3 Movies We Enjoyed

Over Christmas break we were able to enjoy the following movies:

Juno
Atonement
English Patient

We recommend all three although each are entirely different from each other.

Wedding Pic of the Day

I really like this photo of Curt chilling before the wedding. The wedding party along with our parents were able to hang out with us hours before the wedding. It was special. Isn't Curt cute? Check out his dimples.

A few photos from the cookie contest

Jillian's creation

Josh's Creation

Calvin's creation (check out the man with suspenders)

The Winner is....

The Trophy for the Cookie Competition (crafted by the Wielands)

I am so happy to share that I won the cookie competition for the 2nd year in the row. My winning entry? Pumpkin ginger cookies. Yum Yum. Calvin and Josh tied for best presentation. Calvin made sugar cookies. Josh made crispy rice bars.

Wedding Pictures Are In!

Merry Christmas! Christmas pictures from our time with our family will eventually be posted . The whirlwind of festivities started off with a birthday celebration for my brother Calvin, a cookie making contest, the Mai Christmas celebration in Burnsville, the Asleson Christmas celebration in Mankato, the Wood Christmas celebration in Mankato, then the Wieland(sister's inlaws) Christmas celebration in Stillwater!!!!! Joyeux Noel! Feliz Navidad! It's such a special time!!!! Ahhh!!!!! It was so great to see everyone!!!!!

Becca Dilley, our wedding photographer is the best ever. Here is the link so that you can view the gigantic wedding gallery!!!! It's very large!!!

http://dilley.smugmug.com/gallery/4019805/

Christmas is coming!

Tis the season to be jolly! I'm sure everyone is busy with their Christmas preparations! I'm trying to figure out gifts for family and finalize my cookie recipe for a cookie making competition while trying to quiet my soul for the season. It's my favorite time of the year! Both Curt and I look forward to the family celebrations.

This weekend has been fabulous. Honestly, every weekend is fabulous when we get to spend it together as newlyweds. We celebrated Brent's graduation on Friday night with dinner at Olives in Mankato. We are so happy for Brent and Shanna...Brent's done with school now and together they are happily waiting for the arrival Baby Wood. We are excited too. Anyway, on Saturday Curt's parents came up for dinner at Birchwood Cafe and holiday lights. So fun.

Today we went to Home Depot to pick up supplies to repair a leaky water hose on the washing machine. It's been an interesting weekend of home issues as Curt woke up on Saturday morning to an inside room temperature of 50 degrees! The heat works now thank goodness. We are thankful to have a roof over our heads, but sometimes little repair jobs are in order!

Happy 30th Wedding Anniversary!

at the church ceremony
a kiss
cutting the cake
a few friends
curt and josh helping out
a celebratory sign

Last weekend we celebrated my parents 30th wedding anniversary with a renewing of vows and reception. Not only did we brave the snow to make the trek to the church, but we realized the Vietnamese church was located in the ghetto of Mpls!!!! we feared for our lives! well, not really, but it was interesting to drive through the neighborhood.

Congratulations Mom and Dad! It was an amazing celebration!

Thank You!

Happy 1 week wedding anniverary!!!!! Thanks to our friends and family for making it extra special. here are the many moments that I won't forget:

Friday: seeing the flowers for the 1st time, loading down our car with everything!!!!, the jittery car ride down to Kato, seeing Doug and Bev at the church prepping for the rehearsal dinner, picking up our sound equipment, working with my sister at the hotel on details, details, details, the entire rehearsal dinner full with beautiful fall decor and hearty soup and sandwiches, having the chance to thank our close friends and family.

Saturday: the decorating team putting everything together, saying goodbye to Curt, hanging out with the girls at the salon and church, being excited while getting dressed, getting emotional when I saw Curt, taking pictures, the dads looking cute, the moms looking wonderful, finding out Chris now lives in Cali, getting Starbucks, the buzz right before the procession, the touching ceremony music (thanks mina!), exchanging vows, our kiss, the excitement when it was all over, greeting guests, arriving at the reception, hanging out with the wedding party in our room, seeing the beautiful reception hall, laying down rules and sharing details about our wedding party, cutting cake, seeing everyone, awesome toasts by Carolyn and Brent, the slideshow, our first dance, being twirled around around around and around by my dad, the electric slide, curt being funny during the garter toss, watching curt dance to soldier boy, hanging out with my family, ending the evening in our room with champagne, candles, chocolate, flowers, a book and.....

Sunday: waking up at 7:30 for breakfast, watching Curt open gifts with our family and close friends, packing up our vehicles, saying our goodbyes, and driving back while crying and laughing.

too many people to thank. we had tons of help. tons.

prewedding details: reception stuff

curt's dj table

candy buffet before fully decorated

granny smith name card table before fully decorated

kiddy coloring books

takeout boxes for candy favors with blank labels

parent wedding photos before fully decorated

map, menu, and reception timeline

here are photos of our reception details before Pat Hansen from Silk Expressions fully worked her magic with the white lights, tulle, etc. I wasn't able to fully appreciate the finished product, but I did take some of it in when we were waiting to do the bridal party grand march.

prewedding details: wedding party gifts

wristlets for bridesmaids from NY and company

pink and green wraps from Sears (they came in handy)

ties for Calvin and Chris from Macy's

rubriks for the guys from Games by James

Back and settling down

After the most emotionally charged and best weekend of our lives we are finally settling down. Married life is great. After the gift opening on Sunday we drove back to Chaska. The entire car ride back was still so emotional. We would think about something cool that happened and start tearing up. We stopped home real quick to make some exchanges and read our cards. It was so fun to read all the well wishes. We are so thankful to everyone especially Grandpa Wood, Grandma Asleson, and Grandpa Asleson.

On Sunday night we made our way to downtown mpls. Curt showed me around the skyway system and his old path when he worked at Target. Then we toured the new Guthrie. Very impressive. We met up with friends Anton and Nicole at Spoon River and enjoyed a seafood Japanese noodle soup and beet ravioli with yummy wine and the best dessert ever. Thanks grandpa Wood!

After a walk around the area we checked into our hotel and fell asleep by 8:30 pm. We must have been so tired because we didn't get up until 7:30 am the next day. We slept for 11 hours!!!!! On Monday morning we had a great breakfast at Hell's kitchen and enjoyed the different shops in downtown. We are back now and are still overwelmed by everyone's support.

We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families. We are super grateful of our friends and want to hang out with all of you soon!!!!!

2 more days

Hi everyone!!!!! We are really excited. We have off from school today and tomorrow. We are joyfully finishing up last details. I still need to work on the name cards for the assigned seating. And i'm making a list of things we need to pack up for the ceremony, reception, and essential clothing items like my dress!

Anyway, on wednesday at school I took down my name sign on the classroom door. on tuesday when i come back I will no longer be Ms. Mai, but Mrs. Wood. My kids are pretty excited for me, but are a bit weirded out by the name change. I told them I won't answer their questions unless they call me by my new name.

If anyone could send me a list of places I need to contact to get my name changed that would be great!

5 more days

I just walked out of the room where we are currently storing gifts from the 3 showers and the bachelorette party. It's full of gifts! Most are still in the packaging that they came in! And the rest of the house is a mess...not very clean and full of wedding stuff. Yes, it's wedding central around here.

Almost every hour this past wknd was spent finishing up details for the wedding. If it's not meeting with someone, then it's picking up something, dropping off something, or going back to get something better.

I can't believe just two weeks ago was the bachelorette party. I had SO MUCH fun. We started off the day with some spa time at Juut in Wayzata. It was exactly what I needed. Very perfect. Then we went bowling and had dinner at Bryant Lake Bowl. To finish off the night we had dessert, warm beverages, and opened presents at Cafe Latte. Everything was great. I loved the time with my friends.

We are working very hard to finish up details. Everything the past two weeks has been so much fun. I'm trying to hold onto each moment. The days go by so fast. I'm getting very excited for everything. The anticipation is killing me...i wake up super early and am going to bed later and later. soon we will be Mr. and Mrs. Wood!!!!!!!!!!

14 more days how can it be!?!?!?

I've ordered the packaging for the wedding favors (it's a surprise) and some things to enhance the reception decor. This weekend will be devoted to working on paper projects for the wedding. I have my bachelorette party too!!!!!

Anyway...14 more days until the wedding! i'm starting to get a bit anxious. i had problems sleeping a few nights ago...it's pretty exciting!!!!!

Curt's excited because he accomplished 2 out of his 4 wedding projects. We have the marriage license and he has his wedding ring! It's super cool.

signing off!!!! cm

17 days and counting

hair trial 1...i'm not quite a fan

Yesterday I went in for a dress fitting with Kristen of the Dressmaker in Edina. After squeezing into the dress (it was alarmingly snug) i was able to look in the mirror and got super excited! I got even more excited when i completed the whole look with the veil. I'm happy about how everything looks together.

I also was able to see my dentist for a pre-wedding cleaning. My teeth will be extra sparkly for all the wedding pictures....hee hee.

The picture is from my 1st hair trial. The experience was fun, but i'm not super happy with the end result. It's a bit busy looking...which isn't quite me. What I had in mind was something a bit simpler....hope it all works out on THE day!!!!!

Shower with the Asleson Aunts

Sandy, Judy, and Linda
The Group

The two pictures are from my 1st shower in Mankato hosted by Curt's aunts. This happened late September. We played some fun games (a word scramble and a guess the cake game) and enjoyed some really yummy crossiant sandwiches. Curt's cousin Katrina was really helpful in helping with gifts too! Before the shower I met with Irene from Country Inn and Suites to do more planning for the reception.

we were once wee ones too

kindergarten
kindergarten

My guess is that we would have been friends....hee hee.

Back from Dallas!

What a whirlwind!!!! It's hard to believe that just one week ago we were in Dallas, Texas. Curt has a super nice recap on his blog. After a very logistically packed triathlon wknd we were back home in MN for a shorter, yet busy week of school. Both me and Curt had long nights of parent/teacher conferences. Since being back i've been recovering from a lingering cold...i can't believe how much mucus moves around in my nasal passages.

In other exciting news...we went to the Carver County offices to apply for a marriage license. We had to swear by oath that I was a woman, he was a man, and that we weren't married to anyone else living. While our right hands were raised I kind of thought...geez this is somewhat official now.... where's the music and celebration? In about 3 weeks we will be married!

Off to Dallas

It's been so long since i've blogged! Life has been great! The past month has been filled with lots of wedding festivities! Think lots of showers! Three! All in Mankato. I'll have to post pictures soon.

My days are spent making lists, crossing off items on my list, and making more lists. Between our wedding celebration and school it just never ends!!!! I'll have to give updates about the wedding prep soon...

In the more present moment....we are headed off to Dallas just for a few days. Curt has a triathlon. We're pretty excited to have a mini-vacation in the midst of this structured chaos!!!!

Other news...I got my flu shot yesterday...i'm feeling a bit worn down today...could be a combination of many things...right now I'm so tired my face feels like it's going to explode!!!

Photos from Now and Then

We are in the process of rounding up photos for the wedding slideshow. It's so entertaining. The newborn, infant, toddler, little kid, and awkward teen stages in both of our lives are endearing and funny at the same time. We both came to the conclusion that we look much better now after we moved out of the teen years. Weird hair and braces didn't help us much back then.

In other news....I bought the garter!!! Let's get excited now! Seriously, I don't understand the tradition behind it, but I figure it's a wedding essential. And it might be fun to have prizes to give away at the reception. Anyway, from what I can gather the garter isn't very functional. It's like wearing something around your leg that can or can't be comfortable depending on the material and how tight the spandex is. The label on my garter says that the French started the tradition for good luck. And there you have it!

Fall! My favorite season!

Josh and Carolyn

Me and Curt coming in from the jet ski

Cooler weather, colorful leaves, apple crisp, pumpkin spice, Twin Cities Marathon, Thanksgiving dinner, and of course...the start of another school year. I love fall! The transition from summer to fall is one of my favorites. And I am so looking forward to the next few months...a trip to Dallas, some bridal activities, MEA break, and of course the wedding!

After being so nervous and edgy from the anticipation of the 1st day of school, I was finally able to get back into the swing of things last week. I met my students and I can say that it was a good a first week. We did a lot of mini-labs right away which got some kids excited. I am really hopeful for a great year.

Read Curt's blog for his thoughts with student teaching. I am really excited for him and proud of his efforts already. And now we get to share successes, classroom horror stories, and other school gossip. hee hee.

We were able to close out our great summer with one last lake lot get-away with Carolyn and Josh in Alexandria. It was really fun and super relaxing. I was able to enjoy some fishing, kayaking, swimming, jet skiing, and a bonfire.

Name Change

Update in wedding news. We are 97% done with registering for gifts. My oh my! What a long task. We decided to add a 4th store...REI...for some camping essentials like a tent and a sleeping bag. So the four stores are REI, Macy's, Crate and Barrel, and Target! Fun!

Also, we are looking forward to being done with addressing invitations! I plan to send them out during the 1st week in September!

Finally, last night I practiced doodling my new name in cursive and print on paper...kind of like how kids like to write and see their name repeatedly over on paper. I perfected the cursive "w".

The last few weeks of summer have been so fun and busy. We really packed in some quality times with family and friends. Last weekend we biked around the Grand Round with Curt's folks on a beautiful day while managing to meet up with Josh and Carolyn for lunch at Annie's Parlour. We also celebrated Curt's birthday with a dinner with his family. Finally, we've had some friends over for dinner like Anton/Nicole and Nate/Nikki/Claire.

Summer is pretty much over for us...we had to mentally prepare for school. One night this week we spent the entire evening consoling each other after realizing school is just around the corner. Yes, I have to see 150 kids everyday for an hour and have something prepared for them everyday while communicating with parents and staff, maintaining a good classroom environment, providing feedback to students in a timely fashion...so that they can become self-sufficient learners and prepared for the future. at times it is a bit daunting.

Be the Turtle!

Brent and Curt participated in the Turtleman Triathlon in Shoreview. Curt did it as an individual. Brent did it as a relay. Despite biking extra miles on the course, Brent's team was able to do pretty well. Curt did well too....finishing his very full racing season.

DIY Unity Candle

The unity candles! My mini DIY project with the help of IKEA candles, Michael's ribbon, and the Kachelmyer's candleholders!

Less than 90 days until wedding bliss!

That's right...only 90 more days until our marriage celebration. We are getting very excited. The month of August has been fantastic. Curt decided to take some time off from work before student teaching. Now we get to hang out a lot. It's really relaxing and fun.

We've been occupied with wedding planning as you may guess. We have officially registered at Target, Macy's, and Crate and Barrel. This by far has been the most time-consuming step in the planning. I can say that we've made at least 5 trips to Target, 2 to Crate and Barrel, and 1 trip to Macy's.

Target is where we registered for the majority of our items...lots of kitchen gadgets for prepping, cooking, and serving. At Target we also registered for small appliances such as a coffee grinder, coffee machine, and the classic KitchenAid mixer in pistachio green. Target is the place where we picked out a paper shredder, lamps, and the coolest ultimate cooler ever (it has wheels and a hole for letting out water at the bottom). And I can't forget about the shop vac!

secondly, we tackled stuff at Crate and Barrel. Crate and Barrel will be outfitting us with our classic white dinnerware, knife set, and espresso maker. I also picked out a table runner, placemats, and dinner napkins. We are so looking forward to entertaining!

lastly, we went to Macy's for our flatware needs. We found a very nice set of Oneida stainless flatware that will work well for our daily use as well as formal entertaining. Also, for our cookware Curt suggested that we choose a stainless steel set versus nonstick. We also found a down comforter and duvet.

We are very excited about everything. Just a heads up. Some of the items we selected are on super clearance and may not be available online...just in the stores. So sorry for the inconvenience. We will try to update the gift registry often.

Half Marathon Update

I was able to finish the race! I felt great and happy before the race even though I was a bit scared about what was ahead of me...2 hours of torture. Curt came to watch too! It was super nice to have him there. I was able to see him a few times on the urban/wildland course. My race day strategy...stay calm and rely on muscle memory from other race experiences. Everything worked out perfectly as I was quite grateful and happy to finish. My time: 2 hours and 3 minutes!

Here is what my training consisted of the week before the race. I get a kick out of this.

Monday: 2.5 mile run
Tuesday: torturous 8 mile run, my longest run of the year
Wednesday: walk on the treadmill and a few laps in the pool
Thursday: nice 4 mile run
Friday: swam 1/4 of a mile in the pool

thoughts on the bridge collapse

last night we watched the events unfold on TV and were completely shocked like everyone else. after hearing from family and friends who may of been in that area I was able to worry less.

i'm thankful to hear about people helping other people. I'm also thankful to hear that all agencies were able to work together to provide help where it was needed.

Off to College!

Yesterday my dad drove my youngest brother off to school in Milwaukee. It seems quite early to be leaving, but I guess his obligations to the soccer team prompted such an early departure. Going away to college seems to be an emotional strain for parents. In our case, the baby is going away from the nest!!!! Calvin's dog Speedy even felt the sadness. Apparently Speedy was crying and whimpering and needed consoling. My mom told me that he spent the entire day at the edge of the driveway looking out into the distance.

We had a going away dinner for Calvin at Chino Latino in Mpls last Thursday. It was quite fun as we were able to enjoy some yummy dishes and the drunken table of celebratory people next to us.

Tru Sophistication: Our Wedding Invitation

I finally picked out our invitation! This was probably the most drawn out wedding decision yet! I found it challenging to find the "it" invitation. At first we were drawn to the very traditional rectangular ecru invitation. One requirement was that it needed some sort of border around it. and Curt also said no way to any elaborate floral design. We found a few that we liked, but nothing really completely echoed the formal yet relaxed chocolate-brown-fall-wedding theme. hee hee.

until yesterday...I met up with Bev at Carlson Craft and poured through some books. We came across a 5 x 5 square invitation that was not over the top, not fussy, but perfect. The size, color, and texture was perfect. sorry I don't have a picture, but if you are reading this blog you will probably get an invite in 6 weeks. hee hee.

here's a description of it online: Our heavily textured paper includes nature-inspired accents and opens to reveal your wording in a color that coordinates with your choice of satin ribbon. how fun!

here is something I read from a magazine, "as the main introduction to your event, the wedding invitation sets the tone for your wedding style." well...this is probably why I got extra finicky when it came to picking out the invitation. I can say this though...the brown satin theme will be played out in the bridesmaid dresses, invitations, the cake, unity candle, and possibly the favors!

go wedding!

Urban Wildlands Half Marathon

My plan for Saturday is to successfully finish the half-marathon on a 2-week running plan! This morning I took out my Garmin GPS device. The last time I used it was on Oct 1, 2006 for the Medtronic TC marathon! I've been intentionally relaxed with running the past year.

I decided to register for the race 2 weeks ago with having my longest run be 6 miles so far. Yikes! I'm not in the greatest running shape. But I have a lot of determination to finish...and finish in good health.

Thursdays at the U of MN Arboretum

posing in the grass

Curt being very GQ like in a swamp

Us posing in front of a piece of art made from an old canoe

Me excitedly exiting the shrub maze

One thing we rediscovered this summer was the beautiful Arboretum in Chanhassen. It's a 7 minute drive away and entrance is free on Thursdays. A month ago we packed some snacks and decided to do a few things: try to navigate the tree/shrub maze, enjoy the beautifully landscaped grounds, and take our own session of "engagement pics".