Here comes the Bride, part 1

Calm down, it's not me! And, yes, part 1, because there will be at the very least part 2.

This wedding, like most weddings, seems to have taken over our (my) family.
The Bride & I went to preschool together, and became fast friends, our older sisters, being the same age became fast friends, & our mothers, being in the same boat so to speak, became fast friends. It was kismet for sure!
Our families have remained close all this time, and the only thing that would make us more related is actually being related. And, we are so darn excited for the wedding shenanigans to happen!!!!!!!
This will be the first wedding the kids will go to & actually remember.
This will be their first trip to the wedding state.
Their first out of state road trip!!!
OMG, so totally exciting.

Of course, any little wedding go-er must dress the part- Mimi to the rescue!
She took us to the Sears store in my childhood mall, in my childhood town (that keeps changing).
It. Was. Strange.
This mall is a ghost town if ever there was one, & if not for the Sears, the building would have been torn down long ago. All the stores in the mall are closed. All the stores that I would have frequented 20 years ago. But, in a weird way it was fun to watch them frolic around the playground of my youth, where it was once so busy, that on the weekends that Sister & I were deposited to get out of the house, we clung to each other with the fear of being separated.

This is the stage where we were made to visit Santa's wonderland for the first 18, yes 18, years of my life.

Now, there is a sign asking people to 'please stay off the stage', but that would mean there needed people to be there in the first place.

I can still smell the coffee beans here. Pretty sure they diluted our cappuccino with hot chocolate, but I always felt so sophisticated while I walked the mall with that green, Styrofoam cup and a biscotti, trying to not chip a tooth....

Awww, the good 'ole days

All our fancy party clothes are being sequestered in my closet, with visiting privileges.  

And, all party shoes will be taken out, once daily, for breaking in. I fear, though, that Popeye's shoes will be plain old broken by the time we make it to the wedding. He says that they make him feel like dancing a jig- and from the noise in the kitchen, I would have to agree. 

Did I mention we are excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 (please ignore the crumbs)