Menards messed up!

Menards screwed up our registry. Apparently if you go into a store and try to print off our registry it will say we do not have one. I noticed this today while I was trying to check it online and had issues. I called Menards and they have tech support checking into it.

I got a call back and they said it was a fluke and are recreating it... supposedly it will be back up and running on Monday. So just an FYI if you hear anything from anyone over the weekend just tell them to check back on Monday or get a gift certificate!

Directions from Minnesota

St. Paul, MN to Crystal Falls in New London, WI

Generic directions:

Take 94 heading East to 29.

29 is after Menomonie or UW Stout but before Eau Claire.

Take 29 heading East. (this is what you will be on for the majority of the time)

The next time you look for a road change is in Wausau.

You are staying on 29 but it is almost as if one highway has ended and a new highway is beginning - thus it's like you are going on an on ramp to a new highway... but it's still 29.

After Wausau is when you will actually go onto 45.

You will take 45 all the way to New London.

Please watch for deer on this road if you are traveling at dusk/dark.

If you get lost call on our cell phones... yes we do get reception in the sticks!

Hotels are booked

Okay if you haven't gotten your room yet the ones in New London where we have blocks are filled to the brim. If you would like you could attempt to call there daily to see if any one cancels... or you could travel to Appleton.

I have a block of rooms on the 19th under our names: Borchardt/Thompson at the Microtel Inn & Suites on 321 N Metro Dr in Appleton, WI 54913 - 8572. Their website is: http://www.microtelinn.com/index.asp. To make reservations call (toll free) 1-800-771-7171 or (920) 997-3121. Rooms are around $55 for 1 Queen and around $65 for 2 queens.
YOU MUST TELL THEM OUR NAME TO GET THE ROOMS IN OUR BLOCK!

There is apparently a ton of stuff going on that weekend... a Packer Game, 3 weddings in New London, a what ever a Stong Man Competition in New London is also being held.

Please let me know if you call and they say it is all booked.

You can also try these other locations but we don't not have a block of rooms at them:
The Rainbow Motel in New London: 920-982-4550
Landmark in Clintonville: 715-823-7899
Clintonville Motel in Clintonville: 715-823-6565

There is always the travel sites you could try:
www.travelocity.com
www.expedia.com
www.orbitz.com

I would say Appleton is the best city to try.

FYI Bridesmaids

BRIDESMAID’S DUTIES

• Help the bride plan her wedding.
• Listen to her plans with a smile on your face.
• Make time for group dress shopping trips and fittings.
• Pay for your bridesmaid’s dress, even if you hate it. You can let your feelings be known but the bride has the final call on what you wear.
• Help addresses and assemble wedding and shower invitations.
• Help wrap and tag guest favours and Bombonniere.
• Help the Maid of Honour plan & pay for a shower
• Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Help decorate ceremony and reception locations if necessary
• Stand in the receiving (optional)
• Sit at the head table
• Have a dance with the groomsmen
• Offer to help the Maid of Honour when needed.
• Help load gifts into car.
• Help with clean-up at the end of the night (for all the different events)

FYI Groomsmen

GROOMSMEN'S DUTIES

• Go and pick out your tuxes and show up for fittings
• Help the groom and best man, if they need any
• Help with loading and unloading cars of decorations, liquor, etc….
• Attend the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner.
• Greet and seat guests at the ceremony.
• Escort the mother of the groom to her seat.
• Escort the mother of the bride to her seat.
• Roll out a red or white carpet down the church aisle for the bride to walk on.
• Smile for the photographer.
• Sit at the head table during dinner
• At the end of the reception, help load the car with gifts and everything else.
• Return your tux.

Productive Weekend...

On Friday I ran out on my lunch break and picked up a Guest Book and Pen set on sale none the less from Joann Fabrics. Then on Saturday I found a bride and groom toasting glass set for super duper cheap.

I keep getting a few RSVPs here and there... DON'T FORGET TO SEND YOURS IN!

We confirmed with the hotel that we can cater food into the conference room and that they will supply tables and chairs for our rehearsal dinner on Friday. Jerome's mom is busy working on that. Should be fun!

I will call the flower lady and confirm that everything is set and get her prepped for the Candy Buffet.

I will also confirm about the reservation block of rooms for the hotels as far as how many are left or booked.

I need to get in contact with Together photography to confirm everything since they left me a voicemail late last week.

I will also contact Afterhours Formalwear about the guys tux payments, to make sure everyone's is ordered and will be on their way for August 19.

I will double check with Jerome to make sure DJ Mark is set for everything music related.

Dress Fitting Appointment

Thank goodness Lisa came with me. I don't think I could have handled this by myself.
Lisa met me at David's at 5pm on Thursday for my appointment. We went to alterations and got my dress. I pointed out to Lisa that the woman who just walked past us was "sweat shop worker #1" (ssw1 for the rest of this post). She laughed. Gosh I hope we don't have her.

We get my slip and undergarments on and my shoes and I crawled into the dress. We zip it and button it up. It needed to be laced up in the back but we went out so I could see myself in the mirrors as Lisa did the weaving. It fit great... with the exception of the length which I knew was going to need to be taken up. I remembered that I had my necklace with me and tried it on with the dress. I was happy... until... ughhh it's her! We have to have her...ssw1 do the fitting. Grrrrrrrrrrr!

I let Lisa do the talking... thank goodness she knows how I am. Once a grudge almost always a grudge... or at least until you build up trust again.... needless to say... this will not be built up between now and August 19. So... Lisa "interpreted" everything perfectly. Ends up that I will have it bustled in the back for the reception. I'm not sure I liked how it looked. Guess I will have to get over it huh?

When ssw1 was done pinning everything Lisa and I took some pictures...but I can't post them... sorry! We were done... now it was just time to get out of everything and pay. Well I went and took my shoes off while Lisa and ssw1 set up an appointment for us to come back to pick it up and do a last make sure it fits fitting and instruct on the bustle technique. (Linda of course you can help if you see something is done wrong!)

I walked back to where they were making the appointment to see if they needed me for anything... but it was pretty much all taken care of. SSW1 mentioned that if I bring my veil in they will steam press it for me for free. How nice... at least I get something for free! Our appointment is for the week before. I hope everything goes well.

So then Lisa and I walked back to the fitting room to get me changed. I went to take off my necklace and it broke :( Right there. No pulling no tugging... nothing. Ughhhh you got to be kidding me! Why a month before does it have to break. Why? I just got it last weekend and this is the only one that they had. WHYYYYYYY :( So now I'm pretty mad about the situation and I want out of the dress. No problems.... just got right out and put my "street" clothes back on. Everything was good.

We went to pay... but they didn't have the card number on file from when I purchased the dress with mom. We left since they said just have her call with her payment... okay fine and good. I went to my car and Lisa went to hers. I saw her drive away and I thought I should call mom back and give her the news about the payment. Well she answered the phone. So I ran back in the store and took the payment again. Done.

HardDrive Issue

Well... they say back your stuff up. I didn't. Now I'm in search of photos from the Bridal Shower that was held in Wisconsin. I don't recall people taking pictures... but if you did please email me as I would like copies of your photos.

Since we moved right after the shower I didn't have time to print them... or I guess even upload them so that I could email them to people. Ughhhh.

Issue 101 of "the dress"

Well Friday as I sat at work I decided I would run into David's Bridal to make an appointment to get my dress altered. I had planned to run in there before I had an appointment at 5pm in South Minneapolis with a jeweler for my wedding jewelry. Now mind you, I just wanted to make an appointment.

I walk into David's and am greeted by the greeter at the front desk. I tell her, "My dress for my wedding is in and I need to make an appointment to have it altered". She tells me to follow her back to alterations and that she is going to get my dress for me to see. She stated that I should wait for someone to come out to schedule my appointment with and that they will be with me shortly.

So I stand... waiting... (for those of you who know me... you know this is a big issue for me. I hate to wait.) I look at the lady sitting in a chair outside of the "sewing sweat shop". Looks like she's waiting for someone too. Hello does anyone work here? Of course people work here... and they're doing their work... hanging up dresses... ripping out seams.... measuring fabric. I peek my head in the door to the "sweat shop" and a few heads look up but go back to their work like they didn't even see me.

The front desk lady comes back up with my dress and the two bridesmaids dresses that we with mine. She hung mine up in a fitting room and asked if I wanted to try it on. I asked... is there time for that? She said of course. I told her that I wasn't picking up the bridesmaids that they were coming into to get their alterations this next coming week that I did not want them. She states that would be no problem but to let them know when they come in that I have already signed for them and that the sales associate will not be able to print out the form. She stated also that someone will be right out to assist me. Okay... I'm pleased. I told her I needed to run out to my car for my undergarments and would be right back in. No problem she stated. When I returned a lady had arrived with a little girl and was now waiting in line for help. I decided that I would let her do the hanging out while I have my dressing room door open I would get my dress out of the plastic and the slip too.

As soon as I looked up again there was a lady from the "sweat shop" helping the woman with the little girl. I jetted over there and stood right by the door... making a new line so someone would help me next with setting up my appointment. The sweat shop work #1 went back into the sweat shop not even acknowledging me. (Okay... I'm a big lady... you can't just miss me!) Just then... sweat shop worker #2 walked out of the sweat shop... here I thought she was going to assist me. She asked if I had been helped and I stated nope, I just want to make an appointment to get my dress altered. She looked at the calendar and called sweat shop worker #1 over. They spoke in some language that I didn't understand and then sweat shop worker #2 left. Sweat shop worker #1 told me "jus a min-et" as she took a little flower girl dress over to the woman with the little girl. They signed some paper work and left.

Sweat shop worker #1 came back to me and said "you get married when... " I stated my wedding date is August 19th and that I wanted to set up an appointment to have my dress altered. She said... "Mon-day, Tu-day, Wen-day, Thur-day, when?". I asked when are you available...

At this point for some reason she switched the subject and said... "where your dress?". I pointed at the dress unwrapped from the plastic and stated, "right there. It just came in and I was told I should try it on". Sweat shop worker #1 walked over to the fitting room... "okay... you try on... I help you". I thought to myself... okay.... so I guess we're doing this today? I confirmed with sweat shop worker #1 and she stated yes. So what do I do... I actually think that she is going to help me. I go in the fitting room... change into the slip and have my undergarments held up to myself thinking... I'm ready... come in.... I peek outside the door. No one is around. I close the door... she must have ran back into the sweat shop and will be right back. I wait... (again... not a good thing for me to do!). I peek my head out once more. Again. No one. I pull out my cell phone to see what time it is since I'm in Richfield and I have to get to South Minneapolis by 5 pm for my appointment... (hey wait... wasn't I here just to make an appointment I recalled!) I had a little time yet. I put on my tee shirt and still had the slip on and stepped further out of the dressing room. Sweat shop work #2 was helping a bride all dressed up and putting her veil on. How sweet...where is sweat shop worker #1? No where to be found... I'm done.

I took off the slip... and put on my pants, real undergarments and tee shirt. I flung open the door. I looked one last time for sweat shop worker #1... she's no where in sight and I will now re-plastic my dress and slip. Of course... as soon as I am finished with that sweat shop worker #1 arrives. "I here to help you will you dress... why you not have on?" I said loudly, "I needed help and no one was around"... heads started to turn in my direction... sweat shop worker #2 was still helping the bride with the veil... they both turned, that bride had two friends with her... they turned. The lady who was seated in the chair turned... and the woman who she had been waiting for (new bride) turned also of course.

Since I had everyone's attention I stated "put my dress back where you found it, I will call to make an appointment when you can help me" and left the building... nearing tears. (Ohhhh I felt like a bridezilla!)

I went out to my car stopping for no one. I got to my car... took a deep breath. I turned the car on to start the a/c. I picked up my phone and called the store. I told the cheery front desk lady that I needed to speak to a manager. She replied, "she helping a customer right now, but I will see if I can find someone else who can assist you". She came back a little later and stated, "she's still with that customer and no other managers are here yet, can I take your name and number and have her call you back?". As I was already turning onto 35W heading North to South Minneapolis, I stated, "No. I will call back. But instead, can you go back to alterations and take the lilac and white wedding gown out of the fitting room and put it back like I wasn't even in the store? Put it back where it was before I came in. My last name is B -o-r-c-h-a-r-d-t first name Kim. I'll call back to speak to a manger. Thanks".

Whew. With that taken care of I call Lisa (bridesmaid) to tell her what had just happened as she was thinking of getting her dress Friday night also. I tell her the whole saga as Anna (other bridesmaid) is trying to beep into my line. I keep talking to Lisa giving her every detail as she is doing some stuff for the MN Bridal Shower that was to be the next day. At the end of the story Lisa states that, "Anna's going to call to see if you would pick up our dresses and bring them with you to the shower tomorrow so we can get them altered at the David's near us". Ahhhhh! You mean I have to go back to David's TONIGHT and pick them up... ughhhhhhh.

So I drive to my jewelry appointment and drive home. I tell Jerome the story and then tell him that I have to go back and get the girls dresses. So... I get back in the car and head to David's after dinner. I'm greeted by no one. Oh this is not a good sign. I see the lady who helped me when I first ordered my dress... she tells me to speak to the ladies at the front desk, that they will assist me in getting the bridesmaid dresses from the back. So I stand in line... again. There is a couple in front of me with a toddler. She's purchasing her wedding gown and someone is ringing her up. Another lady is working at a register trying to find something when she realizes that I'm still standing in line and finally asks if I have been helped. Of course not! I haven't been helped here all day... oh I wish I had said that. But instead... I tell her that I am here to pick up two of my bridesmaids dresses. She asks for my last name and I spell it for her. She states she can't find them in the computer... and I state I've already signed for them this morning... she starts to get in a debate with me as to why the sales associate would print it out if I wasn't picking them up and realizes that she should just go back and look for the dresses. As she goes to the back the greeter table lady from this morning notices me and says, "weren't you here this morning? You left your dress here". I gave her a look like No kidding! I told her that I stood back there and no one took my appointment request, and I was told I would be helped with getting my dress on and no one was around to help me. I stated I will call for an appointment but now I need to get the bridesmaid dresses.

The sales associate came back with the two dresses, she handed them to me and walked away. There was no thank you for placing your order through David's and have a nice day, no that's all you needed or was there something else... nothing. So I wasn't sure if I had to sign anything or wait for anything... if they were going to bagged up or what... I stood there another two minuets or so when I finally asked another sales associate if there was anything else I needed to do. She stated nope... you're free to go!

JEEESH! They all need English and Customer Service 101 with the exception of the front table lady!

Where is my Jennifer Lopez wedding planner when I need her?

Special Thanks

A special thanks for those who attended the MN Bridal shower on the hottest day of the year! Watch out for those oranges! :)


Orange you you glad you came... (sorry I couldn't help myself!)

Lesson learned...but a bit too late.

For those of you who haven't sent your RSVP in yet for the wedding please make a change for me. Cross out our address label and write the following address:

xxxx xxxxth Ave South
Bloomington, MN 55420

Either there is a problem with our forwarding address not really taking effect (even though I'm getting yellow stickers on bills and mags!) or there is a issue with having our email address on the bottom of the address... UGHHHHHH!

So anyways... pass this much needed information on to anyone you know has to respond!

Minnesota Bridal Shower This Weekend

This should be fun... and interesting... oh how I hope there is air conditioning!

View the weather for this weekend.

Map for your viewing pleasure

Click on the map to see it larger...

Hotel Reservations...

Don't forget to book your rooms.... we have two blocks of rooms at two different hotels in New London.

The one that is one the same side of Bis 45 and Crystal Falls is AmericInn of New London. They have a toll free number if you would like to book your reservations: 866-459-1659. You will need to tell them our name to be part of the block, (Kim Borchardt or Jerome Thompson). Their website is: http://americinn-newlondon.com/. They are $79 for one queen bed or $89 for two queen beds. AmericInn of New London, Wisconsin has many rooms to choose from. There are standard, queen, and king size rooms, or whirlpool suites. Each of the 49 well appointed guest rooms feature standard amenities such as air conditioning, alarm clock radio, coffee/tea maker, complimentary coffee, data ports, direct dial telephone, fully-equipped kitchen, iron and ironing board, microwave, mini bar, recliner, refrigerator, cable TV, shower massage, turn down service and wake up service. A complimentary, continental breakfast is included.

The one on the other side of Bis 45 is the 2nd hotel that we have a block of rooms for: America's Best Value Inn. You can book a room in our block of one queen bed for around $60, if you would like two queen beds in a room it's around $65 a night. You will need to tell them our name to be part of the block, (Kim Borchardt or Jerome Thompson). Americas Best Value Inn of New London, Wisconsin is a 42 unit Inn with indoor corridor access to all guestrooms. They offer our guests an indoor heated swimming pool and hot tub to relax in. A large portion of the rooms are standard one/two queen bedrooms with cable TV, in-room coffeemaker, FREE wireless internet, and more. However, we do have whirlpool suites and deluxe rooms available.

Mom's been working...

Invitations and Thank yous...

Everything is written out, stamped, and ready to go!

The dresses are in....

Well if they don't have them already, then all of the maids dresses are in the store waiting for them. I just got a call the other day left on my answering machine stating that my dress was also in. Guess I better find the box with all the items I need to try it on for alterations!

To Do Check List:

• Call cake place and let them know the flavors of the layers
• Call hotels to check on conference room to use for rehearsal dinner
• Finalize what's going on for rehearsal dinner: who should attend, where it will be held, who's picking up the food, where is the food coming from
• Call DJ Mark with final song selections
• Attend Minnesota Bridal Shower
• Go on a relaxing Spa Day
• Write Thank You cards for Hortonville Bridal Shower gifts
• Make changes to Wedding Invitations, Print, send out

Photographer... check

We signed our contract with Together Photography this weekend while we were home... so that's done. We are going to have photos of me taken while I'm getting ready, and then go to a park and have the "girl" shots done. Then the photographer will go and get Jerome and the guys and take the "guy" shots. Family pictures will be taken at that time also. Then we will have the ceremony and all kinds will be taken there... then after that we will go to a park near Crystal Falls and have group shots taken. Back for dinner and cake cutting. Whew!

We were assured that we will not have any problems with the lightness and darkness within our photos... cross your fingers!

Hortonville Bridal Shower

I'll post some pics shortly but for now think of me with a wad of four different flavors of bubble yum bubble gum in my mouth! Ummmm tasty or not :)

Thanks to everyone who attended I had a great time! Thanks for all of the great items that will truly help us in our new home... towels, rubbermaid, apron, quilt, glassware, blender, shoe rack, napkins, rugs, knives, breadbox, cleaning supplies, money and more.

A special thanks to Melba (Mel) for making the big surprise visit to the shower since she lives in Illinois and is due soon with baby #1 pretty soon. Don't let the rain stop you from golfing! :)