Wedding Planning - it's all about the numbers!

This blog entry goes out to my friend @NoreenTiongson in NYC who just recently got engaged!  Congrats Noreen!  I found some interesting websites for you to check out - when you get some time.  Here are some helpful checklists, tips and do's/don't to help you get through it all!  Planning a wedding is all about the numbers!  So I tried to find lists that go in numerical order (it's harder than you might think!) but also tried to find relevant articles too!  I hope you like?!  ;-)

3 Planning Tools from Brides Magazine (you might have to log on and be a member to use these… but may be worth it?)

http://www.brides.com/myweddingplanner/tools-intro

4 Steps to Try On Wedding Dresses — online!

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/dressing-room/

5 Essential Finance Tips for Newlyweds

http://www.brides.com/wedding-answers-tools/wedding-etiquette/2012/12/newlywed-finance-tips#slide=6

6 Hidden Honeymoon Getaways

http://www.brides.com/honeymoons/2012/08/honeymoon-ideas-hidden-honeymoon-getaways#slide=9

7 clever kitchen gadgets

http://shopping.yahoo.com/news/7-clever-kitchen-gadgets-230757035.html

8 Tips For Taming Your Guest List

http://www.brides.com/wedding-answers-tools/wedding-timeline-budget/2006/11/taming-your-guest-list?currentPage=1

9 Tips For Acing Your Wedding Hair Trial

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/wedding-hair/2012/05/how-to-have-a-great-wedding-hair-trial#slide=1

10 items couples forget to register for

http://shopping.yahoo.com/news/10-items-couples-forget-to-register-for-184440239.html

11 Things to Avoid the Week Before Your Wedding

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/wedding-beauty/beauty-countdown/2012/08/ten-things-to-avoid-before-your-wedding#slide=1

12 Steps How To Create A Wedding Checklist

http://www.ehow.com/how_7525336_create-wedding-checklist.html

13 Examples of Wedding “Style”

http://www.brides.com/blogs/aisle-say/wedding-style-planning/

14 Fascinating Engagement Facts

http://www.brides.com/wedding-engagement/engagement-rings/2012/11/brides-cool-facts-about-getting-engaged?mbid=synd_yshop#slide=1

14 Ways to Cut Your Wedding Budget in Half

http://www.brides.com/wedding-answers-tools/wedding-etiquette/2012/11/how-to-cut-your-wedding-budget-in-half#slide=1

15 Wedding-Day Beauty Emergencies and How to Solve Them

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/wedding-beauty/beauty-countdown/2012/09/easy-fixes-for-wedding-day-beauty-emergencies#slide=1

15 Favorite Wedding Invitations of 2012

http://www.brides.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-invitations-stationery/2012/12/brides-best-wedding-stationery-2012#slide=1

15 Wedding Flower Mistakes to Avoid

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-flowers/articles/15-wedding-flower-florist-tips.aspx

17 Things You Didn't Know About Your Wedding Dress

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/wedding-dresses/2012/12/cool-facts-about-wedding-dresses-brides-magazine#slide=1

18 Brides Editors Favorite Things

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/2012/08/brides-editors-favorite-wedding-products-wedding-ideas#slide=18

21 Wedding Hairstyles that Work Well with Veils

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/wedding-hair/2013/01/wedding-hairstyles-with-veils#slide=1

24 of America's Most Beautiful Cakes

http://www.brides.com/brides/2011/09/americas-most-beautiful-cakes-brides-magazine#slide=1

25  Food Trends for 2013

http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2013/01/25-food-trends-for-2013

30 Best Wedding Bouquets of 2012

http://www.brides.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-flowers/2012/12/brides-best-wedding-bouquets-2012#slide=1

41 Unexpected Flower Ideas

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-flowers/articles/41-unique-wedding-flower-ideas.aspx

47 Wedding Shoes We Can't Live Without

http://www.brides.com/wedding-dresses-style/wedding-accessories/2012/03/the-best-wedding-shoes#slide=1

50 Wedding Photos You Can't Do Without!

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-photography-videography/articles/50-wedding-photos-you-cant-do-without.aspx

100 Top Wedding Reception Songs

http://tophitsnewsongs.com/best-wedding-reception-songs-2012/

Whew!

Nerium - the fountain of youth!

I am writing this blog post so I can share something important with all my sexy, stylish friends!  As you know, things start to change after 40. The wrinkles start showing, age spots appear out of nowhere and we start noticing the drooping of eyelids and jowls. I realize that I have been blessed with pretty good skin (at least on my face) since you all have been nice enough to point it out to me over the last couple years. Thank you by the way! But even I cannot deny the forehead wrinkles and lines around my eyes. I also have freckles that are getting larger and turning into the dreaded “age spots”! I have already had one scare with melanoma on my face (lip) and to top it off, since I have suffered from eczema for decades, and I now have the hands of an old woman!

Recently I have been hearing more and more of my girlfriends talking about laser peels, Botox and other potential surgeries that are being considered to battle this aging process. I hear all this and I begin to wonder if I too need to start saving for these procedures? Most of you know how frugal I can be about skin care… I don’t spend a lot of money on cosmetics, skin care or anti-aging. I am pretty much a gal who still uses Cover Girl, washes my face with water, and the only real skin care product I use daily is my Mary Kay moisturizer! (Even my Mary Kay rep can’t make any money off me because I only use the lotion, nothing else, LOL!) Never then less, I can’t help but pay attention to the daily Groupons that come my way for hydra facials, laser peels, Botox and cosmetic surgery – and I see the prices and gasp! So expensive – even with a Groupon!

About a month after my first “free” hydra facial (where I was consulted that I’d need many more visits to get my face/skin into shape) I got an email from my dear friend Debbie (who most of you have met) asking if I had heard about a new skincare product called Nerium. I got the email at work and was pretty busy so I didn’t pay much attention to it. However, it came from a close friend who typically does not spam out beauty care secrets. So it made me take notice of the email, but still my usual response was “no, I don’t need that…” Soon after, that same friend sent her own before and after pictures having used the product for just 2 weeks. I couldn’t believe how amazing she looked. Now this friend is in her early 50’s so a little older than me, and she had the typical amount of wrinkles that anyone that age has. The 2-week results pictures showed much shallower wrinkles for sure and a definite tightened up chin line. But what I really noticed was how her skin tone had evened out so much. The last couple times I had seen her I had noticed the red rosacea patches growing on her cheeks, and the freckles on her chest were getting larger. So these pictures showed a complete transformation there! Glowing, pink skin on her cheeks, and even skin on her chest. So I called her and said “what the hell are you using and could it help me with my growing freckles and eczema?!”

Debbie told me about this night cream that she was using called Nerium. www.nerium.com She sent me emails and more before/after photos of all her friends who were now using it. I have met most of these women before so I couldn’t believe the differences. It’s like they all went to some fountain of youth! Now I am pretty skeptical by nature and Debbie knows this. She simply said, give it a try and see what you think. There is nothing to lose.

The product is a 100% natural, organically grown botanical extract that was originally used to heal skin cancer. Doctors found that not only was the skin cancer healing incredibly quickly, but the skin around it was healing too. They did more studies and found that this plant extract was healing and rejuvenating the skin cells from the inside out and that it was eliminating fine lines, deep lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, acne, rosacea, psoriasis’, and a host of other skin issues. They decided to patent the product and eight months ago started a company using just this one product. It is taking the skin care and anti-aging market by storm because NO OTHER product can come close to doing what this one does. Though the timeframe is a little different for everyone, EVERYONE gets results and most people get them fast! Debbie didn’t think she was seeing results after the first week, but then went back and looked at her “before” photos and started crying! The change was definitely noticeable! So I bought some and have been using it for a week now myself.

The best part about this lotion is that it is so easy to use! The routine is simple. All you do is wash your face at night and while your skin is still damp you rub it on. The next morning you wash your face and use your regular products and then go on with your day. That’s it! It’s just one product and it’s that easy. So you can still use the cleansers, day moisturizers and potions that you already own and use regularly.

Debbie had a party last weekend with all her girlfriends and she invited me to come so I could see her friends that were using the product and hear their stories. It was truly amazing to see all their before/after photos and hear how the product has literally saved them thousands of dollars in fillers, face lifts, and other crazy anti-aging potions. Every single one of them was glowing and beaming with confidence and beauty.  With all the results from Debbie and her friends, I decided to become a distributor (known as a “Brand Partner”). I’ve spent hours on the website and talking to other brand partners and I’m just astounded by the integrity and the commitment this company has. Their vision is not only to help people look and feel better, but to succeed in business and in their lives. The company was only started 9 months ago and it has already been named by Forbes as the fastest growing company in the US. The prediction is that it will become a billion dollar company in the next year, and they haven’t even officially launched the product yet!! It’s just one product and the stuff is THAT good. After trying the product and doing my homework on the company I knew that I didn’t want to be sitting around with a bunch of friends a few months from now with them all talking about their success with Nerium and wishing that I had taken advantage of this opportunity, so I decided to become a distributor!!

Here is my personal Nerium web site that has a great video on it about the product. www.jenniferdwyer.nerium.com

I’m telling you, this stuff is amazing! Most of you know that I would never share something with my friends and family that I didn’t believe 100% in, so trust me when I tell you that this product will blow you away. I’m not trying to rope you into anything…I just can’t wait to share this with every single person I know because the results are so incredible and I believe in this company so strongly that I just have to let you in on it! Not that any of you need anti-aging… but I know you all want to be as stylish and fabulous as possible. This product eliminates the need for fillers and botox and other expensive skin things that cost a fortune. They have a 100% money back guarantee and if you don’t get results…no questions asked. So far no one has returned their product because they are all getting phenomenal results and the company reports a less than one tenth of one percent return rate!

If you decide that you would like to purchase the product, you can do so right on my Nerium web site. Just go to where it says “purchase” and you can sign up to be a customer. You can save $30 a month by signing up for the “preferred customer”. If you want to know more before you order it, call me (206) 351-4194, or email me and I will try to answer all of your questions. If you decide after using it that you want to get into the business like I did, I can help you with that too. Also, if you begin using it and you have three friends that want to use it (and believe me, you will once you start using it) you can get your product free!

If you are interested in more info, please feel free to email me at jenniferdwyer8@comcast.net.  Thanks!

Spring Organizing Tips

Spring has sprung, it's time to get organized!

1. Open the windows and blinds! Let the full daylight in so you can enjoy spring. On the practical side, this not only helps you see your space but you can see it with renewed eyes. And let’s be honest, we’re going to kick up a little dust, you know? We’re going to need some fresh air to get rid of dust and cleaning fumes.

2. Tackle one room at a time! This helps you to stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed. If you stumble across items that should be moved into another room, put them in a pile and distribute them toward the end of the project.

3. Start with small, manageable projects. How about that “junk drawer” in the kitchen. You know you have one! Once it’s organized, you’ll feel so inspired, you’ll want to move to a bigger project!

4. Think “seasonal” changes when organizing. Winter vs. summer. If space is an issue, you may need to store winter gear (clothing, sports equipment/toys, and home furnishings) so you have room for the summer gear you are going to be using.

5. Sort, sort, sort. Group similar things together. Like with like. This gives you a great visual of your “stuff” and helps you see what doesn’t belong.

6. Merge, merge, merge. In the closet: Hang similar color clothes together. In the dresser: Pair your socks. In the kitchen: Nest pots and pans with appropriate lids.

7. Purge, purge, purge. Get rid of the duplicates. Get rid of the unmatched pairs or things that don’t fit. Ask your self the question “Do I use it?” Get rid of things that you don’t use, don’t wear, and don’t love. 

8. Remember that organizing doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Please do not run out and purchase costly shelving systems and storage containers before you’ve done the steps I mentioned above. Low cost solutions may already be in your home. For example - Ziplock bags! All sizes. So many uses!!

9. If you do need to purchase organizing product – measure, measure, measure. Do not buy anything until you know it will fit (on the wall, on the shelf, under the sink, behind the door) wherever you need it to go!

10. Last tip… call me! Enlist the help of a Professional Organizer.

Jennifer Dwyer, Professional Organizer
A Logical Mess
Cell: 206-351-4194
Email: logicalmess@comcast.net
Web: http://www.logicalmess.com/

Meditate on this... Baby's First Bath

I stumbed upon this video/article and I had to share it on my Facebook page.  I have already seen comments relating to this video bringing tears to eyes.  I will have to just cut and paste it for you all to check out yourself. So relaxing, so emotional, so cool.

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/04/skip-your-morning-meditation-watch-this-instead/

What separates “boring” from “peaceful”?

Arguably it is the magic and beauty of innocence that emerges when we are truly open. Anyone who has practiced sitting meditation for more than a few minutes knows that you have to sit through a lot of “boring” (and sometimes worse) before the peace and magic begins.

This video of a baby’s first bath, on the other hand, cuts straight to the chase!

This video will do in five minutes what takes your meditation two hours.

About the writer:
Kristin Luce is slowly going sane by using her actual life and relationships to wake up. Her quest for truth has led her through a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in Buddhist Psychology, 20 years of retreat practice, certification as a Meditation Instructor, two life-changing relationships and two life-changing kids. A Psychotherapist for 15 years, she now encourages everyone to find their own truth using The Work of Byron Katie—working with individuals and couples in her Boulder and Denver offices and by phone. An avid writer, she has been featured in such publications as Mothering Magazine and The Buddhadharma, among others. Find out more about her on Facebook, Twitter, her website or contact her at info@kristinluce.com.

Emergency Preparedness - Hurricane Irene

With the recent earthquake and the current threat of hurricanes on the east coast... I thought it important to bring up the Emergency Preparedness Kit again. I know I told everyone I know to get an Emergency Kit together a couple years ago so you may have followed this advice? If you did - great. Now it's time to pull it out again and check the contents. Even though the hurricane Irene threats are not going to effect us on the west coast, it's still a good reminder to check your kit and make any changes needed. For instance, check batteries in flashlights and change them out, and make sure that any food/water/meds that you put in there are not expired. Most importantly, check your chargers to make sure they are still working. I do NOT recommend solar powered chargers like I have seen on the news. Obviously these are not going to work at night and you can't be sure how much sunlight you are going to have in a hurricane or other natural disaster. I recommend the hand crank type charger so that you will always have a charge even in the dark. The one I purchased came with several different connectors so that you can charge many different things (many different phones). What you want to check now is that the connectors still work with your current phone. I know my charger worked with my phone three years ago... but I have since updated and I need to make sure the charger has that connector as well!

If you don't have a Emergency Preparedness Kit, you should make one. Here are some tips, links and advice to help you!

Hurricane Preparedness:
http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml

Emergency Kit:
http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/supply_kit.shtml

Be prepared! Good thoughts are going out to friends on the East Coast who are in the danger zones. Please stay safe!

Breast Cancer is Striking More Women Under 40

My friend Sheila was diagnosed with breast cancer over two years ago. I remember getting the email from her that started with "This is the hardest email I've ever had to write..." and she went on to explain her symptoms, tests and diagnosis. It was devastating to read those words and to hear her terror, sadness, anger and confusion. I could only imagine what she was about to go thru. She was already in the midst of planning her wedding, raising her son, growing her business. Her life was going to change drastically. And it did.

Here is an article she wrote for Seattle Magazine. It will be in next month's issue (July 2011).

Breast Cancer Is Striking more Women Under 40 than Ever Before.
Why more young women are being diagnosed, and what you need to know to keep yourself safe.
by Sheila Cain

[Cancer-free for two years, Cain holds one of the wigs she wore during chemo. Image Credit: Hayley Young.]

When I received that fated phone call from my doctor telling me I had breast cancer, all I wanted to do was fall on the floor and cry. But first I had to go pick up my son from kindergarten.

Somewhere between the mammogram and the core biopsy, I had become one of a growing number of young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Statistics show that breast-cancer diagnoses in women younger than 40 have increased in the last decade, possibly because of improved screening methods. In 2010, the American Cancer Society predicted about 207,090 new cases of breast cancer in women; between 5 percent and 7 percent of those women will be younger than 40.

Two years ago, at age 38, I went from being a busy, self-employed freelance writer, a kindergarten reading volunteer and my 5-year-old son’s boo-boo kisser to a stage II breast cancer patient reeling from a mastectomy, 16 rounds of aggressive chemotherapy and five weeks of daily radiation treatment. Accustomed to juggling assignments, phone calls and interviews, I had to get used to letting my husband schedule my blood draws, doctors’ appointments and weekly infusions. Instead of cooking meals for my family, I accepted casseroles from friends and neighbors. And after more than 20 years of adulthood, I once again cried in my mother’s arms like a child.

While a breast cancer diagnosis at any age is devastating, younger women face unique challenges. Many of us are just ramping up our careers and raising families. Others are still dating or considering having children. My friend Nicole, diagnosed with stage III breast cancer at age 34 and unable to lift anything after her double mastectomy, had to use jellybeans to coax her toddler into his car seat. Luchie, 33, still hasn’t had a chance to become a mother. She had to abort her fetus when, at three weeks’ gestation, she was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer.

I met these women and many others like them at the Young Survival Coalition meetings at Gilda’s Club in Seattle, a support group geared toward women younger than 40 facing breast cancer. There, we shared our fears and celebrated our victories with others who had lost a breast, their hair and their dignity—but were fighting like hell to get them all back.

Diagnosing breast cancer in younger women can be tricky. Their breast tissue is generally denser than that of older women. By the time a lump is felt, the cancer is often advanced. Delays in diagnoses are also a problem, because many young women ignore the warning signs—such as a lump or unusual discharge—because they believe they are too young to get breast cancer.

On my doctor’s recommendation, I started receiving mammograms at age 35, since both my grandmothers had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Even so, I found my 5-cm. lump on my own—despite having a clear mammogram two months earlier. By then, it had spread to two of my lymph nodes. Frighteningly, this type of story is not uncommon among younger women. The mammogram remains the go-to scan, even though the technology is no match for the compact tissue often found in the breasts of younger women. MRI—or magnetic resonance imaging—can detect some cancers readily, but carries a high price tag. Many young women, like me, find their breast cancers themselves, through self-examination.

Though I did self-exams a few times a year, like many women my age, I hadn’t spent time worrying that I might have a potentially fatal disease. Luckily, two years after my diagnosis, I show no evidence of disease. But the fear of recurrence is always there.

It’s often difficult to be vigilant about my health when faced with everyday responsibilities, but it’s worth staying focused. I have a job that I love and a family that depends on me.

And my mom promises to lend me her shoulder whenever I need it.

Finding support: The Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is a nonprofit group dedicated to the issues unique to young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, a disease that usually doesn’t affect women until their 60s. The YSC Seattle chapter’s support group meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month, from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. at Gilda’s Club on Capitol Hill, 1400 Broadway, Seattle; youngsurvival.org/seattle.

http://www.seattlemag.com/article/best-seattle/top-doctors/breast-cancer-striking-more-women-under-40-ever

BEVERAGE SERVICE TIPS FROM THE GO2GIRLS!

(Some very good info from my party planning friend Leasa. I thought it worth sharing!)

BEVERAGE SERVICE TIPS FROM THE GO2GIRLS!!

A well-stocked assortment of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages ensures that you can quench every guest's thirst. But how much do you really need to keep glasses filled? Keep this guide handy when purchasing beverages.

Ice: Nothing is more refreshing than a chilled beverage, so put ice at the top of your shopping list. Buy 1 pound of ice per guest (or three times more than you think you'll need) and store it in coolers during the party.

Nonalcoholic options: Offer choices such as regular and diet soft drinks, bottled water, coffee and lemonade. Plan on two nonalcoholic drinks per guest for the first hour and one for each subsequent hour. Consider the weather also, people drink more when it's warm outside.

Alcoholic beverages: Stock your bar with traditional offerings: gin, vodka, bourbon, rum and dry vermouth. Expect guests to consume two drinks the first hour and one drink each hour after, and plan on 1½ ounces of liquor per drink. Mixers: Club soda, tonic water, ginger ale, coke, diet coke, 7up, orange juice and cranberry juice. A quart of mixer should serve three people.

Garnishes: Cut limes, lemons, cocktail olives and cocktail onions. Don't forget essential barware: A shaker, strainer, corkscrew, glasses, cocktail napkins, straws and toothpicks make serving drinks a breeze.

Wine and beer: Three to four drinks per person is sufficient for a four-hour party. One bottle of wine serves four to six guests. If a toast is in order, break out the bubbly. For a pre-dinner party, have one bottle of champagne for every three or four guests. For a cocktail party, purchase 8 to 12 bottles per 24 guests.

Remember you know your friends best!! This is based on the moderate drinker, if your friends like to have more fun than the moderate drinker we would suggest an increase in your quantity of alcoholic beverages and of course a hired shuttle service or cab rides home:-)

We hope you have a wonderful and successful party. Please think of The go2girls when you are planning your next party and/or event and want to hire professional help. Please visit our website and "like" us on Facebook for occasional helpful hints, tips and recipes!!

http://www.thego2girlseventplanning.com/

Leasa P: 360-298-0422 E: info@thego2girlseventplanning.com