Sunday, April 28, 2013
Food for Thought
Because I'm doing such a stand up job maintaining this internet domain, my handsome man friend and I decided to launch a joint food blog! So this weekend we sat down, brainstormed a name and got to work. So, without further ado, come take a look at Happily Wed Happily Fed! Like us; love us; make delicious food. I'll still update this ye olde blogge - well, you know, as much as I have been - but this one will have a special place in my heart because of the influence of that stud muffin and such.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The Not-So-Basic Basics
I'm all for having the essentials onhand at all times - eggs, sugar, flour, cream of whatever soup, some sort of protein in the freezer for spur of the moment dinners. I've come to realize, however, that my pantry must-haves aren't quite so basic, but they get major use in my food prep.
1. Nutella - I read an article in Fitness, Shape or Women's Health recently (love all these magazines, though, sometimes I think they just trade articles) that one strategy to eat less bad food is to stock your cabinet with them rather than avoid them. The reasoning made sense - if you're used to them being readily available, you're less likely to see them as a treat and binge on them in one sitting. Instead, you just sort of forget that they're there. This can be said of Nutella. In years past I would get maybe a jar a year, and it would last roughly three days. I'd Nutella the crud out of just about anything. Then I started buying it more regularly, and I don't think about it a lot. BUT, I love adding Nutella to my baked goods. It's the perfect somethin' somethin' to swirl into my homemade chocolate chip cookie dough or smear on a graham cracker before making a s'more cookie. I reach for my Nutella often, but I never overdo my consumption anymore.
2. Hunt's Fire Roasted Tomatoes - If there is one product I use right now more than almost anything, it's fire roasted canned tomatoes. I swear these kick every single thing up a notch. Name an entree, and I can promise you that fire roasted tomatoes will make it better. Without a doubt I never leave Target or the grocery store without a can or three of these in my cart. Not only are the coupons readily available, but I probably use two or three cans a week. At least.
3. Kale - So, if there's one thing that I use more of than fire roasted tomatoes, without a doubt, it's kale. In the mornings I've been on a kale smoothie kick (frozen kale, banana, frozen berries, chia seeds, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, spoonful of Greek yogurt, peanut butter). Pretty much every night I'm making kale chips (kale, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, parmesan in the oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until crisp). Between Trader Joe's and Harris Teeter I nearly always have three varieties on hand - Trader Joe's chopped frozen kale (the best to throw into a smoothie), Trader Joe's bagged fresh chopped kale (the best for kale salads) and Harris Teeter loose leaf kale (big ole leaves that are the best to transform into kale chips).
4. Flavored Oils + Vinegars - On a whim a couple of weeks ago, and after a particularly stressful week for my main squeeze, I stopped at an olive oil boutique nestled beside Trader Joe's to scoop up a couple of luxe oils as a surprise. I'd passed it several times and considered popping in but always thought better of it. Y'all, I can't recommend these little shops enough. I left armed with coracina olive oil (a peppery variety), blood orange olive oil (to die for) and maple balsamic vinegar (heaven). Recently I've been toasting walnuts and throwing them, some feta, some dried cherries and kale in a big bowl, then mixing the blood orange olive oil, maple vinegar and champagne vinegar together and tossing it through the greens. The great thing about kale is that it's so hearty, the "dressing" can sit on it indefinitely without the kale burning and wilting. I like to make it at night then eat it for lunch. It gives the kale great flavor and softens some of its natural bitterness. If you have an olive oil boutique near you, definitely give it a whirl.
5. Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning - If you haven't tried it, you just need to. It literally makes everything it touches better. If it's not Tony's, it's not good. Don't try to fool me with other Cajun seasonings, y'all. I add this to every savory thing I make. Vegetables, meat, grains... everything.
What are your not-so-basic must haves?
1. Nutella - I read an article in Fitness, Shape or Women's Health recently (love all these magazines, though, sometimes I think they just trade articles) that one strategy to eat less bad food is to stock your cabinet with them rather than avoid them. The reasoning made sense - if you're used to them being readily available, you're less likely to see them as a treat and binge on them in one sitting. Instead, you just sort of forget that they're there. This can be said of Nutella. In years past I would get maybe a jar a year, and it would last roughly three days. I'd Nutella the crud out of just about anything. Then I started buying it more regularly, and I don't think about it a lot. BUT, I love adding Nutella to my baked goods. It's the perfect somethin' somethin' to swirl into my homemade chocolate chip cookie dough or smear on a graham cracker before making a s'more cookie. I reach for my Nutella often, but I never overdo my consumption anymore.
2. Hunt's Fire Roasted Tomatoes - If there is one product I use right now more than almost anything, it's fire roasted canned tomatoes. I swear these kick every single thing up a notch. Name an entree, and I can promise you that fire roasted tomatoes will make it better. Without a doubt I never leave Target or the grocery store without a can or three of these in my cart. Not only are the coupons readily available, but I probably use two or three cans a week. At least.
3. Kale - So, if there's one thing that I use more of than fire roasted tomatoes, without a doubt, it's kale. In the mornings I've been on a kale smoothie kick (frozen kale, banana, frozen berries, chia seeds, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, spoonful of Greek yogurt, peanut butter). Pretty much every night I'm making kale chips (kale, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, parmesan in the oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until crisp). Between Trader Joe's and Harris Teeter I nearly always have three varieties on hand - Trader Joe's chopped frozen kale (the best to throw into a smoothie), Trader Joe's bagged fresh chopped kale (the best for kale salads) and Harris Teeter loose leaf kale (big ole leaves that are the best to transform into kale chips).
4. Flavored Oils + Vinegars - On a whim a couple of weeks ago, and after a particularly stressful week for my main squeeze, I stopped at an olive oil boutique nestled beside Trader Joe's to scoop up a couple of luxe oils as a surprise. I'd passed it several times and considered popping in but always thought better of it. Y'all, I can't recommend these little shops enough. I left armed with coracina olive oil (a peppery variety), blood orange olive oil (to die for) and maple balsamic vinegar (heaven). Recently I've been toasting walnuts and throwing them, some feta, some dried cherries and kale in a big bowl, then mixing the blood orange olive oil, maple vinegar and champagne vinegar together and tossing it through the greens. The great thing about kale is that it's so hearty, the "dressing" can sit on it indefinitely without the kale burning and wilting. I like to make it at night then eat it for lunch. It gives the kale great flavor and softens some of its natural bitterness. If you have an olive oil boutique near you, definitely give it a whirl.
5. Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning - If you haven't tried it, you just need to. It literally makes everything it touches better. If it's not Tony's, it's not good. Don't try to fool me with other Cajun seasonings, y'all. I add this to every savory thing I make. Vegetables, meat, grains... everything.
What are your not-so-basic must haves?
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The Rub Down
When you produce worship experiences for a church that sees more than 26,000 people come through its doors for Easter, you're pretty wiped out after the holiday. In fact, after all holidays you're drained and emptied, but usually in the best ways possible. This past weekend was no different. So, when Little texted me to let me know she'd scheduled a massage for me the day after Easter, every sore muscle and pinched nerve rejoiced.
When I got to the masseuse, she instructed me to take off everything except my underwear. But, if you've been following this blog for much time, you'll know that I pretty much never wear underwear. Instead of just letting her know that with the yoga pants I had on, I'd decided to skip the undergarments, I panicked. When she left the room, I stripped down and weighed my options. Like any McGuyver out there, I expertly stepped through the straps of my sports bra and arranged the material just so, so that it looked like I had on a nice pair of briefs from behind. The front was a different story, and the whole situation left me more tense than when I came in.
I'm still pretty sure she had no idea. My mom, on the other hand, after hearing the story, has decided she needs to find another masseuse, stat.
When I got to the masseuse, she instructed me to take off everything except my underwear. But, if you've been following this blog for much time, you'll know that I pretty much never wear underwear. Instead of just letting her know that with the yoga pants I had on, I'd decided to skip the undergarments, I panicked. When she left the room, I stripped down and weighed my options. Like any McGuyver out there, I expertly stepped through the straps of my sports bra and arranged the material just so, so that it looked like I had on a nice pair of briefs from behind. The front was a different story, and the whole situation left me more tense than when I came in.
I'm still pretty sure she had no idea. My mom, on the other hand, after hearing the story, has decided she needs to find another masseuse, stat.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Things That Go Slurp in the Night
Last night I was in bed by 9:27. This never happens, but my body is basically on shutdown going into Easter, so, there it was. I awoke with a start at 1:00 and grabbed some water and relieved my three-sizes-too-small bladder. I crawled back in bed, curled up around my sleeping hubbers and started to drift off. A few minutes later I heard the slurp-slurp-slurp of the little blonde cocker spaniel sneaking a drink from the commode. I felt too tired to reprimand her and started to close to my eyes again. Until I remembered that in an effort not to wake anyone up I hadn't flushed. I leapt out of bed, pushed her of the porcelain and immediately made her drink a full glass of water (yes, I did give her a glass, and yes, she did drink it) to flush out her system. I'm still disturbed. Especially when she licked me this morning on the face.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Nary a Post in February
Nary a post in February was written, which seems about par for the month. But, it's time for a monthly cleaning out and post. This month: my favorite beauty finds of late.
As a newly-minted couponer, I've discovered that my brand loyalty quickly tilts in favor of those names who offer my coupons regularly. This has allowed me to try out new products with less risk ($2 off is freaking $2 off, y'all). Additionally, I've also, finally, in my 26th year, developed a skincare routine that seems to be working. So, a few of my faves:
1. Biotin - I only really choose the supplements and vitamins that the hubbers and I consume based on coupons, which may or may not be medically sound, but when I can, I always try to have biotin on hand. It really has done wonders for my skin, nails and face.
2. Garnier Moisturizing Gel - only recently did I figure out that girls with oily skin need moisturizer too. And, hey, the more regularly I moisturize, the less oily I actually am! My skin can just take a freaking break and stop trying to self-medicate. This Garnier moisturizer is my favorite because it's a gel... it goes on without any mess and absorbs quickly. I love the texture it leaves my skin. I tend to product-hop a lot and try several things (just come see how many different shampoos and body washes I have), but this one is going to be a staple.
3. BB Cream - I resisted BB cream for months, because, well, I just don't have the energy to follow the latest crazes in cosmetics, but a couple weeks ago I had a CoverGirl coupon and grabbed their version to try. Last week I had an Olay coupon and grabbed theirs. So far I've only tried the CoverGirl (I hate having too many of the same thing open at once... something about the satisfaction about finishing a toiletry is just too great), and I like it. It definitely improves the look of my skin and evens my naturally-pink hues. I'm not positive I'd buy the CoverGirl again, but I am eager to try Olay and Maybelline when that coupon rotates through.
4. Benefit Primer - I'd buy this junk even without a coupon. Thankfully, though, Ulta is generous with their savings, so I'm able to splurge on this a couple times a year. This primer is perfect for helping makeup stay throughout the day and look fresh and flawless. I don't wear it every day, but for those times I want to look a little bit prettier, I reach for this in a heartbeat.
5. elf Concealer + Highlighter Stick - at just $3 I don't even need a coupon for this wand, but with Target savings I just can't help myself. I've only been using this puppy for a week, but I'm really enjoying the inexpensive difference with my dark circles (I'm horrified by their appearance, but working 80+ hours a week will do that too) and the highlighter adds a little dewiness to my face. Did y'all watch the Bachelor this season? Lobster and I became obsessed with AshLee's glowy skin. How do I get that?! Hopefully this little find will put me one step closer.
6. elf Eyelid Primer - Due to my oily skin, my lids tend to crease my eyeshadow pretty quickly... like, by 10:30 it's invisible. But welcome this $1 treat to my makeup bag and voila, all day shadow. I just dab this on pre-shadow and liner, and I'm set all day. Literally. The only thing that disrupts it is a nightly face washing or a hot yoga class. That, my friends, is a dollar well spent.
7. Double 'Scara - Any ole brand will do, but currently I'm pairing swipes of CoverGirl WhateverIHaveACouponFor and Maybelline WhateverIHaveACouponForWaterProof for better than ever lashes. I just apply the first non-waterproof then follow it up with a waterproof application. It makes my lashes look fuller and longer than with just one, and they survive hot yoga... y'all, you can't beat survival through 2 liters of sweat. You just can't.
What else should I be trying?
Also, I read this this morning and have already sent it to all my best girls and posted it on Facebook. Please read and process. I know I am.
As a newly-minted couponer, I've discovered that my brand loyalty quickly tilts in favor of those names who offer my coupons regularly. This has allowed me to try out new products with less risk ($2 off is freaking $2 off, y'all). Additionally, I've also, finally, in my 26th year, developed a skincare routine that seems to be working. So, a few of my faves:
1. Biotin - I only really choose the supplements and vitamins that the hubbers and I consume based on coupons, which may or may not be medically sound, but when I can, I always try to have biotin on hand. It really has done wonders for my skin, nails and face.
2. Garnier Moisturizing Gel - only recently did I figure out that girls with oily skin need moisturizer too. And, hey, the more regularly I moisturize, the less oily I actually am! My skin can just take a freaking break and stop trying to self-medicate. This Garnier moisturizer is my favorite because it's a gel... it goes on without any mess and absorbs quickly. I love the texture it leaves my skin. I tend to product-hop a lot and try several things (just come see how many different shampoos and body washes I have), but this one is going to be a staple.
3. BB Cream - I resisted BB cream for months, because, well, I just don't have the energy to follow the latest crazes in cosmetics, but a couple weeks ago I had a CoverGirl coupon and grabbed their version to try. Last week I had an Olay coupon and grabbed theirs. So far I've only tried the CoverGirl (I hate having too many of the same thing open at once... something about the satisfaction about finishing a toiletry is just too great), and I like it. It definitely improves the look of my skin and evens my naturally-pink hues. I'm not positive I'd buy the CoverGirl again, but I am eager to try Olay and Maybelline when that coupon rotates through.
4. Benefit Primer - I'd buy this junk even without a coupon. Thankfully, though, Ulta is generous with their savings, so I'm able to splurge on this a couple times a year. This primer is perfect for helping makeup stay throughout the day and look fresh and flawless. I don't wear it every day, but for those times I want to look a little bit prettier, I reach for this in a heartbeat.
5. elf Concealer + Highlighter Stick - at just $3 I don't even need a coupon for this wand, but with Target savings I just can't help myself. I've only been using this puppy for a week, but I'm really enjoying the inexpensive difference with my dark circles (I'm horrified by their appearance, but working 80+ hours a week will do that too) and the highlighter adds a little dewiness to my face. Did y'all watch the Bachelor this season? Lobster and I became obsessed with AshLee's glowy skin. How do I get that?! Hopefully this little find will put me one step closer.
6. elf Eyelid Primer - Due to my oily skin, my lids tend to crease my eyeshadow pretty quickly... like, by 10:30 it's invisible. But welcome this $1 treat to my makeup bag and voila, all day shadow. I just dab this on pre-shadow and liner, and I'm set all day. Literally. The only thing that disrupts it is a nightly face washing or a hot yoga class. That, my friends, is a dollar well spent.
7. Double 'Scara - Any ole brand will do, but currently I'm pairing swipes of CoverGirl WhateverIHaveACouponFor and Maybelline WhateverIHaveACouponForWaterProof for better than ever lashes. I just apply the first non-waterproof then follow it up with a waterproof application. It makes my lashes look fuller and longer than with just one, and they survive hot yoga... y'all, you can't beat survival through 2 liters of sweat. You just can't.
What else should I be trying?
Also, I read this this morning and have already sent it to all my best girls and posted it on Facebook. Please read and process. I know I am.
Monday, January 28, 2013
All or Nothing
So one time, I had to change the password of the email address I use to log into my blog. That happened 11 months ago, and I always try to enter my original password, and Gmail always kindly reminds me, "You changed your password over 11 months ago." I know this should be helpful and friendly, but it makes me feel judged and moronic. Like, you are NOT better than me Google. My password is whatever I want it to be. So that by the time I log in and set to post something new, I feel like a shell of a person and probably much like a real writer... tortured and haunted.
Anyways. As a live events producer, I oversee the planning, creation and execution of large scale creative elements. Much of the time, this includes purchasing necessary supplies. I know everyone at Target by name (obviously this because of my penchant to shop there professionally, not the least bit because of personal habits), frequent Hobby Lobby, Michael's and AC Moore. When I'm tasked with making a white spandex tent for two aerialists to hoist to a remix of Ellie Goulding's "Anything Could Happen" in order to house 8 dancers... what?! Yeah, that's what I do.
For a recent element, I needed to procure about a thousand yards of black grosgrain ribbon. So, I began my typical route through local craft and fabric stores. When I got to Michael's I hit the ribbon jackpot... spools and spools of it. So I loaded up my cart, thrilled that I could make fewer stops than I originally planned, and headed to the register. When I got there, the cashier looked at my cart, then at me, and I expected the typical questions about what I'm doing with that many whateveritemsIwanttopurchase (pipe cleaners, a billion yards of canvas, a trillion small stones... you name it, we've bought it). Instead she looked at me accusingly and simply stated, "You can't buy all that." Perplexed I stared back and being positive that I was misunderstanding her said, "What do you mean?" "That's all our ribbon. There won't be any left." "...." "If you buy it all, no one else can." "Riiight," I answered back, struggling to keep the condescension low. "This is a store. You sell ribbon. I am a customer. I want to buy ribbon. I want to buy all of it. And I can pay for all of it. I didn't know there was a quota reserved to share." "Well, it's just not considerate," she begrudgingly muttered as she began scanning ream after ream of the grosgrain. I was stunned, but also suppressing laughter. I mean, dang greedy capitalism that allows me to purchase goods from your store to make you money... ??? Am I right, y'all?
Anyways. As a live events producer, I oversee the planning, creation and execution of large scale creative elements. Much of the time, this includes purchasing necessary supplies. I know everyone at Target by name (obviously this because of my penchant to shop there professionally, not the least bit because of personal habits), frequent Hobby Lobby, Michael's and AC Moore. When I'm tasked with making a white spandex tent for two aerialists to hoist to a remix of Ellie Goulding's "Anything Could Happen" in order to house 8 dancers... what?! Yeah, that's what I do.
For a recent element, I needed to procure about a thousand yards of black grosgrain ribbon. So, I began my typical route through local craft and fabric stores. When I got to Michael's I hit the ribbon jackpot... spools and spools of it. So I loaded up my cart, thrilled that I could make fewer stops than I originally planned, and headed to the register. When I got there, the cashier looked at my cart, then at me, and I expected the typical questions about what I'm doing with that many whateveritemsIwanttopurchase (pipe cleaners, a billion yards of canvas, a trillion small stones... you name it, we've bought it). Instead she looked at me accusingly and simply stated, "You can't buy all that." Perplexed I stared back and being positive that I was misunderstanding her said, "What do you mean?" "That's all our ribbon. There won't be any left." "...." "If you buy it all, no one else can." "Riiight," I answered back, struggling to keep the condescension low. "This is a store. You sell ribbon. I am a customer. I want to buy ribbon. I want to buy all of it. And I can pay for all of it. I didn't know there was a quota reserved to share." "Well, it's just not considerate," she begrudgingly muttered as she began scanning ream after ream of the grosgrain. I was stunned, but also suppressing laughter. I mean, dang greedy capitalism that allows me to purchase goods from your store to make you money... ??? Am I right, y'all?
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
What's Left to Ponder?
The last time I tried to buy a pack of lighters, so that I could have the ability to instantaneously light the multitude of candles in each and every room of my house, I was carded. I couldn't figure out why I needed to present my poorly-complexioned identification for the purchase, but the cashier explained to me that since you have to be 18 to buy cigs, you have to be 18 to buy lighters since they light them. Uh huh. So does that mean I have to be 21 to buy a koozie because it could house beer? 21 to buy a lime because I could be pairing it with both gin and tonic (ohmygoshgivemeoneofthoserightnow)? Those thoughts, of course, led to deeper and deeper pontifications, resulting in the big question of the day: do you have to be 21 to buy O'Doul's**? It's nonalcoholic but housed in the beer cooler. Looks like beer, smells like beer, gives you a gut like beer, probably tastes like beer but without the best part of beer - the buzz. My goal for the week is to find someone in high school, send them into the store and see how successful they are.
**my high school/college boyfriend's dad was nearly addicted to O'Doul's. We'd go over to his parents' house and find his dad on the couch in the bonus room, shirtless, with O'Doul's cans scattered around. He was like a non-alcoholic drunk, which was probably sadder. I wonder if he ever knew there wasn't alcohol in them.
**my high school/college boyfriend's dad was nearly addicted to O'Doul's. We'd go over to his parents' house and find his dad on the couch in the bonus room, shirtless, with O'Doul's cans scattered around. He was like a non-alcoholic drunk, which was probably sadder. I wonder if he ever knew there wasn't alcohol in them.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Things I'm Not
A lot of people argue that bloggers must be pretty self-involved, and I agree with them to an extent... you spend your own time writing about yourself for other people to read, loading the best pictures of you, with details that you don't even tell your mom in your daily phone conversations and giving your opinion on things that don't matter. It's like Facebook on crack. But I don't blog because I want people to virtually love me. I blog because it's good for me. It's good for me to have a little corner of somewhere to just... do. To just share. To document.
The reasons I'm not a very good blogger:
1. This blog doesn't have a theme or direction. It's not a house blog. It's not a wedding blog. It's not a mommy blog. It's certainly not a fashion or beauty blog. It's not inspirational. It's not about fitness. It's not very funny... it may used to be, but it's not anymore.
2. I update as often as Jennifer Aniston doesn't wear black... meaning, rarely.
3. I don't have a great camera. Any pictures that I bother to load are iPhoned (yes, it's a verb) and usually with an Instagram filter.
But, I'm still here years after I launched it. Not even sure who, if anyone, still reads. Alas, here's what's on my mind on this Monday in Charlotte.
1. Are skinny jeans ever going to be out again? This child-bearing hipped girl is just tired. So tired of swathing my lower half in a style that isn't actually very flattering to anyone. Except Miranda Kerr (I hate how much I love her). I went shopping a couple of weeks ago for some trouser or wide legged jeans. I found one lone pair on a clearance rack at Gap. Naturally, they're the best fitting jeans I've maybe ever owned. I asked the salesclerkette if they had any more, because you know I'd have bought all of them. Wouldn't you know it? The cut is being discontinued because they aren't in style anymore. Kick me in the face. And the hips.
2. In the same vein, am I the only one that can't find gems at Forever 21 that it seems like everyone else can? Maybe I just don't see the potential in things. Maybe I assume it's a grown up version of Limited, too. I want to love it. I really do. But I get so overwhelmed. There's SO much inventory.
3. Check out my favorite crockpot recipes lately. They've been saving us the past month:
Curry Chicken Vindaloo
Fiesta Chicken
Chicken Tikka Masala
4. And some desserts!
Chocolate-peanut butter whoopie pies
Coconut lime sugar cookies
Snickerdoodle brownies
5. Y'all, really, this is the lamest. What do y'all want to read about?
The reasons I'm not a very good blogger:
1. This blog doesn't have a theme or direction. It's not a house blog. It's not a wedding blog. It's not a mommy blog. It's certainly not a fashion or beauty blog. It's not inspirational. It's not about fitness. It's not very funny... it may used to be, but it's not anymore.
2. I update as often as Jennifer Aniston doesn't wear black... meaning, rarely.
3. I don't have a great camera. Any pictures that I bother to load are iPhoned (yes, it's a verb) and usually with an Instagram filter.
But, I'm still here years after I launched it. Not even sure who, if anyone, still reads. Alas, here's what's on my mind on this Monday in Charlotte.
1. Are skinny jeans ever going to be out again? This child-bearing hipped girl is just tired. So tired of swathing my lower half in a style that isn't actually very flattering to anyone. Except Miranda Kerr (I hate how much I love her). I went shopping a couple of weeks ago for some trouser or wide legged jeans. I found one lone pair on a clearance rack at Gap. Naturally, they're the best fitting jeans I've maybe ever owned. I asked the salesclerkette if they had any more, because you know I'd have bought all of them. Wouldn't you know it? The cut is being discontinued because they aren't in style anymore. Kick me in the face. And the hips.
2. In the same vein, am I the only one that can't find gems at Forever 21 that it seems like everyone else can? Maybe I just don't see the potential in things. Maybe I assume it's a grown up version of Limited, too. I want to love it. I really do. But I get so overwhelmed. There's SO much inventory.
3. Check out my favorite crockpot recipes lately. They've been saving us the past month:
Curry Chicken Vindaloo
Fiesta Chicken
Chicken Tikka Masala
4. And some desserts!
Chocolate-peanut butter whoopie pies
Coconut lime sugar cookies
Snickerdoodle brownies
5. Y'all, really, this is the lamest. What do y'all want to read about?
Monday, January 14, 2013
In the Heights
In 2013, I'm focusing on time in our marriage. It's a commodity that is precious and rare for us in the season that we're both in. Working bizarre and opposite schedules can take a toll. Thankfully we're both incredibly committed to maximizing the time we're together, but in 2013, I want us to be creative. I don't want to fall in a complacent routine of Redbox, couch time or each doing our own activities. So on Friday, we had a rare day off together and hopped in the car to journey to Asheville.
Asheville is an easy 2 hour drive from us, and we got to enjoy great conversation on the way to town. We had a truly wonderful day - first stop was Tupelo honey for breakfast (fried egg BLT for him, and, most probably the culinary win of the whole day, a pimento cheese, maple pepper bacon, jalapeño cilantro pesto and asparagus omelet for me). It was cloudy and chilly for our start, so we spent a few hours strolling along, popping into different shops and galleries and generally oohing, aahing and making fun of various wares.
We stopped for a late lunch at Lab, a delicious brewery and restaurant in downtown. We shared kale chips drizzled with honey and house made chorizo sausage nachos and each sipped a house brewed beer. When we were sufficiently satisfied, which wasn't hard, because it was delicious, we mosied back to our car and headed to Odd Fellows, a local antiques and architectural salvage shoppe (naturally, that's the sort of joint that requires fancy spelling).
We finished just in time to get to Highland Brewery where we enjoyed a few more brewskis and a tour of this regional favorite. It was fascinating to learn about how beer is made and how such a seemingly small operation is actually a big player in the craft brew market. Another short drive up the road brought us to the Biltmore for a glass of wine in the estate wine room.
Finally, we ended our trip at Curate, a new Asheville hotspot serving eccentric Spanish tapas. We scored a seat at the counter, so my chef hubbers could survey the exhibition kitchen below. We loved everything we ordered... I couldn't even actually tell you what it was. Though, standouts included the calamari sandwich and the almond cake dessert that featured rosemary and olive oil ice cream. Sated and tired and happy we headed back to Charlotte.
Despite all of our wanderings and stops we only managed one picture at the end of our breakfast. I was excited to head to the highlands and try out a current Pinterest fave of red plaid and a fur vest. I was more excited for a truly delightful day with my love, and I can't wait to find some more destinations near us. A 2013 replete with these day gems is just what we have in mind.
Asheville is an easy 2 hour drive from us, and we got to enjoy great conversation on the way to town. We had a truly wonderful day - first stop was Tupelo honey for breakfast (fried egg BLT for him, and, most probably the culinary win of the whole day, a pimento cheese, maple pepper bacon, jalapeño cilantro pesto and asparagus omelet for me). It was cloudy and chilly for our start, so we spent a few hours strolling along, popping into different shops and galleries and generally oohing, aahing and making fun of various wares.
We stopped for a late lunch at Lab, a delicious brewery and restaurant in downtown. We shared kale chips drizzled with honey and house made chorizo sausage nachos and each sipped a house brewed beer. When we were sufficiently satisfied, which wasn't hard, because it was delicious, we mosied back to our car and headed to Odd Fellows, a local antiques and architectural salvage shoppe (naturally, that's the sort of joint that requires fancy spelling).
We finished just in time to get to Highland Brewery where we enjoyed a few more brewskis and a tour of this regional favorite. It was fascinating to learn about how beer is made and how such a seemingly small operation is actually a big player in the craft brew market. Another short drive up the road brought us to the Biltmore for a glass of wine in the estate wine room.
Finally, we ended our trip at Curate, a new Asheville hotspot serving eccentric Spanish tapas. We scored a seat at the counter, so my chef hubbers could survey the exhibition kitchen below. We loved everything we ordered... I couldn't even actually tell you what it was. Though, standouts included the calamari sandwich and the almond cake dessert that featured rosemary and olive oil ice cream. Sated and tired and happy we headed back to Charlotte.
Despite all of our wanderings and stops we only managed one picture at the end of our breakfast. I was excited to head to the highlands and try out a current Pinterest fave of red plaid and a fur vest. I was more excited for a truly delightful day with my love, and I can't wait to find some more destinations near us. A 2013 replete with these day gems is just what we have in mind.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
This One Time I Used to Blog
One of my 2013 goals is to refurbish this dusty little blog and bring her back to her once semi-shiny glory. But, seeing as it's the 10th of January and this is my first post in months, well, it's progress.
So here's where we are in life:
- This Monday will be our 9 monthiversary of marriage... I cannot believe how quickly the time is flying! I also can't wait for the next 900.
- I'm learning so much about the way I process stress... or, don't process it, whatever.
- I'm a freak about coupon. I have to self moderate so I don't become like Mama June, stashing away 3 years' worth of Beenie Weenies. Except for me, it's shampoo, conditioner and mascara... uh huh.
- I'm revamping my wardrobe. Thank you, Pinterest, for being the ultimate fashionable time suck. Our office dress code is very casual, but I realized that somewhere along the line I just got sloppy, and I hated how I felt. Now, I just cut and paste other people's stylish creativity and VOILA. Instant feel good.
- 2012 was the year of the Om. I fell head over heels in love with yoga; however, the madness of working 100 hour weeks in the end of 2012 had me falling off the wagon, and now I'm struggling to crawl back to the mat.
- I can't stop crock potting. My lovely little chef husband knows every time he walks in the door, there will be something brewing in that slow cooker. I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes in the coming weeks (you know, because I'm a goal achiever, and I WILL post. Dang it).
Meh. Probably a vanilla showing my first post out of the gate, but alas, here I am. And I'm back. Mostly. Well, for now.
So here's where we are in life:
- This Monday will be our 9 monthiversary of marriage... I cannot believe how quickly the time is flying! I also can't wait for the next 900.
- I'm learning so much about the way I process stress... or, don't process it, whatever.
- I'm a freak about coupon. I have to self moderate so I don't become like Mama June, stashing away 3 years' worth of Beenie Weenies. Except for me, it's shampoo, conditioner and mascara... uh huh.
- I'm revamping my wardrobe. Thank you, Pinterest, for being the ultimate fashionable time suck. Our office dress code is very casual, but I realized that somewhere along the line I just got sloppy, and I hated how I felt. Now, I just cut and paste other people's stylish creativity and VOILA. Instant feel good.
- 2012 was the year of the Om. I fell head over heels in love with yoga; however, the madness of working 100 hour weeks in the end of 2012 had me falling off the wagon, and now I'm struggling to crawl back to the mat.
- I can't stop crock potting. My lovely little chef husband knows every time he walks in the door, there will be something brewing in that slow cooker. I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes in the coming weeks (you know, because I'm a goal achiever, and I WILL post. Dang it).
Meh. Probably a vanilla showing my first post out of the gate, but alas, here I am. And I'm back. Mostly. Well, for now.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
All of the Lights
I was doing so well there for a second, eh? I was posting regularly and feeling great about it. Then we made our trip to Maine, and, well, I lost my momentary groove. Surely it took Stella more than one attempt?
Anywho, since we've been back in the South (full of lobster, pumpkin beer and sweet family time), we've been hard at work on the house. As I've mentioned before our house was move-in ready but with a lot of potential to be a prettier abode. We decided to start with some fresh coats of paint and some light fixture swaps. Unfortunately I didn't get shots of all the befores, but here's what we've been working with.
In our kitchen, we started with a huge box of florescent bars. It was extremely 80s, made our ceilings feel low (they really aren't) and just made the kitchen feel shabby. When the painters were scraping the popcorn, we asked them to go ahead and take the monstrosity down. The hubbers and I spent quite a while at Lowe's choosing this fixture. We wanted it to feel bright and not too heavy. This three spot light has double globes that I love. It instantly made our kitchen feel fresher.
Next up was the porch light. Nothing screams dated quite like shiny brass. We still want to change our house numbers, but this swap was a no-brainer, and we fell in love with this lantern at first glance.
Thirdly, we have vaulted ceilings in our master bedroom with an exposed beam running across the seam (heeey, I'm a poet!). It had a pretty hideous ceiling fan attached to it complete with some bare bulbs, woven panels on the blades and just crap all the way around. The bedroom tends to be warmer than the other rooms, so despite the fact that I tend to hate fans, we decided that we need one. I wanted to use the ceiling height to our advantage and pick a statement-style fixture, and behold, we found the combo of both. It's hard to see in this picture but the fixture is gorgeous, bold and has an attractive fan. I'm in love.
And lastly, we have a soaker tub in our master bath, and my
less-than-bright-in-desperate-need-of-a-haircut Sadie sometimes climbs
in post-shower while I beautify and gets lost. Behold the furry
confusion.
Anywho, since we've been back in the South (full of lobster, pumpkin beer and sweet family time), we've been hard at work on the house. As I've mentioned before our house was move-in ready but with a lot of potential to be a prettier abode. We decided to start with some fresh coats of paint and some light fixture swaps. Unfortunately I didn't get shots of all the befores, but here's what we've been working with.
In our kitchen, we started with a huge box of florescent bars. It was extremely 80s, made our ceilings feel low (they really aren't) and just made the kitchen feel shabby. When the painters were scraping the popcorn, we asked them to go ahead and take the monstrosity down. The hubbers and I spent quite a while at Lowe's choosing this fixture. We wanted it to feel bright and not too heavy. This three spot light has double globes that I love. It instantly made our kitchen feel fresher.
Thirdly, we have vaulted ceilings in our master bedroom with an exposed beam running across the seam (heeey, I'm a poet!). It had a pretty hideous ceiling fan attached to it complete with some bare bulbs, woven panels on the blades and just crap all the way around. The bedroom tends to be warmer than the other rooms, so despite the fact that I tend to hate fans, we decided that we need one. I wanted to use the ceiling height to our advantage and pick a statement-style fixture, and behold, we found the combo of both. It's hard to see in this picture but the fixture is gorgeous, bold and has an attractive fan. I'm in love.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Hangin' It Up
My goal for this house is to limit clutter. Much unlike our micro-condo, we have space and storage here, and I'll be darned if I let things accumulate and pile up (but don't like in our dining room right now... it's a clutter catcher). Jewelry is a huge clutter criminal, particularly long necklaces. I sort of hate most jewelry holders, so last night when I was unpacking my pieces, I didn't want to just pile them somewhere and let them sit until I could find a better place for them. I scoured our master suite and found this hand towel ring. Since we don't currently have a hand towel, I decided it was the perfect spot to keep my necklaces organized, neat and untangled. I also set up our new dresser... and see that wire bird thing in front of the picture of my husband? It used to sit on the coffee table with small eggs in each nest. Now, it's the perfect place to display bracelets, short necklaces and earrings.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Marry & Bright
One of the things I've been most excited about since our wedding is picking out Christmas cards. I haven't sent them out before, and even though we were engaged last Christmas, I wanted to wait until we were officially a family before sending them. Working at a church the size and pace of ours means that holidays are our busiest time of year, so I want to get a head start and order, stuff, and address them before Thanksgiving, that way, in December, all I need to do is drop them in the mailbox. This week I've been searching through Snapfish for cute, bright and cheery cards (I order prints of our wedding pictures from Snapfish and was so pleased with their turnaround and quality). We've pretty much decided on using this picture from our wedding on whatever card we choose (and we'll also be able to 2-birds-1-stone it by announcing our move as well)...
And here are a few of my favorite card options at the moment...
Monday, October 8, 2012
A Clean Slate
The house we bought was move-in ready. There are plenty of projects
that we can sink our teeth (and wallets) into in the future, but for all
intents and purposes, it was good to go.
The biggest negative in the house are the popcorn ceilings in every. single. room. of the house. Those bad boys just made me ill. We were able to get into the house two days before closing and had a painter come out and give us a quote to scrape them all. And at the same time we had him quote painting trim throughout the house. The previous owners had installed crown molding in every room and chair rail in most, but some was wood stained, some was white... just a mismatch. We were eager to get all of that done before we officially moved in.
When the quote came back we wanted to vomit, so we scaled back the project significantly having the painter and his team scrape and paint the trim in only the main living area, entryway, kitchen and master bedroom. We had grandiose plans to stay in the house through that process. The hubbers and I both wanted to be able to spend our first night as homeowners in our home... see how that works?
Well, as it turns out, popcorn scraping is not as delicious as popcorn consuming, and boy, is it a mess. We had plastic draped everywhere, ceiling dust coated everything, and I had minimal access to my kitchen. In fact, I spent my first evening as a homeowner huddled on the carpet in an extra bedroom with my 2 pups, a pillow, a blanket and my laptop to keep me warm. When the dashing fella of my heart got home from work at 2:00 in the morning, we dragged the mattress up through the mess and were able to camp out there for the next few days. It felt like our home ownership was on pause.
A dusty three days later, the painters had finished and unveiled a mostly-sparkling living space that was ours-all-ours. And I couldn't have been more excited to begin filling each room with our treasures and furniture. A clean slate for new memories.
The biggest negative in the house are the popcorn ceilings in every. single. room. of the house. Those bad boys just made me ill. We were able to get into the house two days before closing and had a painter come out and give us a quote to scrape them all. And at the same time we had him quote painting trim throughout the house. The previous owners had installed crown molding in every room and chair rail in most, but some was wood stained, some was white... just a mismatch. We were eager to get all of that done before we officially moved in.
When the quote came back we wanted to vomit, so we scaled back the project significantly having the painter and his team scrape and paint the trim in only the main living area, entryway, kitchen and master bedroom. We had grandiose plans to stay in the house through that process. The hubbers and I both wanted to be able to spend our first night as homeowners in our home... see how that works?
Well, as it turns out, popcorn scraping is not as delicious as popcorn consuming, and boy, is it a mess. We had plastic draped everywhere, ceiling dust coated everything, and I had minimal access to my kitchen. In fact, I spent my first evening as a homeowner huddled on the carpet in an extra bedroom with my 2 pups, a pillow, a blanket and my laptop to keep me warm. When the dashing fella of my heart got home from work at 2:00 in the morning, we dragged the mattress up through the mess and were able to camp out there for the next few days. It felt like our home ownership was on pause.
A dusty three days later, the painters had finished and unveiled a mostly-sparkling living space that was ours-all-ours. And I couldn't have been more excited to begin filling each room with our treasures and furniture. A clean slate for new memories.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Simple. Delicious.
When life feels out of control, as it has lately, I get an overwhelming desire to take control in any way possible... to cling to the strands of control I can find. That usually results in ignoring the complete and utter mess around me (half empty... or half full, whatevs... boxes strewn around our new house, for instance) and just make some meals. Nothing exacerbates that icky out of control feeling than several days of fast food. I just crave healthy, hearty, delicious, home cooked meals.
Last night was that night. I spent the previous evening with my darling Little at Trader Joe's filling a cart full of meal necessities (I'm lightly treading into the world of menu planning, which goes hand-in-hand with my love of couponing). Instead of cooking that night, I just enjoyed a couple of Blue Moons and some delicious crockpot beef that Little had gifted us with.
Last night, though, I was going to own the kitchen and own it hard. I had pinned a recipe for barbecue chicken quinoa salad earlier in the week and couldn't wait to try it. I multi-tasked while I prepped the dish... organizing the cabinets, unpacking a few boxes to find my necessary gadgets, measuring cups, pans and so on and listening to a few podcasts (my favorite way to stay spiritually fed while working in the ministry). The end result (albeit it at 10:45 p.m.) was a tasty, easy meal with plenty of leftovers. A must-make for a busy week.
Barbecue Quinoa Salad:
- Barbecue Chicken (I used 2 chicken breasts seasoned with Cajun seasoning and slightly-more-than-simmered then in a small Le Creuset pan for 45 minutes with Trader Joe's Kansas-style barbecue sauce, so the chicken was able to be shredded with a couple of forks)
- Corn (I used three quarters of a cup of Trader Joe's frozen fire roasted corn... thanks for the recommendation, Little!)
- Black Beans (I used some miscellaneous amount... I couldn't locate a can opener, so I sort of jimmy rigged it open-ish with the counter, a spoon and a knife and just shook out the beans that I could)
- Cilantro (I just threw some in there without measuring)
- Shredded cheese (I had a shredded Gruyere-Swiss blend on hand, but white cheddar of pepper jack would be my recommendation)
- Quinoa (I ended up using 2 cups cooked)
Mix that mess in a bowl, add a little more barbecue sauce (I had extra in my sauce pan after shredding the chicken and just poured some of that goodness in my bowl), then top with avocado. I promise you won't be sorry.
Last night was that night. I spent the previous evening with my darling Little at Trader Joe's filling a cart full of meal necessities (I'm lightly treading into the world of menu planning, which goes hand-in-hand with my love of couponing). Instead of cooking that night, I just enjoyed a couple of Blue Moons and some delicious crockpot beef that Little had gifted us with.
Last night, though, I was going to own the kitchen and own it hard. I had pinned a recipe for barbecue chicken quinoa salad earlier in the week and couldn't wait to try it. I multi-tasked while I prepped the dish... organizing the cabinets, unpacking a few boxes to find my necessary gadgets, measuring cups, pans and so on and listening to a few podcasts (my favorite way to stay spiritually fed while working in the ministry). The end result (albeit it at 10:45 p.m.) was a tasty, easy meal with plenty of leftovers. A must-make for a busy week.
Barbecue Quinoa Salad:
- Barbecue Chicken (I used 2 chicken breasts seasoned with Cajun seasoning and slightly-more-than-simmered then in a small Le Creuset pan for 45 minutes with Trader Joe's Kansas-style barbecue sauce, so the chicken was able to be shredded with a couple of forks)
- Corn (I used three quarters of a cup of Trader Joe's frozen fire roasted corn... thanks for the recommendation, Little!)
- Black Beans (I used some miscellaneous amount... I couldn't locate a can opener, so I sort of jimmy rigged it open-ish with the counter, a spoon and a knife and just shook out the beans that I could)
- Cilantro (I just threw some in there without measuring)
- Shredded cheese (I had a shredded Gruyere-Swiss blend on hand, but white cheddar of pepper jack would be my recommendation)
- Quinoa (I ended up using 2 cups cooked)
Mix that mess in a bowl, add a little more barbecue sauce (I had extra in my sauce pan after shredding the chicken and just poured some of that goodness in my bowl), then top with avocado. I promise you won't be sorry.
A Bug's Life
My freshman year of high school included an honors biology class. In said class we were given a year-long project in which we captured, killed and displayed insects from several different species. We were taught the proper way to kill the insects without crushing them - simply place them in an airtight jar with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover. They will suffocate and die while being perfectly preserved. My pride and joy of the project was catching a gorgeous, huge emerald green cricket. He was beautiful. I gleefully put him in the death jar, eager to pin him on my bug board. My joy turned to sorrow, dismay and intense guilt, when I couldn't take my eyes away from the jar as he slowly, painfully suffocated to death. For some reason that memory is vividly etched in my mind, and I doubt I'll ever lose it.
In so many ways life has been extraordinary of late - an incredibly happy marriage, leadership and influence in my career, a brand new, beautiful house that I'm slowly but steadily turning into a home with my husband. However, I can't help but feel overwhelmed right now. It feels like so many major life transitions have happened in the past year - new position at work, engagement, wedding, new marriage, house... and despite the goodness and joy of it, emotionally it's all finally catching up to me, and quite frankly, I'm exhausted. I feel like that cricket, wishing that alcohol-soaked cotton ball would be removed and set me free. Yet, at the same time, nothing is bad or wrong, per se. It's just so much.
I work at a job that is hyper-all consuming... I work close to 80 or 90 hours a week, 7 days a week, every week. My adrenaline is running on maximum levels at all times, and I don't know how to relax and disengage. And despite my love for it, I have to. I have to learn how to be present for my family, for my friends and for the health of my marriage. I have felt so trapped by the need to be everything to everyone (a chronic female condition, I do believe) that I've been unaware that that is arrogance in its sneakiest form. The world will not fall apart without me, and my insistence to be "on" all the time points to my need to feel as though it will.
So what does that mean? It means that it's okay for me to admit my exhaustion... to share my heart with my husband. To skip yoga to go the grocery store because I need the stress management. To say no to activities when all I want to do is piddle around my house with a glass of wine. For me, it means blogging again. Not anything impressive or showy, but just documenting life to be reminded of the simple things that fill my heart.
In so many ways life has been extraordinary of late - an incredibly happy marriage, leadership and influence in my career, a brand new, beautiful house that I'm slowly but steadily turning into a home with my husband. However, I can't help but feel overwhelmed right now. It feels like so many major life transitions have happened in the past year - new position at work, engagement, wedding, new marriage, house... and despite the goodness and joy of it, emotionally it's all finally catching up to me, and quite frankly, I'm exhausted. I feel like that cricket, wishing that alcohol-soaked cotton ball would be removed and set me free. Yet, at the same time, nothing is bad or wrong, per se. It's just so much.
I work at a job that is hyper-all consuming... I work close to 80 or 90 hours a week, 7 days a week, every week. My adrenaline is running on maximum levels at all times, and I don't know how to relax and disengage. And despite my love for it, I have to. I have to learn how to be present for my family, for my friends and for the health of my marriage. I have felt so trapped by the need to be everything to everyone (a chronic female condition, I do believe) that I've been unaware that that is arrogance in its sneakiest form. The world will not fall apart without me, and my insistence to be "on" all the time points to my need to feel as though it will.
So what does that mean? It means that it's okay for me to admit my exhaustion... to share my heart with my husband. To skip yoga to go the grocery store because I need the stress management. To say no to activities when all I want to do is piddle around my house with a glass of wine. For me, it means blogging again. Not anything impressive or showy, but just documenting life to be reminded of the simple things that fill my heart.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
My Favorite Subject is Subjectivity
I love cooking because while it's formulaic, there's also a lot of room for creativity. I love taking recipes and tweaking them a bit, and I take joy when I find a dish that my husband and I enjoy equally. Such was the case with Cilantro & Lime Crab Salad in Avocado. They were filling, fresh, healthy and delicious. And I couldn't wait to make them again.
On Sunday afternoon we spent part of our day playing cornhole, Jenga and Battleship at a local beer garden while we sipped our local brews (yep, you read that combo correctly. And, yes, I did kick the fella's ass in Battleship... multiple times), then we traipsed to the grocery store with a delightfully small sunny afternoon beer buzz to plan our meals for the week (which is always a challenge since the hubbers is rarely home for dinners). We immediately spied the avocados and decided that our crab salad was in order.
Fast forward to last night. I had just gotten home from hot yoga, dripping in sweat, exhausted and starving. I have also been intentional this week about finding ways to make my husband's life more convenient and easier as he and the restaurant prep for DNC madness (his restaurant is located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte and will be in the eye of the liberal hurricane). While I concocted the world's most perfect omelet (Trader Joe's garden veggie chicken sausage, mushrooms, asparagus and feta cheese, y'all), I decided to whip up some crab salad for him to enjoy for a late night dinner, lunches, etc. I took a cursory glance at the recipe and got to work.
Crab-mayo-onion-cilantro-lime-cumin-red pepper... dump in a bowl. Easy. Except this time it was much runnier than the previous time. So I added more crab and more onion. Then a little bit more. But it still wasn't right. At that time I deemed it prudent to re-consult the recipe. At which point I noticed that the recipe had asked for 1/2 a TABLESPOON of mayo. Not the 1/2 CUP of mayo that I had added. So I did what any sane person who doesn't accept culinary defeat would do. I put a lid on the bowl, shoved it in the back of the fridge, chowed on my omelet and pretended it never happened.
We Bought a House!
On Sunday night the Hubbers and I Redbox'd "We Bought a Zoo," and now every time I think of our house I picture that little girl yelling "We bought a HOUSE!" And we did. And we're so excited. I have been living in our little Myers Park condo for four years now. The fella moved in in January (and I moved home until our wedding, so we didn't co-habitate), and we have loved starting our marriage in such cozy quarters, but we also realized quickly that we needed more space. With two of us, two pups and hopefully an expanding family soon, we need room.
We worked with a fabulous realtor and looked at about 18 houses. We even put an offer on a huge foreclosure and spent time alone on its front porch one night praying over it, telling God that we knew He was the Provider, and praying for the family that would live there, be it us or another one. We were so disappointed when our offer wasn't accepted, but we were so excited knowing that God had something even better in mind for our family.
And we found the perfect one. In a precious family
neighborhood, our home is nestled on a triple cul-de-sac corner lot with
a front porch, fenced back yard, and open floor plan. To say that we're
excited about be an understatement, and I'm pretty positive that I've
spent more time Pinning house ideas than I did wedding ideas. We can't
wait to move and call it home. Assuming that everything goes through as
planned we'll be packing up our micro-life and closing on our new abode
on September 28th.
Monday, August 20, 2012
To Have and To Hold
On August 11, I had the sincere pleasure of being a bridesmaid in my lovely Lobster's wedding. It is so special to me that we were able to in one another's weddings mere months apart. To no one's surprise, she was a stunning bride, and the wedding and reception were everything that she and her fantastic new husband are - elegant, classy, sophisticated, timeless and fun. We are so excited for many married double (and triple, MK!) dates in our future!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Every Day I'm Pedalin'
So here's the thing about me... I want to love surprises. I love the idea of surprises. I love the end result of surprises. I don't do so well when I anticipate there might be a surprise coming. Such was the case with my birthday last week.
My husband was able to secure an afternoon and evening off of work - a true gift in and of itself, and I assured him that all I wanted was a quiet night in with him and my family. And he assured me that was what we would have. As the day progressed, however, I began to sense that there may be more going on. Small things friends would say... or not say, overly descriptive texts about our plans... they started to make me wonder, and they started to stress me. I started slyly asking my beloved friends what they were doing that evening, and they began to squirm. Hubbers finally texted me and nicely told me to leave people the hell alone and just enjoy my day.
When I arrived home, I was delighted to find our condo door bedecked with arts and crafts and our living room swathed in stars and streamers. I found my husband cooking up a storm in the kitchen with a glass of wine in hand for me. I lounged on the couch - kind of... I was very antsy and asking too many questions, and finally heard a knock on the door. I excitedly let my family in and thought we were having the at-home celebration I'd requested.
Every few minutes, though, there would be another knock on the door, and our home steadily filled with friends. Like a reverse surprise party, since I had no idea who would come next. When it felt like we'd hit critical mass, we feasted on some chef-prepared lettuce wraps, unwrapped gifts (well I did that... it wasn't a group activity) and sipped wine and beer.
The hubbers entered the room, clapped his hands and asked if we were ready to go. I was confused, but everyone else immediately headed for their cars, and we were whisked off on a mystery adventure. I began to worry when we arrived in a back alley Uptown right behind the Rescue Mission. But my fears soon subsided when I spotted The Party Pedaler... a communal bike, type contraption with a built-in bar. I soon learn that we'd been atop that vehicle for the night doing a bar crawl around Charlotte.
Y'all. This was seriously the most fun. We pedaled all around Uptown on a gorgeous night stopping to drink along the way, singing Wicked show tunes or Xtina hits on the microphone and just being all around ridiculous. I know I was such a pain to deal with as I tried to control every plan and figure out every surprise, but my husband knocked it out of the park and made sure that 26 started on an amazing note.
My husband was able to secure an afternoon and evening off of work - a true gift in and of itself, and I assured him that all I wanted was a quiet night in with him and my family. And he assured me that was what we would have. As the day progressed, however, I began to sense that there may be more going on. Small things friends would say... or not say, overly descriptive texts about our plans... they started to make me wonder, and they started to stress me. I started slyly asking my beloved friends what they were doing that evening, and they began to squirm. Hubbers finally texted me and nicely told me to leave people the hell alone and just enjoy my day.
When I arrived home, I was delighted to find our condo door bedecked with arts and crafts and our living room swathed in stars and streamers. I found my husband cooking up a storm in the kitchen with a glass of wine in hand for me. I lounged on the couch - kind of... I was very antsy and asking too many questions, and finally heard a knock on the door. I excitedly let my family in and thought we were having the at-home celebration I'd requested.
The hubbers entered the room, clapped his hands and asked if we were ready to go. I was confused, but everyone else immediately headed for their cars, and we were whisked off on a mystery adventure. I began to worry when we arrived in a back alley Uptown right behind the Rescue Mission. But my fears soon subsided when I spotted The Party Pedaler... a communal bike, type contraption with a built-in bar. I soon learn that we'd been atop that vehicle for the night doing a bar crawl around Charlotte.
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