royal wedding!

Last night my friend Claudia slept over so we could get up at 5am and watch the Royal Wedding.  We had mimosas and bacon and eggs for beakfast.  I don't think there is any better breakfast to start the day.  I wish I had taken pictures!

It was so fun and special to watch the Royal Wedding and know that I was witnessing a moment in history.  It really felt like we were watching a magical movie - so surreal.  Kate's dress was absolutely breathtaking (I had to include a photo).  The lace allowed the dress to feel sexy while still offering enough coverage for the church.  So gorgeous!!!  Kate's sister Pippa also looked incredible!

(via)

Seeing this wedding got me super excited for my wedding this year and also got me pretty nervous. If I was getting goosebumpy and teary watching a wedding on TV how on earth am I going to keep it together for my own wedding?!?! 

It was so worth getting up so early but I am definitely starting to feel it now.  I will get my second wind though because Kevin comes home today and I couldn't be more excited.  He will be at the apartment when I get home from work, eek I can't wait!!!



so many changes!

Phew I haven't written a blog post in AGES!!!  I have been such a slacker but I promise to get back to writing more consistent posts.  A lot has happened in the past few weeks so here is a little breakdown/update:

1. We moved!  In the midst of our leaking ceiling/toxic mold problem in the old place Kevin and I reached our wits end.  No matter what changed in the old place we weren't gonna be able to relax and enjoy being there.  We were SO OVER the place!  Receiving confirmation that there was indeed toxic mold in the apartment led us to look for a new place to live.  We found a great 2 bed/2 bath apartment on the 15th floor of a nice doorman building.  We LOVE our new place, love love love!!!  I am still working on unpacking and have been making a lot of progress.  I am waiting to get some new furniture (a dining room table + chairs, a futon, another tv stand and a small coffee table) and hanging all the artwork until Kevin gets back* in a couple weeks, but it is already really coming together.  Oh man do I ever love this apartment!!!

(kitchen)

(balcony facing south)

(master bedroom)

2. I got a job!!!  Hallelujah!!!  Even though I was enjoying being at home and working on wedding stuff I was also really starting to STRESS out about not having a job.  Watching your bank account get lower and lower is a good way to get your blood pressure up.  I am now the receptionist/administrative assistant at Alcon Builders Group (general contractors).  I sit at the front desk, answer the phones, type/print/send/file all requests for change order, change orders and purchase orders, and basically just do anything else that is needed.  So far I am really enjoying it and finally getting a paycheck again is pretty awesome. 

3. Kevin won the "Potato Cookoff" with his "Big Kev's cheesy balls!"  I know I have blogged a couple times about the food cookoffs that Kevin and I participate in (well Kevin submits an entry and I make cupcakes) and the "potato cookoff" was the 6th one we have done.  Kevin has placed no higher then 2nd in previous cook-offs and was determined to win this time around.  He concocted an original cheese stuffed deep fried hashbrown ball recipe for the competition.  He mixed hashbrowns with chopped onion, seasonings, flour, egg and breadcrumbs, formed a half-ball in his hand, stuffed it with shredded cheddar/gruyere cheese, added more hashbrown mixture to make a ball and deep fried it.  They were DELICIOUS! 

4. Primal update: well I started off great and for two whole weeks I didn't have any grains, dairy or sugars (well I probably had a little sugar but not intentionally).  Then I let it slide for my "I just got a job" celebration dinner and again on my friend's birthday night.  Those two days of cheating ruined me and I just couldn't get back on track.  I just kept letting myself cheat.  Thankfully I haven't gotten too down on myself.  I am starting again tomorrow morning!  Yes, tomorrow morning and I plan on kicking ass!  I am making a small adjustment and allowing myself to take a more 80/20 or 90/10 approach so that I will have a little more leeway.  I also want to extend this challenge till our wedding and hopefully beyond that.  Wish me luck!

Now that the weather is getting a little warmer I will have more fun adventures to blog about and I will definitely be taking more pictures.  Yay for spring!

*Kevin left Sunday night for a business trip in Sri Lanka and won't be back till April 29.  I miss him so much already and cannot wait for him to safely get home.

going primal

I contemplated whether or not I was going to post my personal challenge on my blog because quite frankly its easier to cheat when I haven't shared my goal with the world, BUT I don't want to give myself the opportunity to cheat.  So here it is... I am issuing myself a 30 days challenge to go primal.  The primal diet is similar to the paleo diet but a little more relaxed.  Basically I am giving up grains, dairy (except eggs), and sugar.  Sounds daunting doesn't it?  I have to admit that I am a little nervous that I won't be able to stick with it for a full 30 days and that I will be miserable but it will be worth it.  Wish me luck!

wedding illustration

My wonderful father is an incredible artist.  When Kevin and I first got engaged I was so excited to start brainstorming fun ways that he can help us make our wedding more unique.  My favorite idea was having my dad create a wedding "illustration/logo" that we could use in various aspects of our wedding design.  Of course my dad did the most incredible job and I just can't help but share it.  

I will not however tell how we are planning to use the illustration.  I have to keep some secrets, don't I?  Isn't it incredible though.  I can't stop looking at it:)  

Thank you dad, you are the best and I love you so much!

 

Third Nature WINS the John Lennon Songwriting Contest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahhhhh I am SO PROUD of my youngest brother Merrick and his band Third Nature!!!!!!!!  Like bursting at the seams I wanna scream from the rooftops proud!!!!!!!!!  Third Nature just won the GRAND PRIZE for The John Lennon Songwriting Contest!!!!!!!!

Third Nature is composed of Merrick on keyboards, Will (my cousin) on bass and Tom on drums (Tom grew up in Lakeville, CT with Merrick and me).  They started Third Nature while attending high school at Hotchkiss.  I am so amazed to see how far they have come and how much their talents have grown over the years.  They are now the most raging band on Skidmore campus and loved by everyone who likes to throw on a pair of dance pants and get down down down:)

Their grand prize includes all these goodies: "a one-day video and audio recording session on the Lennon Bus, their music on over 17,000 movie screens around the US, courtesy of Sonicbids and over $7,500 in music gear from Gibson, Epiphone, Audio-Technica, Mackie & Avid!"  How amazing is that?!?!

PLEASE check out the announcement and WATCH the video:)

Also check out their Facebook and MySpace.  "Like" them on Facebook and check out one of their shows if you are in the area, you won't be disappointed, I promise.

I could go on and on and on because I am sooooooooooo freakin' proud!!!  I love you guys so much!!!

i'm taking a blogging break

I guess you could say that I have already been taking a break.  There has been a lot going on over here lately.  Between toxic mold drama in our apartment, trying to break our lease with our management company, searching for a new apartment, getting the wedding website in tip top shape, checking other wedding stuff off my super long list, searching searching searching for a job and injuring myself training for the NYC 1/2 marathon I am overwhelmed to say the least.  I have decided to take a little break from my blog until I can get a better grip on everything else going on in my life (that and I haven't done anything exciting enough or worn anything cute enough to blog about).  I hate feeling guilty whenever I look at my neglected blog so I am officially taking some time off.  I will be back when life is a little more under control.  

** peace & love **

saratoga for the weekend

This past weekend Kevin and I headed up to Saratoga Springs for the weekend.  The purpose of our trip was to do a walk through at the Sagamore of the spaces we will be using for our wedding and to meet with our day-of-wedding coordinator.  

Friday we left the city and started our drive to the Sagamore.  We HAD to stop in Saratoga for Italian subs from Romas!  

We ate them in the car because we didn't have much time before we had to get to the Sagamore.  Oh my goodness they were sooooo good!!!  I seriously could eat one every day, hehe.  I'll admit that Kevin and I split another one on Saturday, we couldn't help ourselves.

Then we drove to the Sagamore and had a great walk through.  It definitely made me feel as though I have a much better grasp on all the decisions need to be made.  There is definitely a lot of work to be done but I am so excited about everything.  It was also really wonderful to meet Katelyn, our day-of-wedding coordintor, in person for the first time.  She is going to make our wedding come together so smoothly!  I cannot wait to start visiting fabric stores and crafting up a store, yay!!

Friday night Kevin and I had a 7:30 pm reservation at the Mouzon House.  Oh man was I ever excited for this!  Kevin and I discovered this restaurant after we graduated (*tear*).  It is a french creole restaurant that uses many local ingredients.  Their crawfish bignets are to die for!  We had a great bottle of red wine and ate honestly the most amazing food I have ever had at the most romantic table.  

After dinner we decided that we would do our own little drinking tour of all the old places we used to hang out.  We started at the Parting Glass (an Irish Pub) for a couple pints.  There was a great Irish band playing.

Second stop was Gaffneys.  We had some beer, chatted up with some locals.  

Our next stop was going to be Peabody's for a long island ice tea (I always used to have them there during the Saturday night dance parties) but they were closed, boo.  So then we headed to Desperate Annie's.  Our whole gang used to go to DA's every weekend.  It was our favorite bar.  We knew everyone that worked there.  Kevin and I were really hoping that everyone we used to know would still be working there and wouldn't you know it they still do!  They were all so happy to hear that we are getting married.  We ended our tour back at Gaffneys for one last beer and a royal flush shot.  After that we stopped at Esperantos for a late night slice of pizza, yummy yummy.  The whole night was a great success, we just wish we could have had a big group of our Skidmore friends there to join us.

Saturday (and night) our plan was to hang our with Merrick, my cousins Will and Will, and Tom at Will and Tom's house on Avery Street.  We went over to their house around 4:15pm to see everyone.  Kevin and I had made plans to take Merrick out for a belated birthday dinner so while the rest of the group headed out to dinner we headed to Hibachi.  After Hibachi we went back to Will and Tom's house to play some beirut.  Of course I didn't take any photos because I can be such a camera loser sometimes.  We had so much fun!  There was lots of synchronized dance moves!  It was seriously the best time.

Sunday we all went to The Kettle Restaurant for breakfast.  Kevin and I didn't know the Kettle existed while we went to school at Skidmore, such a bummer.  It is a great diner about 10 minutes outside of downtown Saratoga, a hidden gem.  It was such a great trip and I am anxiously awaiting our next excuse to head up there:)