Here goes...

After four years of flip-flops and anime, I'm about to start a new job filled with high heels and new homes. Rumor has it that my new company is super busy right now and that I'm not going to even have time to be nervous. I beg to differ! I'm always nervous when I start a new phase in my life. It's like the first day of school. Tonight I will stand in my closet and try to find the perfect outfit to dazzle all I meet tomorrow. And after that, my outfits will go downhill quickly. But it's important to make a good first impression!

I decided to take today off to regroup, run some errands, and watch a little daytime television. Ashley will be proud that I watched an episode of "Days of Our Lives," and wow. It's EXACTLY the same as it was in high school, minus Marlena being possessed by the devil. It seems Carrie and Austin want to get married again, but right now, Carrie's still married to Lucas. Sammy and Austin just called off their wedding while they were standing at the altar. You've gotta be kidding me, people. It's great! But not as agreat as Maury! No, today is not paternity test day. It's actually "Man or woman? Are they ballroom babes or dancing dudes?" Yessssss. Daytime television at its finest. So far they all look like (pretty) guys to me. Oh, wait, that is definitely a woman. What woman could stand going on a show and having their gender questioned by an audience full of screaming people?

If you call me tonight and I do not answer, it's because I'm glued to the television, watching the last three episodes of Veronica Mars season 1. Oh man it's good. Next up, season 2! Yippee!

It's my wedding, and I'll post if I want to

For the last week or so, I've been trying to figure out why I haven't posted in so long. Besides never making the time to do it, I think it has to do with the fact that I have wedding on the brain. I feel like no one wants to hear about the ups and downs of planning this wedding because really and truly, a lot of it is details that no one but me and maybe Mikey will notice. But then I realized that I am happy to read about all kinds of random goings-on in the lives of others (including Shane's post about absolutely nothing!).

So here's a wedding update for those who have made it this far in the post. I had my second wedding dress fitting today, and it was wonderful! Mikey's mom came along with me and my mom, and the dress fits great. It looks like it was made for me, even though I am still mistaken for a 12-year-old on occasion. Those alterations ladies at Weddings by Debbie are miracle workers! And the fuschia ruffles really complement my eyes. :)

At lunch tomorrow, Mikey and I are having a tasting at the caterer's. I sure hope the food is good because we have to use this particular caterer (per our reception site)! I'm sure it'll be delicious though. Plus, we can't decide on a couple of things, so they are preparing multiple options for us. What a deal.

The invitations have been so much more work than I thought (we're not done yet), and I really hope it all pays off. You people had better love them! Or just tell me that you do, OK? They are the curse of working for a magazine. I really care much more than is healthy about the paper products for this wedding. I can only imagine how much I will stress over the programs! But that is for another day.

We are going to pick up our wedding rings this weekend. I can't wait to see them. I think that's one of the things that will make it seem more real. Back in January, I had my first "Oh my gosh this is really happening" moment, and it was amazing. Mom and I were at the bridal extravaganza (mostly to get a discount on the guys' tuxes, but also just to take it all in), and we happened upon the string trio that's playing at the ceremony. I had listened to their CD and corresponded with them via email, but I'd never heard them live. I introduced myself and asked them to play something for me. They asked what I wanted, and since I figure the only thing I'll really even hear is the song I walk in to, I asked them to play the options for that. They played a little fanfare and then went into "Trumpet Voluntary," and I'm telling you, it took my breath away. Mom and I both teared up, and all this emotion washed over me. I realized that I am going to be walking down the aisle to that very song...to marry Mikey! That's big stuff. Huge. I can't wait.

Viva Mexico!

Alas, the Doke boys have shamed me into writing my trip report. A girl can only take so much, you know!

I recently returned from Mexico, where I spent a wonderful week in the sun with my mom, Neil, Michael, and Mikey. We left Christmas Eve and came back New Year's Eve. I highly recommend running off on vacation that week. It's not like much gets done work-wise because most people are off anyway, and it's such a great way to end a year.

My parents rented a three-bedroom house that's about five miles north of Tulum (which is south of Playa del Carmen). The house itself was gorgeous, and there was a Christmas tree up in the living room, which proved to be a very nice surprise. My mom saved a couple of small gifts for everyone to open Christmas morning. That day, we went to the Mayan ruins that are in Tulum. They sit on a cliff over a gorgeous white beach. I didn't wear my bathing suit on that excursion, so I was extremely jealous of Michael and Mikey's frolicking in the water.

We (being mostly my mom) cooked the majority of our meals in our gigantic kitchen. The food was great, and it's so relaxing to not even need to leave the house. The days kind of ran together. One day, we couldn't figure out what the heck we did all day. It turns out our one excursion was to a nearby town for lunch. We all spent many many hours reading the books we'd brought with us, in addition to kayaking, snorkeling, and lazing around in the fantastic hammock chairs that were hanging from the covered back patio that faces the beach.

The girls in the family once again exercised their fishing dominance over the guys. My mom and I each caught a fish on our half-day fishing trip, and the boys were skunked. The McCall genes worked their magic for us that day. Mom caught a grouper (they're ugly fish!), and I caught a lovely tuna.

I had read up on the area before we got down there, and the one thing I really wanted to do was go to Xel-Ha. It's kind of like an ecological preserve crossed with an all-inclusive Sea World. It was just a few minutes down the road from our house, so we set out early one morning and staked out some good lounge chairs. Mom was sick that day, so she relaxed while the boys and I went snorkeling. There were some HUGE fish in there. Neil said one looked like it was going to take a bite of my rear end...thank goodness I didn't notice! I later found out that Jason was bit on the hand by a fish at Xel-Ha on his honeymoon. I'm glad I didn't realize that before we went! Mikey did jump off the "Cliff of Courage" a couple of times, so it seems I am not marrying a wuss. Good thing. However, he is marrying one because I didn't do it! They did have a "swim with dolphins" program at Xel-Ha. I didn't do it, but we did watch the dolphins frolic when they weren't performing, and it was amazing to see how much fun they seem to have when they aren't even putting on a show.

My little brother has become a snorkeling fiend. He's 11 years old, and on all our previous trips, he's been too scared. This time he was the first one in and the last one out. It was really fun to see him having such a great time in the water.

I have not been as relaxed as I was there in many years. That's probably what I'll remember most from this trip--no schedules, no hurrying, no deadlines. Just a lot of quality time with the fam. And I didn't even get tired of them!

I was definitely happy to come back to see how much Buster had grown in a week, but it sure was hard to leave the gorgeous, peaceful surroundings of Casa Playa Azul.