Danielle & Eric in Muppet form

Tonight we learned that you can make your own Muppet at FAO Schwartz. Not wanting to spend $100 per custom Muppet, we decided to design our own and take a picture of the computer screen instead!

So here are our doppelgangers: Muppet Eric and Danielle (respectively)

We made it to New Orleans!

At approximately 3:30 yesterday afternoon, we rolled into our hotel, the W. When we touched down at the airport, we had no faith that our luggage would be there, but amazingly, it was in the lost luggage room, staring at us through the glass.

Unfortunately, the office itself was closed, but once we got someone to open it, all our troubles melted away and off we went! The folks at our hotel were so gracious--they welcomed us with huge smiles and listened to our woes and even refunded the night we weren't there and gave us $125 worth of credits for dinner and drinks! Oh, and did I mention that there are doors that open automatically when you come in, and then a set of curtains that part automatically as you enter the lobby proper? Super chic. Also, Eric noticed that on the floor of the elevator is a mat saying, "Good morning," "Good afternoon" or "Good evening" depending on the time of day.

New Orleans made Las Vegas look like a Buddhist monastery last night because there was an Ole Miss vs. LSU game, but we still managed to procure some beignets and a frozen cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde (thanks to everyone who recommended that), wander around the French Quarter and Jackson Square, peek into some voodoo shops, reprise our first dance in the middle of Bourbon Street because we could hear people singing it inside a karaoke bar, and check out the cathedral on Jackson Square (there's a free concert tonight, so I think we're going to go back--hey, Matt, Kat, and Erica: Eric wanted to know what all the flags hanging from the cathedral were about and I said, "You know, I don't know, but I'd bet they're all the flags that have hung over the state of Louisiana, like at the Alamo and 6 Flags," and I was totally right! Yeah San Antonio 2010!).

Then we got dressed up and went to dinner at Galatoire's where I had poisson meuniere amandine (really good, but Julie, ours was better) and Eric had a red fish sauteed with mushrooms and crabmeat that was really amazing! We shared turtle soup as an appetizer that, well, was really made with turtle but tasted like beef, and the whole thing kind of disturbed me (especially when the waitress described them grinding the turtle) but it did taste really good. (Thanks to Delaine, Rick, Michelle, Sandy, and Larry, btw, for our dinner!)

I cannot describe how welcome and at home we felt when we arrived at the W. It's like we were finally able to take a deep breath and relax. So, to commemorate the occasion, we penned yet another set of lyrics to a first dance reject. Here is the song, accompanied by, of course, a link:

Broken Tarmac

We set out on a honeymoon many hours ago
Hoping we would find smooth travels from Boston to NOLA
Our bags got lost a time or two; stuck in DC, we did push through
We couldn’t see how every delay pointed straight to you.

And every long lost plane
Led us to where you are
Airlines that broke our hearts,
They were like southern stars
Pointing us on our way,
Into your loving arms
This much we know is true:
That God blessed the broken road that led us to the W.

We think about the day we spent
Just passing through
We’d like to have the day we lost and spend it here with you
But you just smile and take our bags
Give us a bed to sleep off jetlag
So we can spend our honeymoon, happily here with you!

And every long lost plane
Led us to where you are
Airlines that broke our hearts,
They were like southern stars
Pointing us on our way,
Into your loving arms
This much we know is true:
That God blessed the broken road that led us to the W.

We’re now finally walking in
Into our hotel room,
This much we know is true:
That God blessed the broken road that led us to the W!

In Need of a blue Robin Williams' voiced Genie!

Dear friends:

We are back at Dulles this morning having spent in a nice hotel that was hard to appreciate because, well, we wanted to be in the Big Easy! Plus, they were out of king beds and so they gave us two doubles--how ironic for a mini-moon!

Anyway, here's the latest composition from our trip, lyrics composed to one of the first dance rejects. Click on this link to the song, so you can follow along:

Eric:
I can show you the airport,
Shoddy, shabby, and sad
Tell me princess, now when did you last see our dear old bags?
I can open your eyes,
Take you airport to airport,
Don’t you wish we had gone instead on a magic carpet ride?
A whole new airport!
A very tragic point of view:
Everyone tells us no!
Not where we want to go:
“New Orleans? You must be dreaming!”

Danielle:
A whole new airport!
Another place I never knew!
And when I’m way down here, it’s crystal clear,
I don’t want to be here, though I’m with you!

Eric:
Now I’m a whole new airport with you!
Danielle:
Unbelievable service,
Often not in the good way,
They sent us on trains, and pods, and to a shuttle to a hotel!
A whole new airport!

Eric:
Don’t you dare close your eyes!

Danielle:
100,000 delays to be had!
Eric:
Hold your breath, it gets better!

Danielle:
Wish I had a shooting star to take me far
away from the airport where I used to be
Every delay a surprise,

Eric:
with few horizons to pursue

Danielle:
(‘Least the hotel was red letter)

Eric & Danielle:
I’ll chase our connection anywhere, no time to spare,
let me share this new airport with you.
Eric:
A whole new airport

Danielle:
(A whole new airport)
Eric:
That’s where we’ll be
Danielle:
(Yup, where we’ll be!)

Eric:
A crazy chase

Danielle:
A tiring place

Danielle and Eric:
For you and me!

Mini-Moon Woes

And now, friends, the world premiere version of our mini-moon woes, composed to the First Dance hit: 500 Miles. (Here's the Youtube link if you want to follow along!)

"1531 Miles" (from Boston to New Orleans)
By Danielle and Eric

When I wake up,
Well I know I’m gonna be
I’m gonna be going to the Big Easy with you!
And when I board the plane,
Well I know I’m gonna be
I’m gonna be boarding the tiny seats with you!
And when they delay the flight,
Well I know I’m gonna be
I’m gonna be exchanging doubtful looks with you!
And when they cancel the flight,
Well I know I’m gonna be
I’m gonna be calling customer services with you!
But I would walk 500 miles,
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the spouse who walks a 1000 miles to build another person’s door!
When they seize our bags,
Well I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be saying goodbye to them with you!
And when they say,
when they say they will return
I’m gonna exchange another doubtful look with you!
When they put us
[when they put us]
On another later flight
I’m gonna be the one excited with you!
And when the fli----ight
Is delayed another hour
I’m gonna nearly avoid a meltdown next to you!
But I would walk 500 miles,
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the spouse who walks a 1000 miles to build another person’s door!
US Air sucks
(US Air sucks)
US Air sucks
(US Air sucks)
But United is gonna help to save the day
US Air sucks
(US Air sucks)
US Air sucks
(US Air sucks)
But United may not take off anyway
When I’m hungry,
Well I know I’m gonna get
I’m gonna get a closed restaurant to cook for you!
And when our new flight
When our new flight is further delayed
I’m gonna laugh until my belly hurts with you!
When United
Offers to check our lost luggage
The tragic turns to co---mic with you.
And when dessert calls,
Well I know I will be sweet
I’m gonna charm them for some free fro-yo for you!
I’m gonna charm them for some free fro-yooooooooo [slow down music]….for you!
BUM BUM BUM BA DA DA DA BUM BUM….
But I would walk 500 miles,
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the spouse who walks a 1000 miles to build another person’s door!
US Air sucks
(US Air sucks)
US Air sucks
(US Air sucks)
But United is gonna help to save the day
US Air sucks
(US Air sucks)
US Air sucks
(American too!)
But United may not take off anyway.
NOLA Mini-
(Moon, New Orleans)
NOLA Mini-
(Moon, New Orleans)
We’d get there if walk the whole way
NOLA Mini-
(Moon, New Orleans)
NOLA Mini-
(Moon, New Orleans)
It just may take an extra few days.
But I would walk 765.5 miles,
And I would walk 765.5 more
Just to be the spouse who had to walk 1531 miles because airline quality was no more!

The New Wedding Rules

So here it is, long-awaited: the wedding post. Originally I had planned on recounting the day, providing a minute-by-minute blow of the event. But you don't need that--you were there, and the memories are more alive in our hearts than I could possibly express here.

So what I'm going to do instead is to give you my new list of wedding rules (this is a mix of rules for couples and guests alike):

To the couple:
1. Spend as much time planning the ceremony as you do on the reception. The ceremony is the most important part of your day; even if it's simple, make it yours to make it holy.
2. Spend twice as much time with your future spouse as you do on either of the above.
3. Realize your wedding dreams whatever they are, but be mindful of your guests.
4. Consider your wedding to be a gift to your guests; it's not about the gifts they're giving you; it's about the gift you're giving them. Think of it as your first dinner party as a married couple!
5. Get a good DJ and, if possible, friends who like to dance!

To the guests:
1. Remember that weddings are stressful. E and I had no idea about what weddings are really like from the inside until we planned one ourselves. I now wish that:

A. I had given more generous gifts to everyone
B. I had given money to most of the people I gave physical gifts to
C. I had smiled and clapped and danced more and judged less

2. RSVP. The cards may seem silly, but they're essential for counting guests and seating them.
3. Pretend to be excited, even if you're thinking, "Why are they making me eat lobster covered in chocolate?"
4. Dance a lot, preferably around the bride and groom with huge smiles and laughter!
5. If you are not going to come--unless you are ill or there's an extenuating circumstance (ahem, hurricane)--let the bride and groom know two weeks before the event so they're not stuck paying for your meal.
6. Be generous with your gift, but more importantly, write something nice in the card.
7. Only be annoyed if you're not invited with a guest if you don't know anyone, and know that if you are invited without a guest, your friends who are getting married wish they could have done it differently.
8. Tell the bride and groom it was the best wedding ever--even if it was bleeping awful.
9. Tell the bride and groom if the DJ is too loud so that it won't be bleeping awful! And don't be shy about unplugging the speakers if the DJ doesn't listen.
10. If more than a couple of people are talking to the bride and groom, don't crowd around them. I repeat--do not crowd the bride and groom, especially right when they arrive from the ceremony. They are completely overwhelmed. (This does not mean: "Don't come and say hello." It just means, "Don't come and say hello if there are already 8 people doing so.") If you want to come over, though, it's always good to ask if you can get them drinks or cocktails they'd otherwise never see!
11. Do attend pre-wedding dinners and post-wedding breakfasts if invited--there's more of an opportunity for intimate conversation and likely there's also good cake!
12. Do travel more than 100 miles and stay in a hotel for the couple...but only if you love them!
13. As one of my parents' friends said: "I don't go to weddings to have a good time. I go to support the couple in their new life together. No one actually expects to have a good time at a wedding." Keep that in your heart, but also hold out for a stellar cake and a smile at the end of the night!

That's what we learned along the way. Thanks to all of you! We did it!

Clear and Sunny!

According to the Weather Channel, there is a 0% chance of precipitation for Saturday! Yippy!