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:)

parmesan crusted chicken recipe

On Valentine's Day Kevin and I made one of our favorite chicken recipes, Parmesan Crusted Chicken.  It is soooo delicious and just about the easiest recipe ever.  My lovely friend Claudia asked me for the recipe so I decided I should share it here.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

4 tbs dijon mustard

4 tbs olive oil

1 tsp fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

lots of shredded parmesan cheese

I will admit I am never the one who ends up cooking this (Kevin is the cook in this household) so I am just kinda winging it with the ingredient amounts, but I think it's hard to really screw this recipe up.  

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them in a glass baking pan or any baking tray for the matter (I would recommend putting some olive oil in the bottom of the pan to keep the chicken from sticking and also to make cleaning the pan much easier in the end).  Then mix together the mustard, olive oil and fresh thyme and slather both sides of your chicken breasts with the mixture, the more mixture you leave on the chicken the more flavor your chicken will have.  Now take your shredded parmesan and cover each chicken breast in it, as much as you want:)  Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  There you go, easy cheesy!

Kevin and I usually pair this chicken with green beans and rice or sweet potatoes.  Now go make yourself some parmesan crusted chicken and enjoy!

love of my life

I couldn't think of anything to get Kevin for Valentine's Day this year, but then I thought I don't have to get him anything, there are plenty of other ways to show him how much I love him.  So I decided it would be the perfect time for me to participate in an amazing project that Jen's husband Kevin started for her last Valentine's Day.  The project, Love Of My Life, gives people all over the world an opportunity to proclaim their love to their special someone.  To participate all you have to do is print out the "Love of my Life" flyer, take a picture of it somewhere meaningful and then upload it to the website and show it to the love of your life.  Here is the photo that I uploaded for Kevin:)

I thought it was a special and unique way to show Kevin how much he means to me.  Kevin Andrew Fournie is the Love Of My Life!  I cannot wait for September 17, 2011 when we will become husband and wife:)