Newlyweds!

My Sophia's Birth Story

2011-06-25T16:36:00.017-04:00

I finally wanted to write Sophia's birth story while I still remembered all the details of truly what is and will forever be the most amazing day of my life. But as I am sure every mom out there knows, there are no words that can ever describe the feeling of that day. And every sentence I type out here will fall short of the extraordinary memories in my mind.

But I will try as best as I can to capture as many details as possible leading up to the moment that literally changed my life, when her little body was placed directly on mine the second she entered this world.

It all started on Wednesday, June 8th, my due date. That morning I woke up around 8:30, made myself breakfast and began checking my work email from home, like I had done that entire week. However, something about waking up that day just felt different. Maybe it was because the night before I had talked to my Mama and told her that I thought Sophia would still be coming on her due date. I am pretty sure she thought I was a crazily optimistic pregnant lady since that was the next day and I was showing NO progress at my doctor's appointments, but either way she knew better than to burst my bubble. After all the "every first time mom is late" comments I had heard leading up to that, I don't think I could've handled another one. Plus, all along, I knew my little lady would be punctual. After all, she knew how extremely anxious her Mom and Dad were to meet her.

At about noon that day, I started to notice some light spotting. I didn't think anything of it, but called my doctor just to be sure. She didn't seem concerned and just told me to keep an eye on it. Once Matt came home from work at 2:30 (he had shifted his hours that entire week), he convinced me to go to the hospital just to get checked out. After resisting for a couple hours, I agreed, and we headed in around 5 p.m. We had packed our hospital bags for "just in case". They admitted us immediately and after hooking me up to the monitors and doing an internal exam to make sure it wasn't my water, they had sent us home. Little did we know we'd be coming back in shortly thereafter.

After coming home, it was business as usual as Matt fired up the grill and we enjoyed dinner on our patio.. Then we decided to invite our neighbors over (hi, Ben and Michelle :). At around 8 p.m. we came inside and just relaxed on the couch. At exactly 9 p.m. I started feeling contractions. We immediately started timing them, and they were very regular and about 4-5 minutes apart. How I went from feeling no contractions to them being so close together, I have no idea! All I know is that Sophia clearly had plans of her own and Mama was just a happy participant in all of this. We timed my contractions for exactly three hours. I have to honestly say that my contractions at this stage still weren't as painful as I had imagined them to be. They were more uncomfortable than painful. And as long as I just remembered to breathe through them, they were not bad at all! But at around midnight, they were exactly 3 minutes apart.

At this point, it had finally hit me that this was it. It was really happening. No more wondering, no more questioning her arrival...we were going to the hospital and I was finally going to meet my baby girl. The next hour was a blur - calling our families, grabbing our bags and sneaking in one last snuggle with Charlie (which instantly brought on a flood of tears). The next time we'd be coming home, it would be with our daughter.

The following twelve hours were the most exciting, intense and at times most emotional of my life. After getting checked in initially at 1:30 a.m., I was still only 2 cm dilated, but my contractions were still 2-3 min apart. At this point the nurse asked me to walk around the hallway for an hour to see how much progress I could make by moving. This is also the time my Mom and Dad came...seeing them automatically put me at ease. As my dad waited in the main lobby, my Mom, Matt and I walked around the labor & delivery unit hallway for an hour, trying to speed up progress. My contractions continued to get stronger but I was completely calm. I knew that the next time they checked me, I would be in active labor. Sure enough an hour later I was already 4 cm dilated and getting wheeled into our room where I would be giving birth! And then my little sister came! To see her was a wonderful feeling. My little sister who hates hospitals, blood, needles and everything else, was there through it all to support me. I cried. Her, my Mom and Matt took turns holding my hand and encouraging me through the contractions which were now coming every 2 minutes. Around 5 a.m. the on-call doctor came in and decided that I was far enough to break my water. This part actually wasn't painful at all, but the contractions that immediately followed were nearly unbearable. My goal through this entire process was to hold off on the epidural as long as possible, as I knew that if I got it too early it could possibly stall the entire process. I wanted to progress as far as possible on my own. So, at around 5:30 a.m. and at 6 cm, I finally asked for the epi and the relief was unbelievable. At 7:30 a.m. they checked me again, and I was already 9 cm and what I thought was close to pushing! I couldn't believe how fast I was progressing. But my Sophia had different plans.

Every time the doctors and nurses would do an internal check, Sophia's heart rate would suddenly drop and once the internal was over, it would go right back to normal. As the doctor's described it, she was calling the shots and we just had to wait. They wanted her to drop as much as possible on her own, so that I would only have to push for a short period and this would minimize the stress on the baby. So, we obliged and we waited, and waited, and waited. Until 12:30 p.m. And it was just around this time that something else took over. Somehow it just happened. My baby girl made her mind up that it was time, and did all the hard work for her mama. After pushing for only 15 minutes, our daughter was healthy and finally in our arms. I have to honestly say that overall labor was much easier than I expected. Maybe it's my selective mommy memory that forgets the bad and only remembers the good, but I could do everything and so much more a hundred times over again for such a special little gift.

And since I'll only continue to fumble over my words, here are a few pictures of our very first days together...

I'll let her sweet face sum up our joy.

She is here!

2011-06-11T07:28:00.005-04:00

On Thursday, June 9th we welcomed our beautiful, healthy daughter into our family.

Our sweet Sophia Elizabeth.

We're both head over heels in love.

She is our everything and I am already so proud to be her mom.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers and I will update with a full birth story as soon as we are home and settled in.

Possible last update?!

2011-06-05T10:15:00.001-04:00

Well, here we are, three days until our due date! I could have this baby at any moment.

::reminding myself to breathe::

And with that, excuse me as I get a little sentimental on you all. But what an incredible journey this has been! Matt and I have shared so many wonderful moments though this experience and we will forever have everlasting memories of our first pregnancy. And, after 6 years together when it seemed impossible to grow any closer, these last nine months proved us wrong. I can honestly say that we are even more in love with each other today than ever before. And I can only begin to imagine how eventful, intense, and unforgettable this new adventure will be. We are going to be parents very soon!! I simply cannot wait.

In other updates, I had my 39 week check last Thursday and I can now officially say that some progress is on its way. My cervix is thinning and I am one cm dilated. I have also been having very dull cramping since last Tuesday, and I am pretty sure that just this morning {warning- possible TMI} I lost my mucus plug.

::throws confetti & grabs a celebratory cupcake::

And while all this can mean that labor is still days away, I have a feeling that we will be meeting our daughter soon! I hope mama's right.

In the meantime, any happy thoughts or prayers would be greatly appreciated. As always, thank you for all of your sweet comments and support! I love you all.

Edited to add: here is my 39 week, 5 day bump photo... possibly my last one! yay!

Take back the GPS

2011-05-27T22:17:00.005-04:00

Because our little one has a good sense of direction! She is head down after all and in perfect position... I am so relieved, to say the least! I know that labor is essentially only a means to a beautiful end, and we would've of course done what's best for her. But as crazy as this may sound, I am actually looking forward to labor and a part of me felt like I would be missing out if we would've had to have a scheduled c-section. So yay for a head down bebe! And the ultrasound tech also had a little surprise for us... this little lady has hair!! We were able to see some fuzz on the screen, and yes, I currently may or may not have 12 hair clips in my Etsy cart.

The ultrasound tech did also mention that they are currently estimating her at around 7 lbs 2 oz, which she said was perfect! But we think that there's a strong possibility that she'll be a little rolly polly based on the pictures. I just want to pinch and kiss those chubby, chubby cheeks and rolly arms!

We also had our weekly doctor's appointment this week to check my progress, and we finally have something to report! My cervix is starting to thin and the doctor thinks that she is slooooooowly but surely starting to drop! I still have yet to experience a single contraction so keep sending me that labor dust, ladies! But thankfully I am not to the "miserable, ready to have this baby any day now" stage yet. I am actually pretty proud of myself for still waking up every morning and having energy to curl my hair and do my makeup. I may be large and in charge, but this mama ain't no slob ;)

And this week officially marked 38 weeks, which means that we have less than TWO MORE WEEKS to go! I never thought the day would come when we would be only 2 weeks away from meeting our little miracle... It seems like it was just yesterday when we found out we were going to be parents that sunny September afternoon. And then, here we are today. Surreal is the only word I can think of right now to describe this feeling.

And here is my 38 week bump photo! I am wondering how many more of these I will take :)

Mildly Hyperventilating

2011-05-21T11:17:00.007-04:00

This is not my car. It can't be.

Could someone please be kind enough to pass me a paper bag? So, so surreal.

_____ ______ ______

Also, on another note, we had our 37 week appointment Wednesday and found out that ~~I may be pregnant forever~~ this little lady already has a mind of her own. Apparently, she has decided to stay in mama's ute until preschool, at least.

According to my doctor, she's still very high, not engaged and there's been no progress at all. She just seems to be pretty comfy and cozy in there, which is still okay with me. I am still loving feeling her Fred Astraire ballroom dance moves in there and I know when she finally makes her debut, that will be one part I know I'll miss. And because she is apparently still under the impression that she's auditioning for next season's Dancing With The Stars, the doctor really couldn't tell her position. So this means that we now get another ultrasound next Tuesday to see her exact whereabouts. I am so excited to see her again, and for this bonus ultrasound! Originally we were not going to have another one, and I was a little disappointed. Not to mention that we're keeping our fingers, toes, arms, legs and yea pretty much everything else crossed that she's head down. Otherwise this mama will have to spend the next two weeks standing on her head :)

I'll be back next Tuesday with an update! Thanks everyone for your sweet comments below. You sure know how to make a pregnant chickadee feel good. I am sending out a hug to you all! Have a fantastic weekend!

37 Weeks and an updated bump pic!

2011-05-17T19:27:00.011-04:00

Tomorrow we will be hitting the 37 week milestone which in the pregnancy world means that the baby is FULL TERM! Woot woot! This means that our little one is now physically ready to land on planet Earth! So, whether I give birth tomorrow (yes!) or ~~in three weeks~~ next week, this little girl is pretty much 100% ready to face the world outside of Hotel de Mama. : )

And on that note, you know you’re getting close to the end when…

It requires you 5 large pillows to find a comfortable sleep position. I feel like I’m 5 again, building a fort every night before crawling in.

And speaking of sleep, you have to mentally prepare yourself for the chore that is rolling over in bed.

Friends and family members are more anxious to talk to you now than ever before. EVERYONE picks up on the very first ring, and"hello" has been replaced by "are you in labor?"

Speaking of excitement, even strangers are starting to feel bad for you. My errand running this weekend resulted in 4 complete strangers stopping me to inquire "when on earth is that baby coming out?"

You become a public toilet expert due to suddenly having to pee immediately after peeing. I now even consider myself a toilet paper aficionado. Ex. My local grocery store isn't splurging on the nice stuff, Starbucks is. I also may or may not have on a few occasions been spotted carrying a roll of nice TP from home in my purse.

Anything above 60 degrees is considered sweltering heat. I am only comfortable if my husband/co-workers can nearly see their breath. I did feel sorry for my poor work crew, and brought them all hot chocolates this morning : )

Cooking at the stovetop should require a fireproof vest. This belly is starting to get dangerously close to those front burners.

That TV show you used to hate suddenly becomes a lot more interesting after not being able to reach the remote.

And finally, every single Google ad on your laptop now has to do with "natural ways to induce labor." :)

And here are a few updated bump pics. I think she's dropped a little! What do you all think?

A beautiful love

2011-05-10T12:26:00.001-04:00

There are so many little things I love about where I am at this exact moment in my life that I kind of want to just pause everything and stay here a little while.

All my life, I have dreamed of being a mother. And this little chapter of our life together has been, without a doubt, the best one yet. The last nine months have often felt so surreal.

But when I think about how quickly time has gone, it is a bittersweet feeling. At the very beginning of this journey, I made a promise to myself to enjoy every single day of this beautiful ride. And as uncertain and anxious as I have sometimes felt, the last 250 days have been the best days of my life. I have loved every minute of this pregnancy, and even the minutes where I am uncomfortable and cranky. I thank God every single day for giving me this chance and entrusting this beautiful little miracle to me.

Knowing that just around the corner is something we've dreamed and prayed and wished for since the beginning is an undescribable feeling.

29 more days until I finally get to hold my sweet daughter in my arms.. : )

35/35!

2011-05-04T19:22:00.003-04:00

First thank you all for the supporting words about my last semi manic post. It does help knowing I am not the only lunatic out there :) And for those of you that said nesting would follow, I can't even begin to tell you how right you all are!

So, nesting. Cleaning. Organizing. List Making. Whatever you want to call it… it's entered my life in full force and it's showing no signs of slowing down.

Case in point- yesterday I took a little trip to a store that I love more than anything... Target.

And I passed up this

and this

to buy this???

Who AM I?

I’ve done so much sweeping and dusting and scrubbing in our house these last few days that I would honestly have no problem licking pretty much any given surface in my home. I really hope this nesting bug wears off... or else I may be renting out my cleaning services so stay tuned!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Oh, and before I forget to mention today is the big 35/35 milestone! It still feels unreal that 35 weeks have already gone by and that we only have 35 days left. I have truly LOVED being pregnant and as much as I can't wait to meet her, I want to enjoy these next few weeks as much as possible. I love feeling her little kicks and movements and I know I'll miss them. Here is the 35 week belly bump update. And I promise more nursery pictures to come soon!

Diary of a rambling pregnant woman...

2011-05-01T11:46:00.009-04:00

I am feeling completely overwhelmed.

With only 5 weeks left (yes, you read that right ohmygod holycrap 5 WEEKS) until our tiny, cute new little roommate arrives, I feel like I have NOTHING done. Every single second my brain (pregnancy brain too, may I add) is going crazy… like a swirling, raging tornado with things that I know we still need to do like, right now.

Finish thank you notes, wash and fold all baby clothes, finish nursery, find crib skirt, put away this mount Everest of baby gifts that’s currently occupying our dining room, write out a transition maternity plan for that little thing that is my JOB, pack the hospital bag, FIND A PEDIATRICIAN, clean our living area so that the protective services don’t immediately confiscate our child and I am sure a thousand and four more things that I am currently forgetting.

Yes, realistically, I know if our baby girl were to make her appearance tomorrow (don’t get any ideas in there!), we’d be perfectly fine with what we have. But as prepared and organized as I have felt this entire pregnancy, I feel like I am slowly starting to lose it. Sigh. Oh, and the fact that I woke up this morning to a quick realization that today is MAY FIRST, did not help AT ALL.

Tell me I am not alone?!

Showered - Parts 2 and 3

2011-04-25T13:35:00.001-04:00

*warning- photo overload*

Since I am trying really, really hard to be better at updating on the Little Miss Thing (and no, that won't be her name.. we're deciding to keep that a secret), I wanted to share with you all pictures of my other two baby showers!

Two Saturdays ago, an incredibly sweet group of girls threw me a tea party baby shower. I feel so blessed to have friends who would coordinate such a wonderful event for me, while working AND while living in different cities. Thank you Nicole, Molly and Cassy! I love and appreciate you all so much! Below are just a few of the hundreds of pictures we took. And how cute is this little tea house? I loved all the time and effort they spent working on the details.

Thank you again to all my girls who threw the shower and the ones who came as guests! This little girl is very lucky to have such sweet aunties. :)

____________________________

And this last weekend, hubs and I packed up our car and headed home for a baby shower his family had planned for us! We had the best time. It was nice having hubs there with me as we opened gifts. Watching him 'ooooh' and 'aweeee' all the little dresses was priceless! : )

I feel very blessed to have so many people in our lives who love us and are excited for this baby! Our families and friends are just the best.

Mr. Photographer, I think I'm ready for my close-up!

2011-04-18T14:34:00.001-04:00

We had our 3/4D ultrasound two weekends ago and seeing our daughter was amazing. We were so excited to see her again, since we had not seen her in almost 12 weeks! I have been looking forward to this for two entire months and it was the best 30 minutes of my life. :)

I am still in awe of just how much she already looks like a little person. And seeing her smile at us melted our hearts completely!

And now, when we think about our baby girl we can actually visualize her adorable, precious face! Not only did we get to see some of her sweet little features, but best of all we got to watch her move and play the whole time! It was an incredible experience. We saw her play with her feet, try to put them in her mouth, yawn, move her hands and, of course, best of all flash that little grin over and over again! She's definitely a crowd pleaser. Even our ultrasound tech could not believe how much she was smiling! I hope we have one happy baby! Or maybe she felt her Mommy smiling at her. :)

{sweet pouty lips and cute chubby cheeks}

{smiley, smiley baby}

Any ideas on who she looks like? So far, the popular majority says that she looks like her Mama. ::blushes with excitement::

And now that we've had a chance to see her, one thing that’s been really getting to me lately is just pure excitement. I can’t wait to meet her! Who will she be like? Will she be blessed with her mother’s witty, fabulous personality and amazing taste in shoes? ;) Or is she going to be a sports loving, beer drinking, genius/computer geek like her dad?

I can’t wait to meet this amazing little person and spend every day getting to know her. 7 MORE WEEKS!

My new view?

2011-04-04T08:10:00.003-04:00

Where did my feet go? I can hardly even see them now. While my baby bump might have taken a while to show, I definitely think that it's making up for lost time now! Every morning when I wake up it looks and feels a little bigger than the day before. And I am loving every second of it. Except when it's time to put on my shoes, and after minutes of grunting, I realize that I can no longer bend over and have to sit down. And yes, I am still wearing heels. I keep saying that I'll have to retire them soon, but it's so much harder than I thought :)

Happy Monday, all. Hope it's the begging of a wonderful week!

Showered!!

2011-03-29T22:06:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday, my mom, sister and grandma threw me an amazingly wonderful baby shower and it was just the best day! They put so much thought and effort into every single little detail and it was so nice to spend the day with some of the closest women in my life. I felt very blessed. Everyone's generosity was so overwhelming and it makes me super happy-teary eyed when I think about just how loved we are and this little princess will be.

Oh, and did I mention that this is the first baby on my entire side of the family and hubs' entire side too? Spoiled little girl alert, right?! Lord help us!

I can’t believe that I'll be 30 weeks this week and that in just over two months we will finally meet this little person. I really can’t wait. :)

All the little details that they put together! And yes, there were little baby pictures of me framed everywhere. So sweet & thoughtful.

More wonderful details, including pink lemonade and cute party favors.

With my two hostesses, my beautiful Mama and Sis!

The beginning of gift opening... and boy were there a lot of gifts to open! We got the majority of our big items, including everything from our baby food maker, to the high chair, stroller and car seat!

The world's most excited auntie to be!

And the proud Daddy :)

I will try to be back later this week with my 30-week update. Talk about a big milestone!

Another Update!

2011-03-18T14:40:00.000-04:00

I know I have been pretty ~~hit and run~~ post and run with my blog updates these last several months, and I am so sorry you guys. But in these next few months I do want to try and make a better effort to keep you all posted on mine and baby girl's progress! I will also post some previous bump pics so that you can see just how much this little girl has grown! It really amazes me every single day.

So, here is a little pregnancy survey I took from another blogger {waves hi Mrs. Dew!} and I also added in a couple other things I though you all might find interesting.

Survey!

How far along? 28 weeks - hello 7th month!

Size of baby: this lil' miss now weighs in at about two and a half pounds and stands (or rather lies) at almost 16 inches.

Maternity clothes? I am pretty much still only wearing maternity pants. All of my tops and dresses are still juniors! Maternity clothes still just seem so giant to me.

Stretch marks? none yet...and boy am i trying everything to "prevent" them! ::knocking on every piece of wood i can find::

Sleep? Yes, please. All day, every day. I am sleeping 9-10 hours every night. Sleep is my friend.

Food cravings: Oh lord, yes! Fruit, fruit, fruit and more fruit. More specifically pinapples from Costa Rica, Oranges from South Texas and Fuji Apples. I know, I feel like I have turned into a produce expert overnight. Long gone are the days where we can buy whatever fruit is on sale. Ha. And if we do, I will literally ~~throw a fit and have a meltdown~~ take one bite, cringe and have to throw it out. I am still not sure how a child that CRAVES fruits of all kinds can be the product of me & hubs!

Food Aversions: Nothing so far. But my hunger levels are in a category all on their own these days. I think I go from completely full to starving in a matter of minutes. And then watch out. I literally feel like I’m 2 seconds away from gnawing my arm off like a rabid raccoon.

Gender: Team pink!

Movement? YES! A one-person dance-off is happening in my belly as we speak. Flips, tumbles, kicks, you name it, she's doing it!

Best moment this week? Hearing her heartbeat. It never, ever gets old. Passing my glucose test! Getting my girl scout cookies! (no one said all the answers had to be pregnancy related). Also, I just love sitting in bed at night with hubs, watching the belly move.

And, on a more shallow note, an overall best moment this entire pregnancy would have to be that I have not had one bad hair day this while time. Pregnancy hormones seriously equal winning!

Looking forward to? My baby showers that are quickly approaching. And also seeing my little mini-me at our 4D ultrasound! And of course finally meeting her in about 12-ish weeks!!

What I miss: Doing things on my own — like moving things, being able to lift anything, getting something off the top shelf…I’m getting too awkward to fit into small spaces and/or to stand on a chair, so I always need help.

Milestones? Baby girl's eyes are now opening and closing! If I lift up my shirt and stand near a bright light she will now kick and move!

I think that's all for now. I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this fantstic weather! I miss you all.

xoxo

A letter to our baby girl.

2011-03-10T08:40:00.006-05:00

Every day I am amazed by how much love I have towards someone I have yet to meet. I’ve heard it said time and again, that once a mom holds her baby in her arms, the amount of love that swells in her heart is overwhelming. It’s something I’ve been told that I can’t imagine until I experience it. But for me, it’s not that hard to believe, actually. Though we haven’t met you yet, your Mommy has loved you unconditionally from the second my eyes saw those tiny two pink lines.

In three short months, we’ll meet face to face. But you’ve already brought so much love and happiness to so many. I can only imagine the hearts you’ll touch and the lives you’ll change, including mine and daddy’s, when you step onto the planet.

I can’t wait to kiss you and tell you each and every day that I love you and I am thankful for you.

I promise to always love you unconditionally, just as you are, no matter what. I will always do my best to be the best mama that I can be so that you may thrive and flourish to become the best that you can be. I won't always be perfect or right, but I promise you that I will always do my very best that I can. Always.

Thank you for the giving me the privilege and choosing me to be your Mommy. Thank you for giving me the gift of knowing a mother’s love for her child even without meeting her.

You are so so wonderful to me. And every day as you grow, so does my love for you.

I love you, baby girl.

Hi, friends.

2011-02-18T12:30:00.000-05:00

Oh gosh, I don't even know where to begin. It feels so good to finally be able to talk about our tiny little bundle of love that is on the way. It's all we think, talk and dream about over here! And thank you so much for all the love and the congratulations messages below! It really means a lot reading through your emails and comments! We have literally been on cloud nine since finding out, so we held off as long as we could to share the news because we wanted to experience it just us for a little while. This has been the most amazing time of our lives. I have never known that such happiness could ever exist.

I am a little over half way through my pregnancy, 24 weeks, and am due in early June. And so far, our baby is looking healthy and right on track! We can't wait to meet our little miracle. We've been waiting (sometimes patiently, sometimes not so much) for this baby for a long time. June can't come fast enough!

I hope to be back to update again soon. Until then, I will leave you all with the latest picture of our little one. I am in love.

A new year and a brand new beginning..

2011-01-01T21:39:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year to all of you from the three of us!

:) :) :)

Creep Show Magnet

2010-09-10T13:29:00.003-04:00

So, it looks like my newlyweds blog has turned into quite the creep show magnet.

Case in point? Please review the keyword search terms below that have apparently lead some lovely readers to my blog. Let's all wave hello to the crazies!

Is walmart wedding classy {NO! Is this even a question?}
manboob meet the fockers breast feeding devices for dads { Aaaaaaaaaaalrighty, then.}
how to do loving in a tent {really? You came here to read about this? Hmmm. I am sure you left very disappointed.}
my husband has man boobs site {Good for you? Mine doesn’t?}
nacho dips (Mmmm, you know I love my nacho dip.)
sissies pencil thin eyebrows {That sounds so unfortunate. I am sorry.)
walmart side mullet {I am pretty sure I need pictures of this.}
I saw my husband wearing leggings {Best one! And I want to know more!}
Carrie Underwood armpits {Creeepy. And I can't help you there.}
Everytime you post it makes me wanna be your friends a little bit more {Oookay. And your grammar is awful and, for that reason, we won’t be friends. }

If you are a fellow blogger, please be kind enough and share with me some of your hilarious search words. I would really like to think that I am not the only one attracting these creepers!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Vintage Find to Girly Beauty

2010-09-02T13:10:00.004-04:00

Hi loves and happy Thursday!

I am interrupting the scheduled summer recaps to share something with you all that's very near and dear to my heart. A few weeks ago, I started looking for a desk to use in my wedding planning office. I wanted something that I could fix up and redecorate to make my own. I love creating something fantastic out of something forgotten or misused. Can you tell I've been watching too much HGTV? Well, moving on. Then hubs surprised me by bringing this 1930s Craig's List find that had seen better days (many of them, in fact) home.

I know this isn't exactly the cute desk that I had pictured in my head, but that doesn't mean that it didn't have any potential. I knew that a beautiful piece of furniture was hiding beneath all of those scratches and funky looking stain.

So, with the help of this nifty little sander and a ~~little~~ lot of elbow grease from hubs, things slowly started turning from drab to fab.

And viola! Say hello to my new wedding planning desk & office :)

And my $15 pink chair from IKEA!

Final touches of pink flower knobs completed the project :)

Isn't she pretty! I am now obsessed with my "new" desk!

P.S. GO BUCKEYES!!

Summer Recap - Part 1

2010-08-26T20:31:00.003-04:00

So since I am clearly way, way, way behind in the blogosphere with life updates (::hangs head in shame::), my hope is to bribe all of you, my pretty, gorgeous, lovely readers, back with pictures galore. So, here is part one of a three part life update in photos.

Earlier this month, hubs and I got tickets to a Weezer concert, and it ended up being one of the best concerts I've actually probably ever been to! We had an absolute blast and jammed the whole time. Plus, good seats always help!

A few weekends ago, I also had a chance to reunite with one of my besties for a fun night out on the town in Pittsburgh! Molly was up for a wedding, and so I took a little road trip to see her! After 4 months, it was well overdue. I love this girl with my whole heart, and best news is I get to see her again in October!

One of our favorite couple friends also came down to Columbus a few weekends ago to spend some time with us. We always have a BLAST with these two. Not to mention that Lauren and I are kindered spirits in so many ways. We met through our hubbies, but I always say that we would be friends even without them ;)

The girls will shop...

While the boys will eat...

That's all for now.. Happy (almost) Friday!! I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! :)

Happy Birthday, Hubs!

2010-08-24T11:26:00.003-04:00

I want to wish my amazing hubs a very happy 27th birthday today!!! He’s truly the sweetest man I’ve ever known and I am so lucky to have met and married him. I love, LOVE, love you babe :)

Please join me in wishing my love a very happy day of birth!

The Month of Birthdays!

2010-08-18T08:42:00.000-04:00

Hi, hi, hi all!

I am so sorry I have been so MIA this month. But just bare with me as I try to rationally explain to you just how super crazy the month of August is for us. Trust me when I tell you that every single family member in addition to every single human being I have ever encountered/ befriended in life has an AUGUST BIRTHDAY or an equally important momentous occasion.

I swear to you. This is true.

So far this month we have celebrate my Grandma's birthday, hubs Grandma's birthday, hubs Grandpa's birthday, hubs Dad's birthday, my best friend's birthday and my parent's anniversary.

And it's only August 18th. Meaning that in the next two weeks, we still have my other best friend's birthday, hubs birthday, hubs brother's birthday, and our dating anniversary.

Phew. I rest my case.

So, while I have been in a food coma from shoving cake and cupcakes in my mouth on a daily basis, I have completely neglected to blog. And, unfortunately for you guys, in my world food will always win.

But I DO promise to be back to my normal self soon. And I have a lot of updates for you guys! Thanks for baring with me. I love you all!

Edited to Add: I am a Sagittarius and obvi judging from this post, I think that I get along best with Leos and Virgos. Do any of my fellow Sags out there feel this way? Or vice versa? I am interested to hear what you guys think!

Beach Bums!

2010-08-08T11:46:00.003-04:00

We have escaped for a few days... for some much needed downtime!

I'll be back with more details a little later this week. Love and miss you all! :)

Where, oh where, did Mrs. Newlywed go?

2010-08-03T12:24:00.003-04:00

I am here and I am baaaaacck. (Jumps up and down repeatedly and squeals.)

Can you see/hear me?

I have been a bad friend. I know, I know :(

But between traveling, coordinating weddings, attending weddings, birthdays, trips, family visits, house remodels, and the trials and tribulations of our every day life... I seriously feel like I haven't had time to even stop and breathe.

And the fact that it’s already August honestly completely creeps me out. Time is a funny thing. Those months leading up to summer can feel soooo slow. And then again June and July have seem to have gone by in a heartbeat.

I miss being lazy, blogging, catching up on my fave shows and just laying around and doing absolutely nothing! But I’m hoping to be able to get back into my normal groove very soon (fingers and toes crossed). Until then, please forgive me….

IT’S AN END OF AN ERA.

2010-07-13T15:20:00.003-04:00

After six seasons of ~~fake~~ drama, long and uncomfortable staring over meals, and fights over cocktails (that no one seems to pay for), The Hills is coming to an end tonight. And for reals this time.

(moment of silence please….)

I am sad. Really sad.

From LC and Jason’s epic break-up to Whitney’s departure to New York to the crash and burning of Lauren and Heidi’s relationship, we’ve been through it all. Tonight’s going to be like saying goodbye to your best friends on the last day of sleep away camp. Or packing up at the end of freshman year.

After faithfully following for 101 episodes, seeing it all end in less than 6 hours will be tough. But it’s a good thing I won’t have to ~~sob in the corner by myself~~ watch it alone. Thank goodness for good friends!

Will you be tuning in?

House Demolition

2010-07-07T17:06:00.030-04:00

Oh happy day. As I alluded to in my last post, here at the Newlyweds household we've been busy with another home improvement project at our casa. And this one, my friends, was M.A.J.O.R.

Here is the back story. One day I came home from work and discovered that I hated the wall (random, i know) in between our kitchen and dining room. Like, really, really hated it. So, after an AHA, OMG THAT WOULD BE BEST! IDEA! EVER! moment, I gently proposed to my husband that we look into taking it down.

And over the weekend, my extremely handy and handsome husband (Love you, kiss kiss!) made it happen! (I know, right? He’s amazing) And I’m truly super duper excited about the final product. Hooray!

So… drumroll please… here are the before/after photos.

Amazing! No? I cannot describe how much I love the new and more open space. But I think that I would be flat out lying if I didn’t admit that it was hard work. But I am SO proud of my hubs for taking this on. One of my favorite things about him is that he is never afraid of a challenge. He loves learning and already knows how to do so much around the house. Not to mention that he looks super hot while he's home-improving ;)

Here are a few action shots I snapped during 'the demolition'.

While we love the pride and self-satisfaction that our project elicited, I think hubs will be happy to take a little break from saw swinging and wall removing for a little while.

Even Charlie was exhausted from the project... "But Mommmm, are we done yet?"

Oh and while out shopping one day, I randomly found this adorable white shelf (on clearance!)to hang on the new wall. I love, love, love it!

*** I do want to give a big THANK YOU to my wonderful mama and stepdad-in-law who came down and helped us with this! We couldn't have done it without you :) ***

Happy Friday, everyone! The only thing on our agenda this weekend is relaxing. I can't wait! I think it's well deserved ;)

Friends, Food and Fireworks!!!

2010-07-06T12:31:00.008-04:00

Hi, hi, hi and Happy ~~Tuesday~~ short work week everyone!

I am back into the swing of things (with new eyeballs!) after a great long weekend of ~~eating ourselves sick~~ celebrating our country’s birth!

Thank you all for your thoughts and well wishes about my Lasik. You guys are the best and I appreciate it more than you know! My new peepers are doing great and every day i am impressed and amazed at how clear the world is. It is hands down the best thing I have ever done! I am so glad that i finally bit the bullet and did it!

I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day celebrations! Hubs and I celebrated our Fourth of July by going downtown and seeing fireworks! They were amazing and I literally had chills the whole time. We also went back home for a couple days to continue our celebrations with some great food and friends! We had the best time and came back feeling totally relaxed and full. In fact, I think I will smell like BBQ for the next week. What more could you ask for?! :)

Here are a couple pics!

Hope you all had a great weekend and I’ll be back later this week with a few house-related project updates, so make sure you check back!

Lasik

2010-06-24T08:51:00.004-04:00

Happy Thursday, dolls. This is a life changing day in our household. I am going in for my Lasik in just a few short hours! Soon I will be valium-ed up and ready to face the lasers. While I'm a little nervous, I know that I am in good hands and that a little bit of discomfort will be worth a lifetime of good vision.... so why worry?

I might not be able to blog for a few days because my eyes may be super sensitive, but I'll be back to reguraly scheduled blogging hopefully next week.

Making a wish

2010-06-23T13:24:00.011-04:00

Hey ladies! Happy Wednesday and thank you for all the sweet comments below. You all rock!

But today I wanted to share something personal with you. I was so moved by this story that I had to share it with you all... My very good (in real life) friend Amy's {check out her blog I ain't settling for less than everything} recently told me about something very near and dear to her heart.

Amy lost her older sister Heather in 1995 to lung cancer. Heather was 15 and Amy was 11. This August will mark 15 years since she passed away. This August she would have celebrated her 30th birthday.

During her 3 year battle with cancer, which began as bone cancer in her left leg, Heather underwent the harshest dose of chemo and radiation, and lost her leg at 12. While in remission in 1994, their family was approached by The Make a Wish Foundation to grant Heather the wish of her dreams. For those of you who aren't familiar, Make-A-Wish foundation grants the wishes of children who are facing life-threatening medical conditions.

The Make a Wish Foundation provided Amy's family a once in a life time experience. Heather lost her battle the following summer when the cancer returned to her lungs. The trip to Oahu are some of Amy's last memories of her big sister.

So, this year, Amy has decided to give back to the foundation that has given so much to her family, and grant her own wish.

In Amy's words, "I am looking forward to helping another family make memories that will last a life time because I know mine are some I will never forget! Heather was the light of my grandparents lives and my moms shining star, but above all she was and is the BEST big sister that ever lived and not a day goes by that she doesn't cross my mind..who she'd be today."

This is a story of a beautiful girl whose life ended too soon. Without getting too sappy like (you probably already ‘get’ the story) this is a beautiful cause that has touched and continues to touch the lives of so many. And every family of a sick child deserves the experience that Amy and her sister had. When there isn’t a cure to save their life, there is still something positive in these children's lives to look forward to.

So I want to personally ask all of you to help my friend fulfill her wish. You can make a donation, no matter how small or big, by clicking here.

Thank you all so much for your help. It means a lot.

A weekend full of celebrating!

2010-06-22T15:39:00.010-04:00

Hi friends! Happy summer!

Is it nice and sunny where you are? It definitely is here. There’s no doubt that summer has arrived and I am LOVING it! We had a fun and busy weekend back home full of friends and family! We went to our friends wedding Saturday and celebrated our Dads Sunday! And, of course, I am back with some pics!

The wedding Saturday night was a blast— GREAT couple, great friends and a great time! The bride and groom are our very good friends, and we were so happy to be able to share this special day with them! Not to mention that I was super excited to wear my new green dress I just adore!

And Sunday hubs and I spent all day celebrating our Dads! (my dad and dad-in-law) This was the most special Father's Day for my sister and I because this time last year Dad was in the hospital with heart complications. I'll never forget just how worried and scared we were. He is doing much better now, and I thank God every single day that I have him in my life! He is the most kind, patient, caring and compassionate man and we are lucky to call him our Dad! Not to mention that anyone who has put up with my sister and I this long, undoubtedly deserves a big celebration, haha!

We had a fabulous weekend overall! I hope you had a good one too!

The one where I talk about cute (human&furry) babies!!

2010-06-18T11:52:00.009-04:00

BABY FEVER HAS HIT AGAIN! I swear this happens every spring/summer. I feel like everywhere I look, there is someone who is pregnant or has just had a baby. And I want one. (ignore that. that’s my ovaries talking)

And while we are very decidedly in the future-parent camp, there are still a few things I want to do in the meantime (read: sleep in, drink lots of wine).

But I cannot help myself from looking at nursery decoration blogs ~~for hours~~ sometimes and ~~running baby names by anyone that’ll listen~~ thinking about future names for our offspring. It’s fun! And you can never be too prepared, right?

So, while in one of my baby blog stalking moods yesterday, I found the cutest video that I wanted to share with you all! This video shows nine-month-old baby Charles playing in the living room for four hours, but it's sped up to two minutes. Watch.it.now. It’s cute beyond words!

And what would a baby talk post be without me posting pictures of my own baby and the love of my life? Here are a couple pictures of Charlie I snapped yesterday while playing in the yard. I want to eat him up!

SUPERDOG!!!

Come on mama, throw it again!

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND, LOVELIES!

Letting you in on a little secret…

2010-06-11T12:41:00.003-04:00

{our wedding ring + dates :)}

While many of you know me as the best.wife.ever, a furry mama , a domestic queen and an expert in cohabitation bliss, there IS something that you don’t know. (yet!)

(okay, okay, you can stop holding your breath)

I love planning events + watching people in love. And I love any excuse to throw a good party. And this passion has led me to take a leap of faith to pursue a wedding planning (part-time) career! With experience as graphic designer, wedding reader, professional bridesmaid and, most importantly, an event planner for my own big day, about a year and a half ago I decided to explore a possibility as a day-of wedding coordinator.

And I am happy to say, that I haven’t looked back since! I have met some wonderful brides (who are now great friends!) through this process and have been honored be a part of helping their wedding dreams come true!

So that’s a little insight into my crazy ‘other life’ (as hubs likes to call it). I know that I haven’t mentioned this before, but I ~~needed to save material for when I got boring again~~ I just wasn’t ready to share it with my small corner of the internet yet. And I wasn’t sure whether or not this idea would even take off. But it has and I could not be happier!

So please wish me luck in this (semi) new venture. And if you know a bride in Columbus who is looking for a super awesome day-of wedding coordinator, I am their girl!

Thanks for the love, pretties. And happy Friday! Hope you all have fabulous weekends!

Mine will be spent coordinating a wedding for a terrific couple! I am so excited to be able to share their big day!

Bye, bye bad eyes!

2010-06-09T15:04:00.010-04:00

So it's official. In two weeks I am getting LASIK!

You see, I started wearing glasses in the 7th grade. And, despite the copious amounts of carrots that I consumed, my eyes continued to get worse each year.

So, after seriously considering (translation: whining) about wanting Lasik for over a year, my sweet hubs finally encouraged me to just but the bullet and make an appointment for a consultation. I went in for a consult a couple weeks ago and was found to be a good candidate.

To say that I am excited would be an understatement of the century! I cannot wait! I’ve always been not-so-slightly jealous of my family and friends who had perfect vision and have wished that one day I could see my feet without the aid of glasses or lenses.

Sure, the thought of putting my eye balls under a laser sounds less than appealing, not to mention expensive, but the idea of just waking up and being able to see clearly without having to fumble for my glasses or contacts is just so exciting!

I hope everything goes well. I have wanted this for years and I am thrilled that it’s finally happening!

I am stoked about being able to SEE! Plus my amazing Mama is coming to take good care of me during the itchy-scratchy recovery stage, so I know I’ll be in good hands : )

Happy Wednesday, lovelies!

Back to Reality

2010-06-02T14:00:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, we are back. Back to r-e-a-l-i-t-y. And although I am not super thrilled about that, I am excited to catch up on all of your lives and tell you all about our fantastic trip!

Our vacation was incredible! We had the best time.. and for the very first time since I think the day I ~~started to travel~~ was BORN, I tried (key word here) super hard to barely plan a thing. Normally I make schedules and itineraries and lists of restaurants I want to try that I look up beforehand, and map out each and every place we'll go in advance... But this time, we tried not to do any of that. I wanted this trip to be relaxing and enjoyable for both of us, without having to worry about rushing off to do tours, or feeling pressured to do something on the list.

And mission accomplished! The trip turned out to be great and relaxing, which was just what we wanted.

Our stunning hotel ended up being in a great and super convenient part of town with close access to a lot of the main attractions either by walking or a short metro ride. This was fantastic! So, if you go to DC, stay at the Omni Shoreham. Please? You'll love it. I promise. So we saw pretty much everything to see in the city itself... all the monuments, famous buldings, streets and cathedrals. We even made time to go up to Georgetown's gorgeous campus and walk around a little. And with the weather gods answering our prayers, we had sunny and 75-80 degree weather the entire time! Yay.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures! :)

{Washington D.C.}

{our wonderful tour of the Capitol building thanks to Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy :)}

{Our beautiful hotel}

{What's a trip to D.C. without a stop to the White House?}

{In Obama's back yard ;)}

(Washington Monument, of course}

{On the Lincoln steps}

{WWII memorial}

{50 flags for 50 states}

Phew. What a weekend, right?! Even though we had an amazing time, we did miss our little baby. I was so happy to be home and reunited with Char! I seriously thought about him every minute of every day. Hope everyone else had a great weekend :)

D.C. bound!

2010-05-20T15:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday, lovelies!!

Just wanted to update and let you all know that hubs and I are currently on our way to DC for a long getaway weekend! We should be there in a few short hours and I absolutely cannot wait!! We have a lot of fun and exciting things planned, and I can't wait to explore the city with my love. I am sure that I will be back with plenty of pics!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Fun Find Monday!

2010-05-17T17:10:00.003-04:00

Happy ~~Friday~~ Monday, pretties!

Hope all of you had a beautiful weekend! Since I have been majorly slacking on my Fun Find Fridays, I am making it up to you today. And these finds have something to do with one of my all time favorite things to talk about…. nail polish!

I have been seeing celebs rocking pastel nail colors for a while now, but have been too scared to try it out myself.. that is until this weekend when at my local CVS I picked up a gorg lilac nail polish! And let me tell you, I AM IN LOVE.

Pastel polishes are a creamier, muted version of their counterparts, but deliver just as much of a punch and the possibilities are endless. I do have to admit that it was a little hard to tear myself away from the darker colors that have been so hot for the last few seasons, but I am SO glad I did it, and now there is no going back!

To me, pretty nail polish is one of the cheapest, sexiest accessories a girl can have. Pair these soft shades with pretty dresses, flowy tops and big sunnies and I promise you will not be able to stop staring at your own hands. I know I cant!

Here are some of my faves:

Sally Hansen has an amazing color (that is currently being worn by yours truly) called Lively Lilac. I adore it! And for $4.99 a bottle, you can’t beat the price!

I also love, love, love Essies Lilacisim!

And of course, OPIs ‘Do you Lilac it” is a must-have!

I seriously love these colors so much; I would buy 1,000 bottles of this stuff and paint my walls with those teeny, tiny brushes. These colors are stunning!

S-O-S please someone help me!

2010-05-12T16:14:00.001-04:00

It’s a sad day, ladies. My flat iron's dying a slow but sure death.

I’ve had the same straightener since the beginning of ~~time~~ college and needless to say I am very attached to it. That flat iron and I have been through it all. And finally, it's time to say goodbye.

And so yesterday I began my hunt for the perfect flat iron and I am completely overwhelmed with way too many options! So, I need YOUR help! I know that you ladies have gorgeous, gorgeous hair!

If you have a flat iron that you love, please leave me a comment and tell me all about it.

So far I have looked into a Sedu, Solia and HAI and they all seem to have great reviews and the same features. So, I’m torn. Please help me out.

My hair will thank you for it.

A very happy mother's day

2010-05-11T11:32:00.026-04:00

Each year that I get older, Mother's Day takes on a whole new special meaning in my life. And last weekend as my sister and I celebrated the woman who had selflessly given herself to us every single day, I could not help but just feel so PROUD to be her daughter. My mom inspires me every single day. She is my best friend, biggest supporter and most dedicated fan.

She has spent most of her life working tirelessly to make a better and brighter future for us, and for that I will forever be thankful. Her love, compassion and kindness know no limits. From kissing our every single scrape to always being there to dry our tears, the biggest lesson she has taught us is to know what we are worth and to never settle for less than we deserve. And I always say, that if one day I can be even half as good of a Mom as she has been, I will be be very happy. :)

So (even though this is a little late) I love you Mom! And i know that one cannot choose who their mom is, but if I had to, you are exactly the one I would have chosen!

*** *** ***

And now here are some picture from our wonderful Mother's Day weekend.

[my beautiful Mama]

[3 generations :)]

[mom and sissy]

[hubs with his mama in law]

[isn't she the cutest?!]

[getting ready to open her gift]

[i think she loves it]

[two hearts <3] href="http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/sexyNcute0921/?action=view&current=DSC_0426.jpg" target="_blank">

[kisses for the most amazing woman in my life]

Hope you all had a great weekend! Happy Tuesday! :)

Fun Find Friday

2010-05-07T13:29:00.053-04:00

Hello and happy Friday beauties!

I know I have been a bad bloggie friend for not updating in ~~days~~ weeks but here is what my life has consisted of lately- work, sleep, work, sleep, work, sleep (repeat).

I know, I know, I'm still a MAJOR slacker, but that just means that I am back with more exciting posts, right? (Just go with it.)

So this week's Fun Find Friday is a little different (okay, a lot). It's not a cute bag, or a fab accessory or the latest makeup must-have. But it is something equally as exciting!

I hope everyone is sitting down, cuz this is MAJOR.

Wait. For. It:

This week's fun find are a couple RECIPES!

(please stop laughing)

Yes, I've been COOKING.WITH FOOD. AND UTENSILS. And I am still here to talk about it!

(waits for applause to subside)

I know you are excited and I can't wait to share these recipes with you all. Because let's face it, if I can make it and it turns out delish, so can ~~a small child~~ you!

So here they are:

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada

Ingredients
4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can of black beans
1 (15 ounce) can of corn
1 (15 ounce) jar of salsa (we used Medium)
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese

Directions
Take your frozen, boneless chicken breasts and put them in the crock pot.
Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained.
Cook on medium for about 6-7 hours or until chicken is cooked.
Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top!) and let sit for about 1/2 hour.
*We shred the chicken after it's all done, and eat this in a wrap with a little sour cream! It's delish!

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Easy Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients
4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons grated ginger

Directions
Take your frozen, boneless chicken breasts and put them in the crock pot.
Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours or until chicken is tender.
*Then pour it over rice, and pat yourself on the back because you just made one tasty little meal!

So, Viola! Just call me Julia Childs. I <3> my crock pot!

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Saying goodbye & a giveaway winner announcement!

2010-04-26T11:21:00.006-04:00

Tomorrow night my favorite reality tv show EVER comes back on for its last season.

::leaves to get some tissues::

I have been a dedicated Hills fan from day one and have been completely hooked since the Laguna Beach days where Kristin was making kissy faces with Stephen Coletti in the back of his white Toyota pick-up. Then I naturally followed my favorite Laguna besties as they traded their high school parties for fabulous Hollywood clubs, beach cookouts for amazing restaurants, surf boards and hollister clothes for fabulous fashion and side braids and black and white events for Cabo trips.

I will always have a place in my heart for their petty girl arguments about douchey boys over unnaturally lit dinners. And while I have had many moments in my long and tumultuous relationship with The Hills where I found myself angry (over LC's departure) disturbed (about the fact that the greasy haired, beanie wearing, motorcycle riding weirdo won't go away) or just plain annoyed (with Speidi freakshow), I will always have a soft spot in my heart for my favorite guilty pleasure.

Ohhh, ~~Brody~~ Hills how I’ll miss thee (Reality tv won’t ever be the same.. but at least I still have my fave guidos from the shore ;)

But even though The Hills may be fading into the sunset after this season, our favorite Southern California frienemies are not going out without some drama. Big drama. Coke rumors with Kristin, a new Frankenface for Heidi, and yet another repressed homosexual meltdown from Spencer… and that’s just what’s in the preview.

Do you plan to watch? I personally CANNOT WAIT.

*** *** ***

Now moving on to other things equally as exciting, I wanted to thank all of you who entered my very first giveaway! I loved hosting it so much, that I think I may do another one very soon :) So, for those of you who didn't win this time, make sure you come back and try again.

And the lucky winner who will receive a fabulously cute personalized wine glass from Flossylulus is....

Drum roll please.....

Mrs. Ruby from the lovely Ruby Red Slippers blog!

Congratulations!!! So Mrs. Ruby e-mail me at mrs.newlywed08@gmail.com so we can chat :)

*** *** ***

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!

Calling all Polka Dot lovers!

2010-04-21T16:03:00.007-04:00

So while I may be a mediocre housekeeper and an unreliable blogger, I do possess ~~many~~ a few good qualities. One of them just happens to be picking out amazing wineglasses. :)

And I truly believe every woman needs a personalized polka dotted wine glass in her life.. Right?

See I knew ya’ll would agree. Vino lovers unite!

If you’d like to win one of these super cute wine glasses click here to enter my FABULOUS giveaway (and trust me…it IS!) Only two days left to enter.

Contest is open through THIS Friday April 23 at MIDNIGHT EST.

Happy entering and happy hump day!

Spring is in the aiiiiir

2010-04-19T15:25:00.006-04:00

Happy Monday, lovelies!

Since so many of you are entering my giveaway, I feel slightly pressured to write amazing posts and ~~bribe your love back with pretty pictures~~ not bore you to tears. I will try not to disappoint.

This weekend I was craving the perfect photographic opportunity to finally use my semi-new camera and take pictures of something other than a lot of white snow [what, there are other seasons in the world?]. And what better subjects than a bunch of freakishly beautiful flowers? We spent our entire weekend outside, enjoying the beautiful weather. I seriously cannot get enough of this sunshine ya’ll!

Blue skies, singing birds, gorgeous flowers, warmer weather and longer days make me one happy girl!

Have a great week dolls and if you haven't already don't forget to enter my fabby giveaway below!

xo,

Bringing the blog back to life… ONE GIVEAWAY AT A TIME!

2010-04-16T15:29:00.005-04:00

Hello & happy Friday, lovelies!

Rather than beginning my post with apologies or explanations for majorly slacking and borderline disappearing from the blogging world, I’m going to jump right in and bring this baby back to life! I think a giveaway is the perfect way to celebrate, don’t you??

Interested?

Just wait until you hear more!

I am seriously excited for all of you (aka best readers eva) to get the opportunity to win a fun gift from one of my favorite etsy stores. Oh, oh, oh and this gets better! Here's your prize!

::drum roll please:

Isn't this so insanely cute?

The wonderful Heather at Flossylulus is even willing to let the winner choose the style of the wine glass! She will then personalize it, hand create it (did I tell you she was uber talented?) and send it to the winner! I know you all are dyiiiiing for one.. This glass would be an adorbs accessory to your fave summer cocktail!

To enter to win:

1.FOLLOW this blog and leave a comment telling me you're now a follower! If you're already a follower, don't forget to leave a comment too! (This counts as one entry!)

2.BLOG about this GIVEAWAY or add the GIVEAWAY to your SIDEBAR and leave a comment (and a link) telling me you did! (This will earn you a second entry!)

The giveaway ends next Friday, April 23rd! I'll announce the winner on Monday, April 26th.

GOOD LUCK DOLLS and thank you for reading and making this whole blogging thing so much fun! Also, don’t forget to check out Flossylulus to see the rest of her masterpieces!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Top TWO Tuesday!

2010-04-13T15:49:00.013-04:00

When it comes to beauty there are certain tools that every girl needs in her arsenal. Below are my top two must-have beauty secrets I can't live without:

BLUSH: We all have those days when we're overly tired and look a little down in the dumps (black under eyes, blotchy skin, unsightly blemishes, ~~hand stamps rubbed off on a cheek~~). Needless to say, it's not pretty, nor is it appropriate for work/school/social gatherings with friends and family. Using blush, for me, is like getting an extra 5 hours of sleep! It's right up there with a couple Advil and a giant Starbucks! A few strokes of the right blush add a dewy shimmer to my cheekbones, instantly brightening an unhappy face. It's a total face refreshment.
PRIMER: Confession- I just started using primers about a year-ish ago... When I first encountered this product, I was very skeptical and confused. It didn't take long for me to discover that this clear liquid is pure magic! I use a primer daily. I won't put makeup on without it. They are great if you want your makeup to last super duper long. It makes my skin feel silky and helps the foundation goes on smoothly. Love, love, love it!

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If you would like to play Top Two Tuesday, click on the button above to join! The Undomestic Momma posts new topics weekly!

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I will return with our weekend recap soon! Happy Tuesday everyone!

Easter Weekend!

2010-04-08T16:14:00.004-04:00

Happy belated Easter, blogarinos!

I know, I know...I'm a slacker and completely late! But in my defense, work has been crazy busy this week and by the time I get home I am just so exhausted. But TGIT!

We had a busy, fun-filled Easter weekend here! The weather Sunday was gorgeous, our Church service was beautiful and spending the day with our families was the best! And when it comes to Easter candy, I am like a 5-year-old. (see below) I may or may not have already eaten all of the Easter goodies that were in my ~~and my sister's and hubs~~ basket.

Here are some pictures from our Sunday funday! Hope you all are having a great week!

{you're never too old for easter baskets!}

{my silly little sis!}

{my heart!}

{with my easter basket. Thanks, MOM!}

{our cousins!}

{my beautiful God daughter!}

{Hubs & I in front of Church}

{and finally Charlie enjoying his Easter with a new tennis ball :)}

Top TWO Tuesday!

2010-04-06T11:50:00.012-04:00

Though I love blogs and read all my news online, I still think there's nothing like picking up and reading a stack of good glossies. And for the longest time, Cosmo was my bible of choice. I looked at their editors and writers as the all-knowing gods and I read every issue religiously.

However, at some point, I found myself slightly disenchanted with Cosmo’s absurdity and their over-the-top tips and advice. It was time to move on. Afterall, I needed more mature and more refined literature. So naturally surrendered to People and US Weekly. I love celebrities and I love celebrity gossip and this only made sense. And I can proudly say, I haven't looked back.

I love luxuriating in the deliciously guilty pleasures of Us Weekly's cute new spring fashions, celebrity homes, and their stunning offspring. Or how about their Just Like Us! page? Amazing, every time. And who can resist People's latest and greatest celebrity scandals, Hollywood gossip, and of course their 'hottest bachelors' and 'most beautiful people' editions?!

But not only am I a self-proclaimed queen of magazine subscriptions, but I am also one of those people at the grocery store who welcomes the long checkout lines. While on the outside I sigh, roll my eyes and nonchalantly reach for the magazine stand in order to battle boredom of the wait, on the inside I am squealing and jumping up and down. I get to spend 10 extra minutes with Britney, Brangelina, RPats, Jen, Victoria, Jessica, Sandy and many others.

But there is one person in my life who firmly believes that my obsession with celebrities may be one foot over the normal line. (points to the man in the header) He has tried to stage a gentle intervention, with an eye towards moderation, by trying to confiscate my stack of glossies.

However, I am not surrendering. I believe that being pop-culture savvy is not an invaluable skill in this society. I have used my gossip addiction to make friends with strangers and even bond with my barista. Maybe not being able to hold a conversation without referencing television, movie, or true-life! storylines, and referring to people I have never met as intimately as if they are dear friends is a little unusual. Or maybe my daily references to Brangelina, TomKat, J. Lo, ScarJo, Speidi, SJP and LiLo are a tad bit excessive.

But hey sometimes a girl needs to read some trash, and glossy pages with juicy pictures, intriguing headlines and 14 different fonts on a page do the trick every time :)

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Edited to add- If you would like to play Top Two Tuesday, click on the button above to join! The Undomestic Momma posts new topics weekly!

I will return with our Easter weekend recap tomorrow! Hope everyone's having a fabulous Tuesday!

It's not goodbye, it's I'll see you later :)

2010-03-31T12:07:00.007-04:00

"After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart... and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away”

-SATC

Love you, Moll! I’m not really sure what I am going to do without you... I am going to miss you like crazy every.single.day!

Thank goodness for unlimited cell phone plans, texting, email, and of course facebook. I love you with all of my heart and wish ~~for you to move, have a blast, get super tan, then realize how much you miss us and come back~~ you nothing but the best!

And it's not goodbye, it's good luck and see you soon :-)

xoxo

Oh....growing up

2010-03-26T08:18:00.018-04:00

There once was a group of three best friends who decided to call themselves the "Terrific Trio". These girls met when they were sorority sisters in college, over five years ago [gasp!].

They laughed together. They cried together. They grew up together. They shared their wardrobes, dreams, fears, and goals in life---all while sharing the most amazing college experiences, too. They spent an obscene amounts of time together, analyzing the world/boys/school/life. And of course, they took an absurd number of pictures, to document their memories.

Then something crazy happened: they started getting big girl jobs, wearing diamonds on their ring fingers, dressing up in bridesmaid dresses, and [GASP!] moving to pursue their dreams. The Terrific Trio transitioned into life's next phase slowly but surely.

Well, this weekend the 1/3 of the terrific trio is moving halfway across the country for a wonderful boy and a new job. I have known about this move for a while now, but didn't know how to put into words my feelings and emotions. On one hand, of course, I am happy and excited with my entire heart that she is following her heart and going to a place that I KNOW will make her completely happy! On the other hand, I am selfishly sad. I will miss her. And always having her 15 minutes away, gave me a false pretense that this is how things were always going to be.

But I have to keep reminding myself that the story of our friendship will continue. And it will only be enhanced by emails, phone calls, and many flights :) There will be many more years of laughter, memories, and pictures to follow! I see many trips to FLOrida in my future and I cannot wait! :)

And speaking of pictures, we are spending this entire weekend with Molly before she moves, so I will definitely be back with more pictures next week!

Happy Friday everyone! :)

Bathroom Reno

2010-03-23T20:52:00.013-04:00

After months of talking about it, we finally decided to remodel our half bath on the main level. It's hard to believe how much was transformed in just a few days of work! This has slowly become our favorite room in the house. The new decor makes me feel like I'm going potty in some fancy hotel bathroom, haha.

BEFORE

AFTER

I love, love, love our new faucet, sink and countertop!

Now that our bathroom is done, I am already thinking of other little home improvements that we could do... I think the laundry room might be next on the list! [don't tell hubs yet ;-)] Just call me Mrs. ~~Newlywed~~ Remodelaholic.

So, what do you think?

Irish for the day!

2010-03-19T12:58:00.006-04:00

Happy Friday and Happy Spring Weekend everyone!!!

It has been in the high 60s in Columbus all week (thank you Lord) and I am ready to go plaaay in the sunshine! (3 more hours until freedom!)

I have been so busy these last few weeks with work, that I haven't seen my girlies all that much.. So this Wednesday I made it a point to go out with all of my besties and celebrate St. Patty's Day! I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me but I sure LOVE an excuse to celebrate and, obviously I heart the color green. And let me tell you we had an absolute BLAST! I seriously love these girls with my whole heart!

So here are the pictures from our celebration!

(mmm... green beer!)

(my beauties!)

(teriffic T-R-I-O!)

(my bestieeeee!)

(brunettes & blondes!)

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!!! We don't have much going on, so I will be spending time catching up on all of your ~~blogs~~ lives! :)

Oh, happy day!

2010-03-16T11:57:00.016-04:00

[my current fave gloss: Pink Kiss from Estée Lauder’s Love Your Lips Collection!]

Seriously, no other season brings me more joy than spring!

- I love how BBQ is a constant smell in the spring air.

- I love driving with my windows down.

- I love talking out on the porch later than usual because the sun doesn't go down until 8:00.

- I love bright pink lips!

- I love not having to layer on 10 different articles of clothing just to keep warm. Speaking of which, I love my summer dresses, jean skirts and big sunnies.

- I LOVE popsicles, fudgcicles, creamcicles, and ice cream! Mmmmm… Blizzard anyone?

- I love bright & beautiful flowers.

- I LOVE frozen lattés. Caramel frappucino here I come!

- I love Easter. And Memorial Day too!

- I love eating dinner and drinking wine on the patio! Much more fun than eating inside the restaurant.

I hope you are all enjoying a little sunshine and happy Tuesday. :)

Oh and I will be back a little later this week to update and post pictures of our most recent bathroom remodel. So stay tuned!

I have a dog named Char.

2010-03-09T15:39:00.011-05:00

Happy Tuesday, dolls!

So lately I have been feeling like Charlie’s face time on this blog has greatly diminished and that is simply unacceptable. Please observe his cuteness again:

If Charlie could talk, I'm sure he'd say "What the heck, Mom? Stop slacking. Give me more blog time now.” He is full of 'tude these days :)

On another note, we are experiencing a true heat wave, you guys. Just a few weeks ago I was minorly depressed and had to sing mantras to myself repeatedly to survive, like: "I will not look at real estate in Hawaii, I will be content with this miserableness."

And then today, the temp hit 62 degrees! Can I get an AMEN? It feels like a heat wave, I am not joking. And while for some of you this may not be that warm, trust me when you live in Ohio in MARCH anything that's not snow is considered good weather! (and I did see a girl at the mall today wearing a tank top, shorts and flip flops. true story.)

Hope all of you are having a fabulous day! I am excited to get out of the office and enjoy the sunshine!

SO ready for spring!

2010-03-05T16:33:00.005-05:00

I am so ready for spring! The winter blues are here and our recent peaks of sunshine are getting me excited for warmth & prettiness. And with the ~~warm~~ warmer weather comes the ~~need~~ excitement to get these little toes in tip top shape.

Nothing signals spring like a great p-e-d-i-c-u-r-e!

It’s time to bring out my toes from hiding out in clunky, closed toed shoes! I am ready for open, strappy, and fun wedges!! So I just scheduled my pedicure appointment! It’s time to get pampered and summer ready. But I am having a hard time deciding which shade to choose. From bright corals to muted pale pinks and hot fuchsias, the possibilities are endless. How is a girl supposed to choose?

So I need a little help from you! What is your favorite polish color? And remember, you are dealing with an OPI “junkie” here.

And also, what things cheer you up and get you ready for warm weather? New nailpolish? Iced lates? New spring bag? Fun stationary? Tell me your secrets. :)

Have an awesome weekend everyone!!!

"Life is but a breath, so we better breathe it."

2010-03-03T21:13:00.009-05:00

Thankful.

That is what I am today. Actually, it's what I am a lot of the time but I don't express those words nearly enough (especially not on this blog). In a world where stories of heartache, injustice and tragedy are so common, I catch myself complaining way too often – usually about small and insignificant things that I should see as blessings.

Each day is a blessing. Each moment is priceless. Each person I meet is a gift who can teach me something about my livfe and help me live a little better. It's important for me to remind myself to take time, sit back and actually acknowledge the positives that really DO exist every day.

So I encourage you to do the same thing. Take the next two minutes and consider the blessings that surround you. Let them overwhelm you with gratitude. So be thankful when you're tired, because it means you've made a difference. Be thankful for the setbacks because they can become your blessings. Be thankful for you misteakes because they can become your lessons. Be thankful that you dont have everything you want because if you did, there would be nothing left to achieve and to live for.

"Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”-Anthony Robbins

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. Stay positive and share the love :)

Fabulous Find Fridays

2010-02-26T07:09:00.004-05:00

~~What are those?~~ I know I haven't done them in a few weeks, but today I have to share a fabulous find of my own with you!

The only thing I love more than shopping is finding amazing sales & deals. I have always been a firm believer that you can look beautiful in Gucci, Prada, or Target. Last night I was randomly ~~engaging in retail therapy~~ browsing through the mall when I found these beauties. Teasing me with their details, these lovelies were calling my name. I realize I don't need another pair of shoes, but I am sure I'll find an occasion to wear these. And how adorbs would they look with a pair of skinnies? *love*

(Charlotte Russe)

And then my heart skipped a beat! Price tag- $12! Yes I said $12! And then things got even better- they were MY size. All I could think about is "these were supposed to be mine!"

After taking my special treasure to the closest check out line, secretly holding my breath I watched the girl ring them up. Yupp, $12.87 with tax! Seriously, how much better does it get?

What were some of the fabulous deals you've discovered recently?

HAPPY FRIDAY dolls! This weekend hubs and I are going home to visit our families. I can't wait! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Wednesday!

2010-02-24T14:05:00.026-05:00

So I know that probably most of the country is still covered in pounds of snow right now, but instead of complaining about this brutal weather, today I’m going to think about pretty colored drinks in hollowed out fruits and what I’ll be wearing when I drink them!

So for today, grab your fave frilly drink in one hand (pina colada here!) and your sunnies in the other and let's look through some cute Spring/Summer 2010 fashions! :)

Floral prints
I'm so glad that florals are in this spring! I love wearing florals because they make me feel so stylishly and feminine.

Sailor stripes
Sailor stripes are making another appearance! I have always been a big fan and I just can’t get enough of it. Just make sure you’re not wearing more than one sailor-inspired item at the time otherwise you're in danger of venturing into Gilligan's Island territory really quickly.

Bright colors
Yellow, green, turquoise and pink are going to be major colors this season. Although just be careful that you don’t look like you’re attending an 80s dance party ;) I can’t wait to wear my new turquoise wedges paired with hot pink nails!

I’m drooling over these trends! I am so ready to trade in my Uggs and cute pea coats (even though I LOVE them) for dresses, wedges and a nice summer glow! And what I want to know is have you ladies started your spring/summer shopping?

Happy Wednesday and come on spring! (even though I am sure it will be a long while before I can even think about going outside in a high-waisted mini skirt and my favorite gladiator sandals).

2010-02-17T21:08:00.000-05:00

Happy Wednesday dolls!

Hope you all had a weekend filled with love, treats, movies, dinners, flowers, wine, and anything else you did to celebrate Vday.

My husband is good at this whole Valentine’s Day thing. He is very good. And while he is not too into this whole “commercializing your love thing,” he still pleasantly surprises me every single year and that’s one of the 2,347,819,561 reasons why I absolutely adore him to pieces.

The other reasons are his great cooking skills and wonderful talent for great gift buying + giving, of course. (i am kidding.. well, partially)

You will see what I mean.

Take a look at my V-day breakfast-in-bed... Yes, those are heart shaped pancakes. (seriously, he rocks my world) And yes, I ate every single of them.

And if that wasn’t enough, I also got these!!!
(squeeeeeee)

And these!!!

I am one lucky little lady.

”It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart, without saying a word you can light up the dark. Try as I may I could never explain, what I hear when you don't say a thing. The smile on your face lets me know that you need me, there's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me. The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall, you say it best when you say nothing at all.” {our wedding song}

I LOVE YOU BABE!

No One Said It Would Be Easy.

2010-02-10T20:27:00.010-05:00

{hope this provides a little comic relief to you all ;)}

A little while ago I announced my plan to run a 5K. I'm sure everyone knows how that goes. It creeps up, you anticipate it with dread, and inevitably end up pushing the workout start date farther back. BUT not this time. I'm determined.

And as much as I would sell every single one of my fabulous bags and shoes for a miracle cure to look like a SI model, unfortunately I know I won't just wake up one day, look in the mirror and see Marissa Miller staring back at me. And, my cute butt jeans aren't going to just button themselves. Le sigh. So I gotta do what I gotta do.

As a result, for the past couple of weeks, every other day (in rain, sleet, blizzard & snowmageddon conditions), with Real Simple magazine and my iPod in hand, I have kept trucking to the gym. And I have to say that I am now starting to get to the point where I am actually enjoying it. Thank you, Lady Gaga.

The feeling that I get as I am walking out of the gym is undescribable. Like my hubs says "The soreness is the weakness leaving your body." I kinda like that visual imagine. Hasta la vista weak self!

I am slowly starting to find a balance stilettos and sweatpants, and I have to say I am loving it!

A Super Super Bowl Weekend!

2010-02-08T18:07:00.000-05:00

Hubs and I had a great Superbowl weekend! I was in denial all day today that it was over, which is why I am just now ~~waking up from my food coma~~ writing this.

Admittedly I didn’t even watch the game (who won?? haha) but I did have an AMAZING time chatting it up with my besties, while the boys stayed glued to the TV. Here are a few pictures I took!

Oh, and I wanted to share with you guys the pictures of our winter wonderland this weekend. We only go around 8 inches, so it was beautiful to look at it and not impossible to drive in (my fave combo)! But I do have to say that I can't believe the snowmageddon that hit the East Coast this weekend! I hope all of you east coasters are staying warm and cozy!

And despite of being so tiredddd today, it's always exciting to come home to some trashy reality TV!

....2 words - 11 letters - 1 wonderfully addicting TV show: THE BACHELOR!

Crawling into bed at 7pm with a big bowl of ice cream and 2 hours of reality TV bliss awaiting me...ahhh... cannot wait.

HAPPY MONDAY!

Get the party started!

2010-02-04T12:43:00.004-05:00

Football fan or not, Super Bowl Sunday is a great reason to throw a fab party! I have always looked at the Super Bowl as the perfect excuse to invite our friends over for a little fun on an otherwise lazy Sunday! Plus, with wings, dips, cupcakes and super cute décor on the menu, who wouldn’t want to come over, right?

Here is what hubs and I are planning so far. We make a great team, if I do have to say so myself ;)

Mmmmm, you cannot have a superbowl party without these!

And these yummies

And decor is equally as important as food!

This is the perfect occasion to ditch the old linen table cloths and get creative!

And of course, I couldn't resist all the football themed paper plates and napkins!

We are definitely ready for some football! What's everyone else doing to "kick off" the big game?

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Ohhhh, the month of loveeeee

2010-02-02T07:51:00.007-05:00

♥ Happy month of LOVE, dolls! ♥

I am SO glad that January is finally behind us. We are one step closer to spring. Weeeeeee! And I love the month of FEBRUARY! I know that Valentine's day is a "made up, Hallmark holiday" but I still l-o-v-e celebrating it regardless. And this V-day I am really looking forward to seeing Dear John! The movie is based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks and it tells a story of a young soldier home on leave, and an idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation. I have read the book several times, and I hope that the movie is equally as good.

The gloriously cute Amanda + epic love story + soldier at war + the beach + THE CHAN = Movie Of The Year (in my eyes!)

♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥

Speaking of all things romantic, below are a few fun facts I found about kissing and I thought they would be a fun pre-valentines day treat!

1. Two out of every three couples turn their heads to the right when they kiss.

2. A simple peck uses two muscles; a passionate kiss, on the other hand, uses all 34 muscles in your face. Now that's a rigorous workout!

3. Like fingerprints or snowflakes, no two lip impressions are alike

4. Kissing is good for what ails you. Research shows that the act of smooching improves our skin, helps circulation, prevents tooth decay, and can even relieve headaches.

5. The average person spends 336 hours of his or her life kissing.

6. Ever wonder how an "X" came to represent a kiss? Starting in the Middle Ages, people who could not read used an X as a signature. They would kiss this mark as a sign of sincerity. Eventually, the X came to represent the kiss itself.

7. Talk about a rush! Kissing releases the same neurotransmitters in our brains as parachuting, bungee jumping, and running.

8. The average woman kisses 29 men before she gets married.

9. Men who kiss their partners before leaving for work average higher incomes than those who don't.

10. The longest kiss in movie history was between Jane Wyman and Regis Tommey in the 1941 film, You’re in the Army Now. It lasted 3 minutes and 5 seconds. So if you've beaten that record, it's time to celebrate!

Hope you all a wonderful, love-filled Tuesday! Make sure to stop back this week for my fabulous giveaway!

Fun Find Fridays

2010-01-29T07:41:00.018-05:00

Happy Friday, lovelies!

As you may remember a few weeks ago I decided to do Fun Find Fridays, where I share with you all of my favorite secrets. Well, what I am about to share with you today is MAJAH! (said in my best V. Becks voice)

Recently I discovered a FABULOUS sample sale website that offers designer brands at a steal of a deal for a few hours to like 2 days! We're talking cosmetics and designers (like Gucci, BCBG, Burberry, Seven, Rolex, Christian Lacroix and many more) at 50%-75% off! That's insane, especially if you're like me and not only love to shop but love a deal even more. Oh, and they also carry designer makeup that is normally never on sale like Stila, Lorac, Hard Candy etc.

Do you want designer clothes and high-end makeup, but don't want to pay the outrageous prices?

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address and I'll send you an invite to join this private, member’s only club and join in the fun!

Oh, and the best part is you won't have to fight millions of other ~~crazies~~ fashionistas over the last of something. By cutting the costs of middlemen and distribution channel, HauteLook guarantees that you get authentic merchandise at the best price possible.

Just comment with your email and I'll send invites!

Happy Shopping!

Miracles DO happen

2010-01-27T08:15:00.000-05:00

Why hello there!

I hope you are all enjoying your hump day!

I have been a busy little bee recently, and work has really been interfering with blogging and the rest of my life for that matter. I hate feeling so out of the loop!! We had a couple project deadlines for work, so I was working long hours and barely had time to do anything...

But don’t worry I will make it up to you with a super amazing giveaway I am planning for you, my lovely readers, soon!

But in the meantime, I do have one exciting piece of news to share with you all!

It is true: miracles do happen. But I’m not referring to the spiritual type – more of the “Oh look, the very clumsy and most uncoordinated girl on planet Earth just signed up for a race!” kind of miracles. You know the ones.

I'll wait while you catch your breath.

Or stop laughing.

Good news is I have until May to train. Bad news is the only kind of running I have done in years is the one where I am sprinting to nearest designer sample sale.

So, please help this wanna-be fitnessista! I'd love to hear success stories - what works for you -your favorite form of exercises – workout times- recommendations.......anything on this subject will qualify!!!

Because I have to somehow, in some way even I am not exactly sure of, do this.

Thanks all! :)

Weekend In Review: A little late but worth the wait!

2010-01-21T19:52:00.019-05:00

Yowzers, its already Thursday? This short (work) week is just flyyyying by! I have a million good excuses as to why I haven't updated, but instead I am making it up with a ton of pictures!

We have had a pretty busy few weeks, but that's my life and I LOVE it.

Since we are both HUGE basketball fans and Cavs fans, hubs got us tickets to go to a Cavs game! We ended up having really good seats and seriously had a blast. We LOVE our CAVS!

My little ~~clone~~ sister came and spent all week/weekend with us and we had the BEST time with her here. Since she is in college and gets a month-long break (yeah, remember those "i dont do anything but sleep-in until noon" breaks?) she came and stayed with us! It was the most fabulous, girl-tastic week ever! I even think the hubs enjoyed himself, haha.

And if that wasn't enough girl time, Saturday my two good girlfriends Jordan and Megan came from out of town and stayed with us! We went out downtown and had a blast! And we left our coats at home since forty-five degrees definitely felt much warmer compared to the past few weeks! Gotta love that :-)

Right now I am anxiously ~~fist pumping~~ waiting for the ~~Jersey~~ Joisy Shore season finale to start! Anyone else watch this? Part of me is super sad this is the season finale. I will miss the bumpits, tanning oil and boardwalk drama!

p.s. Thank you all for the great DC ideas and suggestions! They were all super helpful and you guys rock! :)

Vacation plans!

2010-01-19T20:30:00.000-05:00

Next stop- Washington D.C.

I am absolutely positively smitten with Washington DC! I never really had huge expectations for this city, but every time I have been there for work even for a short time, I was impressed by the capitol's rich cultural and political history. So, lately hubs and I have been throwing around the idea of going there for a long weekend sometime this spring! Outside of seeing all the famous monuments and museums, what else should we add to our agenda? Restaurants, festivals, other must-sees and what hotel would be good to stay in? We are thinking around the Dupont Circle area.

Any suggestions would be greately appreciated! Thanks dolls. We can't wait!

Friday Funday!

2010-01-15T08:56:00.001-05:00

So in order to ~~stop slacking~~ continue blogging regularly, I am introducing you all to "Fun Find Fridays"! Every Friday I will be posting one of my fun finds of the week that I think you all will enjoy!

So, today I have something pretty fabulous to share! This changed my life. Literally. While on a shopping adventure at a makeup store this week, I stumbled upon this:

Let's face it ladies, we all know that eye shadow fallout can leave you looking like a crazed raccoon. Ugh. And, I have a serious problem with fall out. Duh. But seriously these little half-moon-shaped stickers are a blessing in disguise! This ingenious creation will save you so much time. You stick this under your eye and it easily captures your shadow fall out for easy clean up. Loves it!

No more eye shadow dust to dust away. No smudges. No mess.

So long raccoon-eye effect!

Anyone else a Shadow Shield user? if you're not, you should be! :)

Have an awesome weekend everyone! I am having A LOT of girl time this weekend with my besties and I cannot wait! I'll be back with a recap Monday.

xoxo,

Get to know ME!

2010-01-14T13:00:00.001-05:00

Happy almost Friday, dolls! So since I haven't updated in almost a week, you are probably assuming that I either have too much going on or that I have nothing going on and therefore, nothing to blog about.

If you guessed the latter, you would be correct! My creative brain power has seriously been lacking recently, and my life has been pretty ~~boooooooring~~ uneventful. And unless you want to hear me ~~babble about things no one cares about~~ talk about cleaning, doing laundry, or my work, I seriously have NOTHING else.

So, I saw this on a couple of blogs and thought it would be a good 'break' until my life returns to its ~~awkward and ridiculous~~ normal ways.

I Am- strong yet sensitive, fun yet complicated, silly yet smart. I am compassionate, hopeful, happy. I am blessed. I am a daughter, a granddaughter, sister, a wife, a friend, and a proud furbaby mama.

I Have- to remind myself to thank God for everything he has given me every single day I wake up. I have addictions to staying positive, laughter, being kind and always dreaming.

I Wish- winters wouldn't last so long, my family lived closer, ice cream had no calories and that I could run forever without breaking a sweat.

I Want- to be crazy in love (like I am right now) for the rest of my life. I can't get enough.

I Fear- not being able to find balance between a successfull career, a blissfully happy marriage and (one day) motherhood (all while trying to stay true to myself). I see women struggle with this every day.

I Hear- the sound of my alarm going off, whiny people, liars and boiled eggs.

I Search- for the goodness in everyone.

I Wonder- why I have no cooking abilities. what.so.ever.

I Regret- nothing. Everything DOES happen for a reason. And what didn't break, only made me stronger.

I Love- clear blue skies, good lip gloss, dancing, a genuine+heartfelt hug, a great kiss, unexpected cards in the mail, meeting new people, sleeping in, random acts of kindness and laughter (both the action of it and the sound of it) ... it's the BEST!

I Always- have an opinion. I'm slowly working on learning how to share it only when: 1) asked 2) absolutely necessary for 3) helpful 4) funny.

I Usually- don't mind driving (weird, I know). I love roadtrips, especially when good music or good company are involved. Long drives often serve as my method of relaxation.

I Am Not- able to be on time. EVER.

I Dance- at every opportunity. It's my emotional outlet.

I Sing- usually at the top of my lungs. And no I can't carry a tune to save my life. But that doesn't stop me from belting out a Mariah Carey song at a moment's notice. ;)

I Rarely- pass up an invitation to do ... just about anything!

I Never- can thank my parents, sister and family (in general) enough for the wonderful home they raised me in, the examples they have set for me, and the wonderful support system they provided and continue to provide me with. I am one lucky girl.

I Cry- unapologetically. I fit the age-old cliche ... I wear my heart on my sleeve. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I Am Not Always- a social butterfly. (Believe it or not.) There are times when I like/prefer to be alone. It's usually when I need to think and clear my head.

I Need- to go catch up on my ~~news~~ celebrity gossip and read ~~Washington Post~~ Perez before I return to work!

I don't like New Year's Resolutions.

2010-01-08T14:52:00.006-05:00

Good Morning Dolls! I know I've been absent from the blog this week but it's because I've been ~~eating cookies and sitting on my couch~~ VERY busy, trying to adjust to reality and being back to work.

So, ~~instead of taking a nap underneath my desk~~ continuing to be a blog-lagger, I am going to tell you about some of my New Year’s ~~resolutions~~ additions. This year I am adopting a new attitude about these so called resolutions, and calling them my new additions instead. I don’t know about you, but I associate the word resolution with a lot of pressure and expectation.

And really, who wants that? It almost insinuates that there are things that we need to change, and I think we all do a pretty fabulous job already being ourselves. So the key is to set some really menial additions that you'll have no choice but to keep, and then in a few years work it up to the harder ones like "be a better person" and "cure world hunger". ;-)

It's all about baby steps.

So here are a few of my realistic goals. They are, in no particular order:

Read more. Laugh more. Write more. Travel more. Learn more. Love more. And most importantly– blog more!

What is on your list?

Oh and happy almost-weekend! Hope all of you have some amazing since plans, since it looks like we may be snowed in!

NYE Celebrations

2010-01-05T07:33:00.001-05:00

Our new year's eve was amazing, fun, and fabulous. The hubs and I partied with a group of our closest friends. I said goodbye to 2009 with a champagne toast and the sweetest kiss from the man I love. (Saaaaaappy, I know :)

We danced, laughed, and consumed lots of fancy bubbly. I plan to spend this year just as it started...with those that I love, creating new memories and taking a ton of hilarious pictures.

festive cupcakes your truly made!

delish food.

my bestie and i. bffs <3

with my two faves!

the start of our silly little photoshoot!

Charlie's angels better watch out.

towers of blondes!

LOVE THIS BOY!

This is why I <3>

the husbands!

playing around with lighting.

party time!

beer pong champs!

bestiesss!

one of my favorite pics of the night, haha.

What time is it? Party time?

Hope you all had a fabulous night waving goodbye to last year!

Happy 2010!

2010-01-02T19:20:00.004-05:00

I wanted to post this sooner, unfortunately I was a little pre-occupied consuming endless amounts of bubbly :). But I wish all of you fabulous bloggie friends a happy, healthy, and VERY glamorous New Year! I am so thankful for all the blessings I was granted in 2009! It's been a great year with a great ending! I look forward to all the new beginnings 2010 will bring!

I will be back with a full update (loaded with pictures) on our new year's celebrations soon. But in the meantime, cheers to 2010!

May it be blog-tastic for each and every one of you!

Our Real Life Four Christmases!

2009-12-29T12:19:00.003-05:00

Another Christmas has come and gone....where does the time go?! Hubs and I traveled to 4 (yes, 4!) different Christmases between Wednesday and Friday, and trust me when I tell ya, it was exhausting!

This is our second married Christmas we've spent together and our fifth as a couple! And even though we've logged many holidays together, we are still working on nailing down actual traditions as a couple. After all, our parents and grandparents live pretty close, making things a little more hectic since we always try to see everybody. With that said, I never feel like I get to see enough of everyone. Or everything. I love being home. But such is life, I guess. Le sigh.

We headed up to hubs' Dad's house after work on Christmas Eve, which ended up being mid-afternoon since we both were able to leave work early. (major woooot!) Hubs family prepares a Christmas Eve fondue dinner ever year, which is a tradition that we love! After shoveling large amounts of food into our bellies, we opened gifts.

brothers!

Aunt Kimmy & her fave nephew :)

With my bro and sissy in-law :)

Oh, boys and their toys.

I have to say, that as spoiled as hubs and I are with Christmas gifts, Charlie hands down got the most gifts this year. The furbaby opened gifts 3 different places. (I am scared, really scared, for our future offspring.)

Christmas morning we opened gifts at my parents' house. And did you know santa still comes to visit when you're in your twenties?! It's pretty fabulous.

My mama and her third baby.

She loved her "im not bossy i just have better ideas" mug! :)

My adorable little sissy. I love her to pieces!

Coach queen!

Hahaha. My husband doesn't hold back.

Mama and her surprise mixer.

Love at first sight :)

My awesome gift!

My fabulous red satin shoes!

My mom went all out as usual. She fed us enough food to last us all winter and I could feasibly hibernate until March without consuming another morsel. But that is what moms do, right? They feed you until you have to moan and groan and roll yourself downstairs, then they do it all over again the next day.

So after we emerged from our food comas, and said goodbye to my parents, we headed to my mama-in-laws house to do it all over again!

My wonderful in laws!

family portrait including the baby.

Exhausted from all the visits!

There are those moments that make me so happy I feel like my heart could burst, and that's spending time with our loved ones over the holidays. As hectic as things sometimes get, we always try to remind ourselves how lucky we are to be surrounded by so many loving and supportive people. One of the things I love most about being newly married is discovering each other's holiday traditions and figuring out what our own holiday traditions will be. And with both our families having plenty of deep-seated traditions that they (and we) cherish, i cannot wait until we begin to establish our own.

So overall, we had some wonderful Christmases! And hubs and I are both off from work all this week! So needless to say we are still in our PJs, relaxing, drinking our coffee and watching endless marathons of Law & Order!

Birthday Party Part Deux

2009-12-23T22:52:00.009-05:00

You know it has been a good night when you're stumbling home early in the morning with your heels in hand. That's exactly what I did last weekend.

If you couldn't tell, I'm a firm believer in celebrating birthdays as many times as possible. To say my birthday celebration #2 was fun, would be an extreme understatement.

Delish Japanese food, accompanied by killer mojitos, gorg friends, handsome hubs and a lot of silliness courtesy of Grey Goose, champagne, and dancing creates a recipe for a perfect night. The only downfall was a pounding headache and complete lack of sleep, but little sacrifices must be made in the name of a fabulous party.:-)

Oh and Merry Christmas Eve Eve everyone! And today marked my last day of work until Jan 4, 2010. Wooooot woooot!

Chicago Weekend!

2009-12-21T16:14:00.002-05:00

First and foremost, thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes! You all are fabulous and I love you to pieces! :)

And I started my ~~26th~~ 21st year off with a bang! I had not one, but two wonderful birthday celebrations, and my birthday week [yes, i have a week] was naturally filled with a lot of shopping, fine dining and other fabulousness.

So, hopefully you all can forgive me for not posting in almost a week. But I did not forget about those Chicago pictures I promised. Our long weekend away was truly wonderful! We did a lot of sight seeing, of course, because they are some beautiful sights to be seen in this pretty city! And I had a blast ~~being an annoying tourist~~ playing with my camera. We also ~~loosened our belts a couple notches~~ indulged in some mouthwatering food and beverages, including the best deep-dish pizza ever and some pretty tasty beer at the Goose Island Brewery! And to top off our action-filled weekend, we also saw the Blue Man group (awesome show) and went out dancing at a super cool South American restaurant called Natcionale 27. Not to mention that I also got to spend the entire weekend with our fabulous host and one of my besties, Jen!

So, all in all the trip was a huge success! Here are just a few of the 300 photos I took! And I will be back tomorrow to post pictures of my birthday celebration #2.

Happy Monday!

Finally reunited with one of my besties!

Doing what we do best! caffeinated shopping.

He is so cute!

Our wonderful hosts.

Partners in Crime.

Pure wonderfullness.

My favorite street.

Heaven on planet Earth.

Charlie sightseeing ;)

My two very favorite boys.

Where we got engaged two years ago!

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Today is the BEST day of the year : )

2009-12-15T10:35:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to meeeeeeeeeee!

Today is the 5th anniversary of my 21st birthday. Exciting, right? Normally I suffer some sort of a crisis on my bday because I feel 'old'. But not this year. Right now I feel like my life is right where it's supposed to be and I am blissfully happy. I couldn’t want anything more. (Except maybe some Louboutins ;)

I have a feeling this will be a very good year! Hey, twenty-six? You're looking good, baby.

Chicago bound!

2009-12-11T09:47:00.004-05:00

We're off to celebrate my birthday in the lovely city of Chicago! Yes, in just a few hours, we will be on our way to one of my most favorite cities in the world. I am so so so excited. We planned this trip pretty last minute, and when hubs proposed a weekend full of shopping, yummy dining and Broadway, I simply couldn't say no!

See you on the flip side. :)

Oh, and anyone want to guess how many pictures I'll take? I'm thinking 200-300ish:) Can't wait!

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-12-07T20:03:00.003-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, in our house-hoooooooold!

We finally put up all of our decorations and our tree this weekend! This is my very favorite time of the year. :) I love Christmas! I love everything about it, from the promise of snow to decorating a Christmas tree to opening the presents underneath. I love Christmas music and hanging up stockings and making gingerbread cookies. There is nothing better than cozying up in a blanket, drinking hot cocoa and watching favorite holiday movies! :)

Here are a few pictures from our Christmas-filled humble abode!

[beautiful table centerpiece]

[our wreath that i made!]

[bringing our christmas tree home]

[all decorated!]

[full view of our living room]

['huh? are we done yet?']

[what are holidays without a starbz gingerbread latte]

[oh christmas tree, oh christmas tree...]

[worn out from all the decorating]

The holiday season is officially here- 18 days!! I am ready for some spiked eggnog. yumm!

Ladies, I need your help.

2009-12-04T22:06:00.016-05:00

As we all know, the holidays are filled with celebrations and gift giving. For many, the Holiday Season is also a time for charitable giving and volunteerism. To honor that spirit of charity, I want to share with you something I recently saw that touched my heart, and I hope will touch yours too.

I recently saw an interview with Debbie Tenzer, founder of the website DoOneNiceThing.com. She was speaking about the female troops in Iraq. Many of these women not only serve in combat situations, they also act as intermediaries and advocates for Iraqi women and girls. For the holidays, she was seeking donations for care packages for these courageous women.

Here is the information from DoOneNiceThing.com:

OPERATION YOU GO, GIRL - Far Away for the Holidays

Please help make the holidays sweeter for some female service members in Basra, Iraq. Any of the following gifts would be greatly appreciated:

1. Moisturizers: Fragrant lotions, shampoos, soaps, loofah sponges, etc. (Small samples are great)

2. Magazines (nothing sexy, please) Issues you’ve read are fine too.

3. Munchies: Cookies in the can, hard candy, microwave popcorn, nuts

4. Ground Coffee. (No decaf.)

5. Homey holiday decorations: an ornament, scented candle, stocking

5. Mail: Cards, letters and children’s drawings are the best gifts of all.

(No chocolate candy, please. The temperature in Basra is still in the high 70s.)

Address:
SFC Meyers, Aaron D.
34th ID, Fires Cell
APO AE 09374
Attn: HOL

MAILING DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO DEC. 10.

[Many of these items can fit in a United States Priority Mail Flat Rate Medium Size box, which costs $10.35. Be aware there are special postal restrictions and forms that have to be filled out when mailing packages to SFC Meyers. Info can be found on the United States Postal website. Please don’t let a few forms deter you from brightening someone’s day.]

SFC Meyers will make sure that our gifts are delivered directly to female service members. If each one of us could take 10 minutes out of our day and send just a couple things, it will go a looong way in making this very lonely holiday season a little more special for these courageous women. They are true heroes who deserve to be reminded how much their efforts are appreciated, especially as they spend this holiday season away from their families.

Thank you ladies and i hope all of you are having a fantastic weekend!:)

EDITED TO ADD: i just mailed a package this morning... i used a medium size priority mail flat rate box and it only cost $10.35 to send the package. i was able to send about 10 magazines, two bags of candy and around 10 travel size lotions.

The verdict is in!

2009-12-03T21:07:00.001-05:00

And this new camera is SO worth it. If you want a nice SLR but have second thoughts about gettting one, DON'T!

I have no freaking clue what I'm doing and these pictures are already light years better! Take a look at my two cute guinea pigs:

What do you think?

I cannot wait to play around more with our new addition to the family over the weekend. And I hope to actually be able to finish reading my owner's manual and understand the settings so I can finally take it off 'automatic'. And I am SO happy to say goodbye to the blurry/overexposed pictures I used to post :)

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!

Say Hello

2009-12-02T07:30:00.004-05:00

To our beautiful new, shiny kitchen appliances! They are finally installed and ready to be ~~used~~ photographed and admired. :)

Click here to see the befores.

(all photos are taken with the new camera, of course :)

The amazing fridge I am in LOVE with.

Happy Wednesday all!

I was rich for 5 minutes.

2009-11-30T21:00:00.007-05:00

It's over now.

Cyber Monday sucked me in again. I’ve been sitting here for about an hour, clicking on shopping carts. They sure know how to reel ya in to their world of 'free shipping, one day only, last chance, don't miss out, web busters, deal ends tonight' marketing gimmicks. I know, it doesn't help that I know my credit card number by heart.

But not everything about cyber shopping is bad... The receipts get sent right to your email ~~and cannot end up laying around for your husband to find~~ for easy insta-budget tracking! I just create a “Christmas09″ e-mail folder and ~~hide~~ neatly store everything away. Viola!

Oh, and I am really good at finding online promotional codes. If it exists, I WILL find it. I will never, never, never order online until I've done a Google search to find any available coupon codes.

The only thing is, sometimes, my trigger finger goes wonky and extra items fall into the cart just for me.

Ooops?

Happy [early] birthday to ME!

2009-11-29T21:52:00.013-05:00

If you known me at all, you may know that I love ~~being a paparazzi~~ taking pictures. And my husband today surprised me today with a ~~little~~ big gift.

it's MINE!

Yay! I’m now the official proud and happy owner of a new Nikon SLR! It’s my early birthday + advanced Christmas present rolled in to one nice little package.

I have been lusting after a DSLR camera of my own over the last year or so, and I cannot believe I got it.(thankyou,thankyou,thankyou,THANKYOU hubs!)

I am even thinking about signing up for a photography class or two. Ah, I forsee many picture-laden posts in the future! :)

Woooo Hooo! Yippee! Happy dance (with jazz hands)!

A Special Thanksgiving :)

2009-11-27T00:12:00.010-05:00

I hope you all had a fantastical Thanksgiving, celebrating and enjoying those you love. ~~And I hope your pants still fit.~~ I know I did. :)

I have been so blessed and am extremely thankful for so many things this year.. I consider myself one very lucky gal to have the life I have. The most important thing that I am thankful for and that I could not live without are the relationships I have in my life. My family is the best gift I have even been given. My friends are the greatest treasure I have ever found. And my husband is the best combination of both.

Yesterday we spent the entire day visiting our families. I feel like this year we have been so insanely busy, that we haven't seen our families as much. It was nice spending time with our loved ones and just catching up. Our families keep us grounded.. We are lucky to be surrounded by such a teriffic support system. Being around them really forces us to slow down a little, and puts things in perspective.

Speaking of slowing down, today is Black Friday, and since I'm something of a shopaholic, I'm headed out to join the masses for a day of ~~elbowing and kicking people~~ fiscal debauchery. I love love love Black Friday. It is so fun getting out into the hustle and bustle of the start of the Christmas season. My little sis and I always go together. It's become a tradition. We are 'Team Black Friday' haha.

We are never really on a mission for one particular thing on Black Friday. I'm not a crowd-fighter or someone who camps out overnight to get that 'must-have' item, but I still want to get great deals! So while I won't be out there mowing down innocent bystanders while swan-diving for the latest 'must have', I will be prepared with my elbows sharpened and my eyes acutely aware. :)

And in the words of my bright little sis,
"If someone ends up fighting anyone to save $15 on a toaster oven then something went wrong earlier in life." HA!

So what are you on the prowl for this Black Friday? And did you find it?

Out with the old, in with the NEW.

2009-11-20T15:30:00.003-05:00

We all have those ~~temporary lapses of better judgment~~ moments in our lives that make us feel OLD. I have unfortunately had ~~one or two~~ a few of those in my 21 25 years of life. I know you are *shocked*. Because normally I can get by thanks to my Us Weekly subscription automatically granting me working knowledge of the works of Zac Efron, and thus making me ~~totally~~ a little up to speed on what’s hip & young.

But I swear to you, lately my mind has been playing tricks on me.

EXAMPLE #1
You see this week Matt and I decided to buy new appliances. Well, ‘what’s the big deal’ you ask? The big deal is that I have been SO abnormally excited for these new appliances that it’s borderline odd. I have been barely able to sleep and all I can think about is my beautiful new French door fridge, and my piece of art ~~won’t sound like it’s getting ready to explode at any moment~~ dishwasher. And the stove… Oh the stove.

*swoon*

I love the new stove so much that I am on the verge of getting inspired to maybe even ~~turn it on every once in a while~~ cook. Who am I? Since when do I get excited about new ~~shoes,bags~~ appliances?

EXAMPLE #2
When shopping with my sister a few weeks ago I had to ask her if a certain item of clothing I was debating trying on was supposed to be a top or a dress. She was embarrassed but I was disproportionately excited when she revealed it was a top. [Don’t shake your head at me! You never know these days.]

EXAMPLE #3
Or when recently, I ~~had to be dragged in~~ went into Abercrombie and Fitch to look for gift for someone and all I could think about was how loud it was in there, and how dark. It borderline resembled your local strip cub joint. Speaking of strippers, did anyone see how inappropriate their bags are?!?! So obscene! I mean, honestly, I had to walk around the mall with a man's half-naked crotch on my arm. My lord.

Hope you all have a happy Friday and I good weekend! I will be back Monday with pictures of my fabulous new ~~dresses~~ appliances. :)

These are a few of my favorite things!

2009-11-18T08:33:00.000-05:00

[In no particular order]

Getting to work after being gone and having no new voicemails!
Deciding I’m finally going to make that recipe I have been wanting to try and realizing I have ALL the ingredients.
Getting amazing parking, somewhere really busy and crowded.
When a plane takes off from the runway and the feeling of excitement and adventure and new experiences.
The first bite of Pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving!!
Holding a brand new baby in my arms for the first time.
When I get in the car, turn on the radio and one of my favorite songs begins just as I start to drive.
Getting to the register and finding out something is 30% off and I didn't know it!
Getting unexpected mail.
Having a long laugh with an old friend without even having to vocalize what's so funny.
Coming home after a long day at work to a waiting glass of wine and a hug that goes on for days.
Making that final car payment/ credit card payment/ etc.
The feeling I have in the pit of my stomach on Christmas Eve.
Knowing that the man beside me is the one I was supposed to find and spend the rest of my life with.
Enjoying spontaneous happy hour on the first warm Friday afternoon on the patio of my favorite bar with my girlfriends.
Collapsing on the couch Friday night and watching hours of trashy TV and not feeling an ounce of guilt b/c I know I earned it.
Putting on an old pair of pants and all of a sudden they're loose.
Knowing the best is yet to come.

Add your own favorites below :)

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

2009-11-16T07:55:00.004-05:00

Today is my sweet boy's 1st birthday!!! Can you all believe he's 1 already? I sure can't! Charlie has brought us so much happiness over this last year, and I am absolutely head over heels in love with my 14 pound precious little ~~child~~ furbaby. He is the world's sweetest doggie and I am so proud to be his Mama!

And in true birthday fashion, Charlie had a birthday celebration filled with cake, candles, presies and friends! He's gotta celebrate in style. Afterall, he only turns 1 once ;)

Here are some pictures from our weekend birthday celebrations!

birthday boy all worn out from his extravaganza.

Happy birthday, Char! Your Mommy loves you :-)

Gaga to the extreme!

2009-11-11T08:19:00.002-05:00

I have a confession-

I have been ~~slaving at work~~ watching Lady Gaga’s new video “Bad Romance” five times in a row now and I have no intention of stopping. Honestly this video is AHHHHHMAZING. Gaga to the extreme! I am dying ... in the Rachel Zoe way, of course!

Ladies and gentlemen, THIS is how you do a music video! And I smell lots of VMA noms next year!

Oh, and happy Wednesday! :)

Cooking Shows Are Not My Style

2009-11-09T16:05:00.010-05:00

Cooking shows are so overrated. Anyone else with me? This weekend I actually fell asleep watching one. Food channels really bore the crap out of me.

*I need to be entertained*. Yelling BAM! at your salt doesn't do it for me. Cussing out your chefs-in-training doesn't humor me at all. And describing your ingredients as textures like they're wallpaper or something doesn't make me hungry.

I mean, if you possess the skills to cook/bake/some-other-cooking-adjective-here then I'm sure these shows are super helpful with their fancy, gourmet recipes chock-full of ingredients I've never heard of, let alone own. But for the more... novice chef like myself, watching these chefs chop/dice/some-other-cutting-adjective-here is totally a bore.

You can't smell the food, they don't even cook in real-time (ingredients into the pot to simmer and WHAM! they pull out an already simmered sauce to fit the 30 minutes time slot) and worst of all, you can't taste any of it. WHAT'S THE POINT?

I know, I know. Who am I to criticize world-renowned chefs when, no, I can't cook ~~but my apron is fabulous~~... BUT i CAN do something they can't! I can start a mean kitchen fire, make a terrific mess, explode various meals with such force they leave holes in the ceiling and grind up a fork in the garbage disposal like it's my job. That my friends is *talent*.

And while my meals might not ~~always~~ ever turn out, there is at least some action! and drama! and often, comedy! happening in MY kitchen.

Anyone want to come over for Thankgiving dinner? I won't even charge you admission to see my cooking in action. :)

Yes, I am a Twi-hard :)

2009-11-05T14:58:00.000-05:00

14 DAYS, 9 HOURS and 2 MINUTES until NEW MOON.

EFF. YEAH.

:: swooooooooooooon ::

Not that I'm counting or anything.

(I totally am. TWO weeks!)

Who is excited?

(me!!!)

*jazzhands*

~~Lusting~~ Waiting ~~impatiently~~ patiently,

~~A squealing 12 year old~~ Rpatz biggest fan and someone who is totally going to the midnight premiere!

Squeeeeeee.

One Heck of A Halloween!

2009-11-02T21:52:00.004-05:00

Hello lovelies! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I sure did!

Halloween is by far one of my favorite holidays! The simple act of dressing up and getting my make-up done is reason enough to love it! ;) Not to mention that our party was a MAJOR success. So, let's go straight to the pictures, shall we?

[party host and hostess]

[Miss Universe 2009 Contestants]

[with my baby boy]

[funfetti cookies were the bomb dot com!]

[with my PRETTY BESTIE <3]

[Miss Ireland, Miss Greece, Miss USA, Miss Brazil]

[with my hubs!]

[love her!]

[our cute little hippie neighbor baby]

[making sure I didn't contract the swine]

[best costume of the night, hands down]

[all 8 of the Miss Universe contestants!]

[pumpkin carving battle 2K9]

[my drawing of Charlie's face :)]

[charlie thought mama did a good job :)]

[of course hubs' pumpkin HAD to be sports related]

It's da weekend!

2009-10-30T21:29:00.003-04:00

adorable costume = ✔

party at our house = ✔

all of our friends = ✔

jello shots = ✔

fully charged camera = ✔

lots of glitter = ✔

a guaranteed good time = ✔

I can NOT wait for tomorrow and promise to be back with plenty of pictures :)

Until then, happy Halloween my lovelies! Hope you all have a spooktacular weekend!

Newlyweds!

My Sophia's Birth Story

She is here!

Possible last update?!

Take back the GPS

Mildly Hyperventilating

37 Weeks and an updated bump pic!

A beautiful love

35/35!

Diary of a rambling pregnant woman...

Showered - Parts 2 and 3

Mr. Photographer, I think I'm ready for my close-up!

My new view?

Showered!!

Another Update!

A letter to our baby girl.

Hi, friends.

A new year and a brand new beginning..

Creep Show Magnet

Vintage Find to Girly Beauty

Summer Recap - Part 1

Happy Birthday, Hubs!

The Month of Birthdays!

Beach Bums!

Where, oh where, did Mrs. Newlywed go?

IT’S AN END OF AN ERA.

House Demolition

Friends, Food and Fireworks!!!

Lasik

Making a wish

A weekend full of celebrating!

The one where I talk about cute (human&furry) babies!!

Letting you in on a little secret…

Bye, bye bad eyes!

Back to Reality

D.C. bound!

Fun Find Monday!

S-O-S please someone help me!

A very happy mother's day

Fun Find Friday

Saying goodbye & a giveaway winner announcement!

Calling all Polka Dot lovers!

Spring is in the aiiiiir

Bringing the blog back to life… ONE GIVEAWAY AT A TIME!

Top TWO Tuesday!

Easter Weekend!

Top TWO Tuesday!

It's not goodbye, it's I'll see you later :)

Oh....growing up

Bathroom Reno

Irish for the day!

Oh, happy day!

I have a dog named Char.

SO ready for spring!

"Life is but a breath, so we better breathe it."

Fabulous Find Fridays

Happy Wednesday!

No One Said It Would Be Easy.

A Super Super Bowl Weekend!

Get the party started!

Ohhhh, the month of loveeeee

Fun Find Fridays

Miracles *DO* happen

Weekend In Review: A little late but worth the wait!

Vacation plans!

Friday Funday!

Get to know ME!

I don't like New Year's Resolutions.

NYE Celebrations

Happy 2010!

Our Real Life Four Christmases!

Birthday Party Part Deux

Chicago Weekend!

Today is the BEST day of the year : )

Chicago bound!

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Ladies, I need your help.

The verdict is in!

Say Hello

I was rich for 5 minutes.

Miracles DO happen