, said that she had baked them and it worked great. Ok, so I decided to bake them....once. They tasted fine, but they had a weird spongy texture that I did not like. I did not like it at all. Then I started thinking. I have never meant a restaurant meatball that I liked. Never. I mean they aren't awful or anything, well, sometimes, but they are never good. I rarely ever order meatballs when I'm out, even as much as I love them, because they always disappoint. Even as a child, I remember being unhappy with any meatball but my mom's. So..... why would I change that?

Now, my meatballs are not perfectly shaped orbs of meat. Pan frying them leaves them flat on two sides. I fry them on one side for five minutes and them turn them over and fry them on the other side for five minutes. They have two flat sides. But, I can't say that I care. I just want them to taste good. I've been writing this post in five minute intervals. I can fit about sixteen meatballs in my frying pan at a time. I have made approximately 247 so far. That's a lot of five minute intervals.

I may never make meatballs again.......