June:

Well we are down to it now!  The wedding is two weeks away and all of the showers and bachelor parties are done.  I've still got a number of tasks on my list to get accomplished.  You know, what do you get the woman that has to deal with me for the rest of her life?   Some last minute wedding party gifts to buy/make.  Thank you cards for the gifts we've already received.  Booking some events around the wedding.  Some of these tasks have been on our to-do lists for months and now it's crunch time.  

I really needed to get away for my Bachelor Party (see write up).  The stress of all the things on my to-do list was really building.  It was nice to get away for a couple of days and leave things behind.  Now I understand the true reasons for such and event.  I was happy to get home from it safely and in one piece.  They called it Tom's last great adventure, but I'm sure I will have plenty more.  Some will be of a different nature.  But if a married father can fly 3,000 miles leaving his pregnant wife and 1.5 year old baby at home to attend an adventure like that, there is always hope.  Big thanks to Tamara (Todd's Tamara) for encouraging Todd to come.  It was great to see him and we miss you too.  We'll be real busy for the next month (2 weeks to wedding then 2 weeks of honeymoon), so forgive us if we forget to return a call or email.

May:

OK, now the butterflies are starting to kick in.  We finally got the invitations all printed up and sent out with all the enclosures.  The last thing we had to get done for that was the hardest.  We had to figure out where we were going to put up all the out-of-towners.  Originally we were going to have you all stay at the hotel where the reception is going to be hosted, but we were later informed that the hotel has initiated a short term housing contract with the County, to house the homeless.  Nice gesture for them, unfortunate for us.  We finally decided on an Inn located about 10 blocks from our house and the Church.  That means that you will need to drive to the church and reception and back home, or Tom is looking in doing a charter bus/limo if enough people are interested.  We want everyone to have a good time at our reception and not have to worry about drinking and driving.  So Tom will probably book the limo service from the Inn to the church and from the church to the reception, and later from the reception back to the Inn.  E-mail Tom if you think this a good idea?  thomas@civilsolutions.com  For information on the Hotel, follow the Link : Vagabond Inn

There's a lot more to the booking of the Inn Story, but I'll leave that for the Hospitality Suite discussions.  The Suite will be hosted by the Hudson family, and we are very grateful to them to provide a place for our wedding party to gather and revel in the days surrounding our wedding. 

Now that we got the invites out and we got our first RSVP back today (Sat. 05/12/01) we are really starting to feel the pressure and crunch.  WE'VE STILL GOT A LOT LEFT TO PLAN AND DO.  

February:

Tamara and I went up to Tahoe the weekend before Valentine's Day.  It was nice and cold up there.  Highs during the day around 15 deg F and it snowed pretty much non-stop.  Of course we were first to dig-out the driveway, for the year so we got all the snow plow ice to shovel.  That was a lot of fun. We didn't fair to well at the casinos, but we still had a good time.  We did the same thing last year over this weekend.  The weather was pretty much the same then too.  We still had "Treat".

We took the new dogs (Callie and Dakota), as well as Dallas.  I forgot my Digi-cam so no digi-pic's of the trip yet.

We are trying to get the reception and catering nailed down, but the place we were looking hard at hasn't been very responsive.  We are meeting with them again this week, and if we don't get a response out of them soon we are going to have to go somewhere else.

Tamara and I went to the wedding fair at Sunrise Mall this weekend.  Got some good honeymoon information over the weekend as well.  I need to sit down and start costing out all the things we are going to have to spend money on, so I will know how much we have left over for a honeymoon.

December - X-mas

Many of you know me as "Tommy Claus".  Well Tommy Claus had a little trouble getting things going this Christmas.  I finally managed to get some of my shopping done, and get the lights up on the house.  We even got our tree and decorated it.  

Tommy Claus may loose his reputation this x-mas.  I just don't have the energy this year to shop for my usual 200+ presents.  That was always overdoing it a little anyway.  I'm keeping things simple at work, and Tamara and䈠I h䉡ve 聡gre䁥d on our personal x-mas list.  I've put the majority of my energy into making the business and personal x-mas cards this year.  Look for them, they are going out the week of the 10th. I'll try to get some pictures of our Decor around the舠hou䁳e.&Ѯbsp䀻 You know the x-mas tree, the stockings hung on the mantle over the heater, the ice cycle lights on the eves outside.

Holiday Update.

All cards are out, although we've still got some in-towners to deliver.  Mailed gifts are out priority mail and should show up by 20th or so.  

We are planning to spend Christmas Eve-Eve (Saturday) here in Sacramento with Tam's family.  Then Christmas Eve and Day with Tom's parents this year.  Hope we remembered to get everyone presents.

Brian, the check's in the mail or something.  Ya!  That's the ticket!  No, just kidding.  I'm bringing my checkbook with me.  You know what that's all about.

Happy Holidays

Last Friday was my Birthday.  I got the toy Story 2 video I had wanted.  We watched it together.  It wasn't as good as the first one, but had some funny scenes.  The best part was the out-takes at the end.  (they weren't really out-takes, it's a cartoon!).  

Tam's parents got me some tools for my car, and Tamara also got me some nice work cloths and a new vest for my tuxedo (my Y2K vest will probably be outdated after this year).  Finally I got a 12-pack of Warsteiner from the people at work.  

It was a pretty good birthday.  Tamara took me out for dinner to a nice restaurant in Old Sacramento.  She even let me order the "Three Cheese Pizza with Pepperoni" even though we were out for a nice dinner.  We may consider this place for the rehearsal dinner.  

We were too stuffed to eat the cake and ice cream when we got home.  She even got me German Chocolate, mmmmm!   Tamara also brought a cake by the office earlier in the day.  

Well we got through the dinner with the parents, and lately we just haven't done a whole lot of wedding planning.  We are still trying to figure out the wedding party.  

It's applicable to put this here so that I will remember it, but I probably wont want to.  Tom is having trouble filling the last spot on his roster.  After quickly filling two of the slots, the third slot has been difficult to fill as it has been turned down by three different people.  I personally cannot imagine a circumstance where I would refuse this honor, but each of them has had their reasons.  I never thought this would be a predicament I would be in.   We still have lots of options of course and we'll be posting someone's name there soon. 

What else?  Well it's Halloween!  It just doesn't seem as scary this year.  I guess I've got other things to worry about (be afraid, be very afraid).  

We gave up our Kings season tickets this year so things could go a little smoother (financially and time availability wise).  We are both sad to not be going to the games, but our schedules are much better and we can put the money towards a really good party for everyone ...in say mid to late June of 2001.

Happy Halloween!  Especially those in Philadelphia.  You know who you are.

Grooms Perspective: (10-18-00)

OK!  So we finally got a meeting with a priest.  Tamara was really nervous about that.  We managed to get the church reserved for our preferred date.  I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of this thing.  I read through Tamara's wedding planner last night, to prepare for the meeting with the parents.  I actually feel like I'm caught up on the planning stuff.  I'm just hoping that financing can keep up with expenditures.  It was difficult at first because I had no idea about all of the stuff that goes into a wedding.  Previously, my job at weddings has been to show up and have a good time.  

It was the day after I proposed, that Tamara and her mom were already planning the wedding.  Actually, she tells me it started before that for her.  She had already bought her dress in the first weeks and was selecting invitations and candles and shopping for brides-maids dress's, etc...  I was thinking if she is needing to get all that done this early, what am I forgetting to get done.  All she would tell me is "money, rent a tux, and show up baby!".  So then I would think, If that's all I have to do, is she doing stuff too early.  Well, it turns out that I do have to do a bit more than she was telling me.  From all accounts of all the married women I've talked to, I think you women horribly discount the man's part in all this wedding planning stuff.  We do have a lot to do.  Just think back to the worn out tired look you've seen on almost every groom's face.  That wasn't from fear or nervousness (maybe a little)... it was from accomplishing all those last minute tasks such as the marriage license and making sure you have the wedding of your dreams, helping you with your decision making when called upon, stuffing envelopes, making sure the best man knows who to tip with which envelope, keeping the wedding party entertained and active, paying for the stuff that has fallen through the cracks, planning the honeymoon, booking the honeymoon, making sure everyone from out of town has a place to stay, praying that everything goes well, entertaining in-laws and parents, keeping the peace among the guests, coordinating last minute program changes, coming up with all the little things that make the experience extra special, LOOKING GOOD!, getting a small platoon of young men to act in a coordinated and mature manner for a couple of hours, avoiding the pranks, gifts for the wedding party, guarding the rings, and showing up.

Maybe the total number of items to be accomplished doesn't compare, but there is a lot of stress in that list no matter how comedic it is presented.  

October, 10-18, 2000

Grooms Perspective: Speaking of Wedding plans, it would appear Tamara and her mom are well out ahead of the curve for the wedding plans.  Tamara already has her dress, and has bought the invitations.  She has been out scouting for reception halls and is helping me to try to find a church.  Unfortunately, that makes me a bit behind the curve, and sometimes it feels like I don't stand a chance at catching up.  I'm still trying to figure out a list of things that need to be paid for and/or done. Girls seem to be better programmed for this kind of thing. 

We will be posting the final selections to the wedding party in a couple of weeks.