apple picking

On Saturday morning Will, Jenna, Kevin and I hopped in Will's zip car and headed to Chester, NJ to pick apples and eat some yummy apple goodies.  First stop: Riamede Farm.  We got our apple bags and headed out into the orchard.  There were a million kinds of apples and we had filled up a good amount of our bags within like 5 minutes. Kevin was like a kid in a candy store... we kept losing him because he would get distracted by a new tree with apples.  Kevin and I went a little overboard with out apple picking and ended up with about 40 pounds... I will be making apple products all week (I made applesauce last night and it is DELICIOUS!).

Second Stop: Hacklebarney Farm Cider Mill.  Here we has cider hot dogs... yes I wrote cider hotdogs, apparently they are cooked in apple cider... delicious!  Everyone except me had the cider baked beans though I did try them and they were really good.  We also had to pick up cider doughnuts... it is against the law to go apple picking and not come home with cider doughnuts, well its my law anyway.  We got 2 dozen... 2 dozen?  I don't know what we were thinking... I can't have that many doughnuts sitting around or I will eat them all!  I sent a huge bag to work with Kevin today, haha.

Side note: on our way to pick up the zip car we came across a small apartment building on FIRE!  I have never seen anything like it.  We got there right as they were calling 911 before all the firetrucks arrived.  There was smoke coming out of every window and the roof.  We saw huge flames in a second story apartment, the glass in the window shattered down onto the street.  I am pretty sure we saw the young guy who's apartment was up in flames... he was really upset.  Kevin was dying to stay and watch the whole thing but we had to drag him away. 

are you a moe.ron?

Last Friday night (October 8) Kevin and I went to our first concert alone together in about 3 years.  We saw Moe. at the Beacon!  Funny thing is the last concert we saw alone together was also a Moe. concert.  It was really great to just have a fun Friday night date with my fiance:)

Moe. put on a GREAT show as usual. 

 I can't wait for my next fun date with the love of my life!!!

the wall

Last Wednesday night (October 6) I went to the most amazing concert that I will never ever forget.  It was an experience I think I am pretty lucky to have had.  Ingram, Kevin and I headed to MSG to see Rogers Waters (of Pink Floyd) play The Wall!!!  Now I will admit that I do not know Pink Floyd's music as well as some other people do but I know it well enough.  

I still can't believe how incredible the performance was.  They built the entire wall and then knocked it down... so crazy.  I will just let these pictures paint a picture for you...

 Yeah I took about 200 photos on my iPhone... 

wanna know my secret?

I got a new tattoo!!!  Last Saturday (October 2) I traveled to Three Kings Tattoo in Brooklyn with Marissa and Kevin so I could get a tattoo in honor of my parents.  Here is my journey in photos (taken by the fabulous Marissa).

I got pretty anxious when I actually stepped foot in the tattoo parlor.

When I had my consultation with Dan I just brought in a bunch of pictures of real bluebirds, told him I wanted a male and a female bluebird on my upper middle back and left the rest of up him so I really wasn't sure what the tattoo would look like until I saw his sketches.
 

I was happy with the first time he placed the stencil on my back.  I had originally envisioned them being lower but I think they just felt right where Dan placed them.

Once the stencil was on my back Kevin went off to have a beer and grab something to eat - so typical, haha.  Marissa stayed with me the whole time, what a trooper!  Don't worry Kevin came back after about an hour and stayed the rest of the time, he also has helped me wash the tattoo and moisturize it multiple times a day for over a week, he is the best!  Dan started the tattoo by doing all the black outlines.

 

 Then he moved on to the black shading.  The pain got noticeably worse, all the rubbing of the needle really didn't feel good, but I was a big girl and didn't complain at all.

Lastly came the color, the most exciting and most PAINFUL part.  At this point I was pretty exhausted but I was ready to just get it over with.  I had a lollipop to keep my blood sugar up.  The tattoo remained a pretty big mystery to me during the process.  Marissa would take some pictures and show them to me and Kevin kept checking on it and letting me know it looked amazing - his opinion was really important to me and it made me feel so much more relaxed knowing that he loved it.  The entire tattoo took a little over 3 hours to complete - it sounds like a really long time and well it is but it really didn't feel that long. 

The end result is breathtaking.  I don't think I could have asked for a more beautiful tattoo.  The detail and color just blows me away.  I can't stop looking at it.  I unveiled it to my parents this weekend.  They both didn't think it was real at first, haha, but they both love it.  I got the tattoo in their honor.  Bluebirds symbolize happiness and home and that is what my parents are to me.  I wanted something to remind me of them that I will carry with me always.  I have been blessed with the most loving and amazing parents anyone could ask for.  Mom and Dad, I love you so much!

a secret i cannot share (yet)

This weekend was really great.  The weather was so nice - finally we got some fall weather!  I also go to spend time with some of my favorite girls. 

Saturday morning I got up bright and early to head to Brooklyn so I could have brunch with Marissa.  It was really great to see her, I hadn't seen her since before I got engaged - way too long!!!  We ate a lovely brunch at Teddy's.  I had the most sugary coconut crusted french toast, yum!  After brunch we had to stop at the Van Leewan ice cream truck:)  My friend Mark from Skidmore was working the truck (I also went to school with Ben Van Leewan - yeah I'm pretty cool).  We got a medium cup of mint chocolate chip to share.  OMG it was heavenly, not that I needed more sugar after brunch, haha.  It was my first time trying Van Leewan ice cream and I am pretty sure I will never be able to pass the truck without getting ice cream ever again.

 On our walk to my "secret project" Marissa snapped a few outfit shots of me.

I tried to look as "Brooklyn" as possible, hahahaha.

Here is where I have to stop this story of the rest of the afternoon or else I will give away the secret I am not allowed to share yet.  Don't worry I will spill the beans on Sunday evening. 

On Sunday morning I had brunch with Lauren (my New Zealand roommate) and Beth (another New Zealand friend) in the West Village.  I swung by Lauren's apartment to see her new place, loved it!  She lives in such a great location.  Then we met up with Beth and headed the The Grey Dog.  We hadn't gotten together since April when Dave (another New Zealand friend) visited NY. 

It was a very jam packed weekend and I literally didn't get to sit on the couch and fully relax once (this may also have to do with the fact that I cannot lean my back against anything at the moment, haha).  This coming weekend I am going home and the next weekend we have plans both days, busy busy.  I swear October will be over before I know it.

wedding workout challenge

My summer workout challenge was a total fail, oh well.  Then my fall workout challenge didn't even get off the ground (I know it's still fall).  So I am now going to start a wedding workout challenge.  My wedding is a year away but it is just the motivator I need to finally whip my butt into shape.  I have decided that I am going to take this challenge a little slower than I had planned before.  My end goal is to lose 20 pounds, tighten and tone my legs, butt and arms and feel comfortable with my body.  I know this is totally manageable.  I am going to do the challenge in 3 stages...

Stage 1 (October - December): workout 5 days a week (6 if I'm up for it) for at least an hour each time; try to fit in a yoga class once or twice a week (it can count as one of my 5 or 6 weekly workouts) and clean up my diet (limit alcohol to once or twice a week, eat whole grains and lots of fruits and veggies, avoid sugar and absolutely no candy!) - I will weigh myself each week to track my progress.

Stage 2 (January -June): evaluate my progress in Stage 1, how close am I to reaching my goal?  Do I think the routine I have created in Stage 1 will be enough to reach my wedding weight goal?  What areas haven't been improving?  Once I answer those questions I will decide what diet changes I have to make and how much I need to amp up my workouts.  I might include more workout classes as well.

Stage 3 (July - Wedding Day!): With 2 1/2 months left until my wedding day I will evaluate the progress I have made in Stage 2.  If I have already reached my goal weight by then (phew that would be ideal) then I will focus on maintaining my Stage 2 routine and add some extra weight exercises to really make my trouble areas look great.  If I still haven't reached my goal weight then I just have to amp up my workouts even more and get super strict with my diet.

Phew, its all seems manageable, right?  I think it does.  Maybe I am still on an engagement high but I am seriously feeling great about this challenge and am so ready to make it happen.

happy birthday Dad!

Yesterday was my dad's birthday!  HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY DAD!!!  I love you so much!!! 

Don't worry I did call him yesterday:)  
I wish I could have gone home to see him but I will be going home this weekend instead.  I cannot wait to go home to see my parents!