A Charleston Wedding

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Gregg!

May 11, 2013

My Best Friend's Wedding, Part II

(BOLO -"Be on the Lookout"- for the bloopers post to come)

When me and my 4Runner pulled into Columbia, South Carolina, in August of 2004, the only person I knew in the entire state was my dad. He was with me. He left and I voluntarily threw myself into a gym of 700 other freshman girls so that we could voluntarily weave in and out of hundreds of other girls who were clapping and handing out coffee filters (to wipe off the August heat).

On the last day of the madness that is "rush," 50 of us lined up outside the Chi Omega house in alphabetical order. Wouldn't you know it: "Alliman" was a few girls in front of me. From that day forward we were wing-ladies. We lived in the super cool small and quiet out-of-staters dorms which led to copious amounts of socializing. Sometimes I credit our friendship to the fact that I would often say, "Peace be with you," to friends instead of, "Goodbye," and Laura was the only one who would respond, "And with you." We get each other like that.

During our pledge retreat in the fall of 2004.

While this was happening...

...this was happening.

Fast forward about 5 years...

Preface: The following Goggle chat takes place between Rhett and I on May 16, 2009, 

while Laura and I were traveling around Costa Rica.

 8:59 PM me: on another note, what do you think about laura and tyler having a summer fling?

 rhettcraig: who knows

 me: i mean they know it cant be anything serious because they both have law school to go back to in the fall

 rhettcraig: once again, who knowstyler's in town now by the wayme: ooooh yea. lucky yourhettcraig: yeahhe thinks that laura is a hottie

If you haven't already asked me this, you're probably thinking, "What took so long for these two to get together?!" At any given point during college, one or the other was involved with someone else...until that fateful summer of 2009. Fast forward about 3 years... they married! And here is that story:

Kickoff Thursday happy hour with my mom at Rooftop Bar at Vendue Inn

and getting lobster-faced with a steamed/tempura/ravioli trio at Peninsula Grill.

Friday morning mani/pedis at Aqua.

Champagne served with or without bagged hands.

Friday rehearsal at St. Luke's Chapel

and rehearsal party at the Harbour Club.

There are a hundred photos of them like this.

I could cry. #bromance

Perfect, 75 degree wedding gift from the man upstairs.

Putting on our faces and teasing the wedding mullet Saturday morningwith the mother of the groom's first look.
Taping up the feet for the marathon that is: wedding day.
Upstairs at the reception site, the Governor Thomas Bennett House.
Mother of the bride dressing her other daughter in a wedding gown for the second time inside one year.
She finally took a moment to look in a mirror :)
Surprise! We fixed the mullets.
Sneaking in a birds-eye first look shot.
The Greggs.
The ladies.
The Craigs.
Dipping into the banana pudding on the grounds of the Thomas Bennett House.
Kentwool strikes again!

Mrs. Gregg.

They had to leave. They had to catch a flight to Greece.

(honeymoon photos are up on Facebook)

Sunday King Street bliss.

Mother's Day brunch, bellinis, and bloodys at 82 Queen.

Sunday Funday with friends at Red's Ice House.

A boatload of thank yous to the Lee/Alliman/Gregg families for the entire weekend. It was perfect. We laughed, we cried, we plucked dusty millers, and the bride was breathtaking. We are lucky BFFs. 

My Best Friend's Wedding, Part I: A Seattle Wedding

[photo source: Mrs. WRCIV]

CanineJournal.com : Tips For Caring For Your Elderly Dog

Whoopsies! [insert busy-with-work-school-life excuse here]. Although I haven't blogged since last month's Spotlight Post on Vail, technically I have! CanineJournal.com, "your go-to resource on all things dog," invited me to write a guest post for their blog on a topic of my choice. I couldn't write about obedience because our dogs have none. I couldn't write about treats and nutrition because our dogs' favorite snacks are heartworm medicine and ice cubes. What I could write about is care for your senior canine because our dogs have crossed into that life stage when the usual take a little more time and momma has to get up to lift them onto the bed. 

If you haven't checked it out yet, here is my post about the little extra somethings our elderly dogs need at CanineJournal.com! 

Southeast of the Midwest will be back in business soon. Stay tuned for:

   "A Charleston Wedding," 

   "Spotlight : St. John, US Virgin Islands,"

   "Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa," and 

   "A Kitten Named 'Ash.'" 

Follow CanineJournal.com on Twitter. Like them on Facebook.

[photo sources: CanineJournal.com]

Spotlight : Vail, Colorado

"America's top ski resort by practically any standard."

Frommer's

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Alan Caplan

April 23, 1982

My parents took the plunge in one of my favorite places on God's green earth. I hate to use the word "breathtaking" because that's such a commonly used word. It's more like Vail knocks the wind out of you with its beauty. Wherever I am, if sun is shining, humidity is low, and people just seem like they're enjoying the day, it reminds me of our summers in Vail.

Champagne welcome for guests exiting the gondola on their wedding day.

Their gondola had a "Just Married" sign on back.

Note: Unfortunately they are the only couple ever allowed

to get married at the top of Vail Mountain because, since dad was a city official, it was the only time Vail allowed the gondola to be used after the mountain closed.

I spent a handful of summers in Vail before I ever skied Vail Mountain and to be honest, I thought Vail in the summer was what it was all about. Turns out all of the marked paths and mountain routes are ski runs turned bike paths for the summer. At a young age I had one of those "genius" moments. I still have those from time to time. Life's pretty cool like that.

All things considered, Kansas is spitting distance from Colorado so even though I knew my parents worked, met and married there, when I was young it just made practical sense we headed that way at some point during the year. It takes time and a certain level of maturity before one can understand the meaning of not just people and things, but places. We'd get our bikes, 'blades, and do our annual tour of town. First stop was the Vail Public Library to see dad's name on the wall.

My sister at the library.

In my humble opinion, the best way to get to Vail is to fly into DEN, rent a car and drive an hour and a half through the most beautiful mountain passes in the U.S. That's a "to do" in and of itself. EGE (Eagle) is a bit closer, but more expensive and you miss the winding drive. Before I go into my personal faves and raves, I should note that it has been since 2003 since my last visit, so this by no stretch of the imagination is a comprehensive overview. Fortunately my picks have stood the test of time and I am happy to spotlight the following tried and true highlights:

Southeast of the Midwest's 

Vail Review

Summer
Bike: Either Vail Pass or any of the mountain trails, this is Vail's summer version of skiing. Vail Pass is Colorado's only mountain pass with a bike path the entire distance. Go all out by biking up then down both ways or take a shuttle to the top and cruise down into Vail Valley.
Swim: Don't be silly. The river is melted snow, but when the sun is shining, the resort or condo's pool (or hot tubs) are lovely.
Rodeo: Check their local listings for their regional calendars. Just thinking about Colorado rodeos makes me homesick because they embody Colorado summers: BBQ, boots, and poop in a hoop (kids buy a hula hoop and when they let the calfs run, the kids win a prize if a calf, well, poops in their hoop). You simply can't make this stuff up.
Horseback Riding: There are a few ranches that do 1 to 2 hour-long rides through the mountains and will usually take you close to the cliffs so you can see views of the valley.
River Rafting: Again, depending on your hopes and dreams, a few different companies can take you down the Colorado River passing through all levels of rapids.
Picnic: Grab sandwiches and drinks from a store or restaurant and take the gondola or chair lift up the mountain. It's picnicking at its very best.

Winter
Ski: I would be kidding myself if I even tried to say a few words. Just get yourself to Vail, look up, and if there's snow, find a way up and ski it. It's that easy. And fabulous. And these days it's probably a great way to spot celebrities. Note: A lift ticket on Vail will also give you access to neighboring Beaver Creek.
Spa: If there's snow and you're not skiing, eating, drinking, or sleeping, there's always the loyal hot tub or spa.

Eat, Drink, Shop
Ore House: Soooo this may be my favorite place because it's the first time I had a steamed artichoke, but the location is smack dab in the center of town with outdoor seating. It's been a local favorite for decades and has remained as Vail has changed through the years, which speaks for itself. Menu is a crowd-pleaser.
Apres Ski: If you ski, you must apres ski, or "after ski" in French. This can, and should, apply to biking as well. In other words: happy hour for the skier/biker when lifts close (around 3ish).
The Golden Bear: "The symbol of Vail Valley," The Golden Bear is the Tiffany & Co. of the Rockies. Stores have come and gone, but this one is here to stay. My mom has worn their signature "Papa Bear" necklace for as long as I can remember and when we got older, we got a "Mama Bear."

I wore my golden bear during our engagement photos as a surprise for my parents.

Rafting down the Colorado River during our 

"were not twins but my mom dresses us like we are" years.

I literally have dreams about rollerblading along Gore Creek
and walking across the rocks until my feet are numb
(remember: melted snow).

The aforementioned Gore Creek I roller blade in my dreams.

If I'm being completely honest, sometimes my dad and I would 

rent a tandem bike and I would pretend to pedal. 

Obviously still carrying guilt. Sorry about that, dad.

My parent's first home and where my sister spent her first years of life.

When the roads were bad, this driveway was the first plowed. Can't manage a city without the city manager.

My brother-in-law in front of the tree my parents

planted when my sister was born. Just like my sister,

the pine has grown to be an educated and creative Texan.

Now that I am sufficiently chomping at the bit for a visit, I hope if you haven't gotten a chance to go to Vail- or anywhere in the Rockies for that matter- such an adventure finds its way into your life. Be responsible: don't neglect your bucket list.

[photo sources: Cox Photography, Google, Mrs. Caplan, Mrs. Cornelius, Mrs. WRCIV]

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. More commonly known as my mother's third daughter wearing a fur coat, or in the words of Nicki Minaj, the "cute little ladybug" of dog land. I had been the baby of the family until 2006 when Lucille McGillicudy Caplan (who I named after my favorite TV star of all-time, Lucille Ball, and her character's name in "I Love Lucy," Lucy McGillicudy) entered our lives the Sunday before Thanksgiving 2006.

Welp, so did her new baby brother, Jackson. After my parents had brushed puppy fever off of me for a year, we scooted on up to North and on my way home with my wrinkly baby on my lap, I called my mom to tell her the good news. She replied, "Well, I was going to surprise you at Thanksgiving, but we are driving home right now with a puppy, too." What she meant to say was that she was heading home after months and months of preparation and planning for this new bundle of joy and I? I had to swing by the pet store because I didn't have any dog food or a leash.

I did not know much about this little ladybug, so I got home with my little bloodhound on my hip, head snoring on my shoulder, and did a little digging. Turns out, they are furry humans: "friendly, affectionate and good with both children and other animals; however, they require a lot of human interaction." I quote Wikipedia so as to not insert what could be perceived as bias, which was not used in Jack's post either. Really any words in the thesaurus relating to "gentle" or "loyal" would do.

The human-like characteristics of the King Charles Spaniel are evident in the following photographs:

They use their manners at the dinner table.

They get an allowance.

They're in the sibling rotation of Christmas gift opening.

They let momma know when dad is done shoveling the snow.

They're in the kids' family portraits.

They understand families celebrate different holidays.

They know their momma needs them when dad is gone.

They do their chores.

They participate in family game time.

They Skype with family when they're far away.

As the parent of two entering their golden years, I can appreciate that Lucy is slowly starting to take over as she gets older. But don't we all? YOLO.

[photo sources: Pet Art, Mrs. WRCIV]

A World War Two Veteran

John H. Kaiser
November 3, 1916 - March 12, 2013

It's amazing what a first date to grab a Coke can do. It took me until I was 27 to really realize what a dreamboat my grandfather Jack was. I suppose that's why my mother's so beautiful?

If our family tree were a Christmas tree, this man would be the star on top. Although with the size of our family, it would probably be more of a small family shrub with both a star and an angel on top- my grandmother, Wandalee, right there next to him. She was an English teacher and I am 100% positive that is why I proofread emails three times before sending.

They were the matriarch and patriarch of our family my entire life. In 1943, my grandfather was drafted into the army, deployed to the Philippines and later sent to Kyushu, Japan, after the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. He then returned home, had babies and ran Kaiser Furniture Co. with his parents and brother, Dick, in the teeny town of Paola, Kansas (population around 3,000ish at the time).

The street that Jack built.

Kaiser Furniture Co. was in the tall, brick building.

Today it is owned by a family friend's financial advising company.

Kyushu, Japan.

Time Magazine cover from August 20, 1945. 15 cents.

Although my favorite memory after my grandmother Wandalee passed away in 2003 was the gravy story, my second favorite memory was of our family going through telegrams from the war. Imagine if you explained to someone in 1943 what Skype or Google Hangout are. Witchcraft.

Some stories are saved until you're old enough that they are either A) appreciated or B) appropriate. I didn't know until the weekend of the service that apparently his parents would call the pool hall across the street from the furniture store and ask, "Is Jack there? He's needed at the store." He would bolt out the door and the pool hall owner would say, "Nope. Haven't seen him."

The family that Jack built.
My amazing, small but mighty family on the second floor of the store.
The current owners of the buliding are world travelers
and display their memorabilia upstairs.

Left to right:

Cousin Gretchen and Gretchen's husband, Erik (Chicago)

J.D.'s wife, Sevrin, and cousin J.D. (Denver)

Me and my husband, Rhett (Columbia, SC)

Aunt Sandy (Lawrence, KS)

Mom Nancy (Kansas City)

Sister Sadie and her husband, Matt (Austin)

"Okie" Mark (Sandy; Lawrence)

Kiddos: Jaks and Ava (J.D./Sevrin) and Clara Lee (Gretchen/Erik)


Some Kaiser Furniture Co. knickknacks still hang on the walls.

Military honor salute and "Taps" on the snow-dusted Paola cemetery during the service.
It was a service for the 21st century which began with,
"We have Rich in Saudi Arabia with us on the phone."
He got to hear the entire service.
Luckily mom is with him in Amsterdam as we speak virtually share information.


Pallbearers Matt, Rhett, J.D., and Erik with military salute and flag.


Great grandson, Jaks, with the folded flag after the service.

Airport law enforcement calling for a background check on me.

No warrants and I was free to go. Woop woop!

Lesson here: 

When flying home from a military burial,
don't put bullet shells in your pocketbook.

Over the past few years during family gatherings, my grandfather would look around and say, "I can't believe I did all of this." It's amazing what a date to grab a Coke can do. 

In the most loving memory of him.

[photo sources: Anglonautes, Yellow Airplane, Japan Focus, Mom, Mrs. Cornelius, Mrs. WRCIV]