Wedding on the Brain

Do I have wedding on the brain—or am I just a tad bit hungry?

Here's the cake we're having at the wedding, though ours will be carrot cake with cream cheese icing (an antiqued white color versus this bold assortment of colors). Also try to ignore the little colorful flowers on there...

Mmmm!

Another Beautiful Wall!

My Uncle Harry and his partner, Vern, visited us from Birmingham today with the specific goal of bringing us our wedding gifts. When they planned their visit, I wholeheartedly thought the gift was the painting and the painting only. While this would have been gift enough, they surprised us with some gold and silver chargers off our registry.

It was wonderful to spend some time with them today, as we don't see them often enough and we'll probably not be able to talk as much at the wedding. After sitting back and appreciating Harry's painting for a bit, we went and enjoyed lunch (and live music!) at Sweet Melissa's in downtown Decatur then spent some time meandering around the neighborhood. One of the most notable stops was into Blue Moon Antiques, a cool little shop near the downtown square. The house the shop is located in was so beautiful that the handcrafted treasures, furniture and knickknacks were just additional treats.

Thank you, Harry and Vern, for visiting and for giving us likely the most thoughtful and original wedding gift we'll receive. The painting is even more beautiful than I thought it could be...and it looks phenomenal in the room!

(Note: the painting has already found its permanent home on the wall behind our light brown, leather love seat.)

More Wedding Craft Projects

After an eternity (but a happy, blissful eternity) in Hobby Lobby, I emerged with about $150 worth of project materials. My mission(s):

• Create individual "menu cards" for our rehearsal dinner (see previous post)
  
• Make wedding programs, complete with ribbon bows on the spines
  
• Wrap 8 bridesmaids' gifts, 2 program "attendant" gifts, 8 groomsmen gifts and 2 readers' gifts
  

I also picked up some chocolate brown, satin fabric for the bubble and program baskets as well as some random supplies I thought may come in handy (two sharpies, two different types of tape, etc.).

Too bad I can't talk (yet) about what's in the bridesmaids' gifts. I'm so excited about them! I even put bows on two of the items in each bag. Note: when this is all said and done, I will have tied approximately 250 bows on various items. I can, at least, talk about the way I did the gift wrapping. Since I didn't see many gift bags in our color palette, I opted for some natural kraft bags. I had the relatively creative (maybe?) idea of stamping each bag with a "thank you" stamp. I tried to find a wine or grape stamp but couldn't. Oh well. This "thank you" stamp will be more versatile going forward anyway. Brown tissue paper finished off the bags. The finished results are, in my opinion, pretty sharp looking!

I'm going to handle Dan's gifts for his guys similarly. I bought kraft wrapping paper and brown ribbon to tie up his finished packages. I plan to put a little "thank you" stamp in the bottom, right-hand corner of each gift.

The programs are lumbering along, I suppose. About 50 down, 135ish to go. We printed each program (front and back) and are working on the folding, slitting with an X-acto knife, inserting and bow tying of the ribbons. So far, so good... though this is more time consuming than I thought it would be. But wait! What am I doing instead of working on them? You guessed it. Blogging.

Rehearsal Dinner Menus!

I've been pining to post more about our upcoming wedding; unfortunately so many of the items I've wanted to post about need to stay secret from Dan (wedding hair style, dress, etc.). Today while working on these, I realized I could put up a post about them.

We're having our rehearsal dinner at a casual Italian cafe in the small mountain town where we're getting married. Since we're hosting a large group (approximately 90 folks, comprised of the wedding party and family), the restaurant suggested choosing three entrees for guests to pick from. 

Another suggestion from the restaurant was including a place for our guests to write in their orders. I thought this was a little bizarre at first, but if it helps the restaurant maintain organization, it's worth doing. 

I struggled with whether or not I should include the beer (Amstel Light, Peroni and Newcastle) and wine options (a cab, a chianti and a white TBD). In the end, I decided that those who wish to consume can easily choose when they walk up to the little private/makeshift bar in the dining room. 

So, each guest will have this little menu card in front of him or her—and we'll have a little votive on each linen-covered tabletop.

We'll see how it all goes (six days from today)... 

A New Adventure

So, I decided recently that my blog could really do a better job of having a niche. I have friends and colleagues who have mastered this while I have not.

I've been thinking diligently about what commonalities I have in my life—and I think I found them... shopping and eating.

If you know anything about me, you know I love finding a great deal, whether its a new electronic or a funky piece of clothing. I love to cook and I love to try new restaurants. Blogging about shopping and eating (mostly thriftily) just seems like the perfect fit.

I am not going to abandon my first blog; instead I will continue using it for sharing personal experiences unrelated to the new venture.

Come check me out! http://lifefulfilledatlanta.blogspot.com/

Dan's illness = Katy's viewing pleasure

First things first. I am sad for Dan that he doesn't feel well tonight and is camped up in bed with the lights out. He better feel better soon because we're in our "final countdown" (t-minus nine days); not to mention I care about him quite a bit and don't like to see him under the weather.

I am not sad, however, that I am now able to watch three-plus hours of TiVo-ed girlyness (Project Runway, America's Next Top Model, Top Design and Tim Gunn's Guide to Style). Long live femme television!

Morning Spark Update

I'm not sure if I'm especially tired this morning or if the Morning Spark isn't as caffeinated as I once thought. Another reason for my feeling tired could be the psychology behind coffee. Is it all in my head? Do I need that delicious java taste to feel awake?

There are some pluses to Morning Spark. It has to be more affordable than coffee (about $4.00 for five little containers that make two quarts of caffeinated juice each). A Starbucks pumpkin spice latte puts me back $4—and that's only one morning's fix. 

It's also pretty safe to say that the pink grapefruit juice does less damage to my teeth and my breath than that of coffee. 

Oh coffee... despite the positives in Morning Spark, I miss thee.

Desk Decoration

I thought I would share a snapshot of one of my newest additions to my desk decor, care of one of my clients. Eat your heart out, Megan. (Megan does truck fleet underwriting and thinks she has a great collection of trucks and vans on her desk).

Things I Look Forward to on My Wedding Day

• Marrying my "crush" of two and a half years—the love of my life
• Dancing with my father
• Feeling blessed to have a generous mother 
• Listening to readings read by two of my younger brothers
• Feeling lucky to have my 80-plus year old grandparents in attendance
• Seeing my littlest two brothers dressed up
• Giving donations to meaningful charities in lieu of favors
• Enjoying the company of about 150 of our closest friends and family
• Having my lovely bridesmaids (including my sister, Anna) at my side in their unique chocolate brown, satin dresses
• Smiling nonstop
• Seeing Megan lead the crowd in the "thriller" dance as Michael Jackson plays over the DJ's speakers
• Eating carrot cake
• Overall, making memories to last a lifetime... and having these moments captured on film

Something Not Right About This Picture

Dan and I went to get our marriage license today at the DeKalb County Courthouse. Oddly enough, the marriage licensing department is in the same office as another licensing department.

Hmm....

Cilantro Noodle Bowl - mmmmm nom nom nom

So, I saw a recipe for "Cilantro Noodle Bowl" on 101 Cookbooks (one of my new favorite blogs) and it totally screamed my name. Not only do I L-O-V-E cilantro, I have been dying to test out the food processor Anna gave me as a wedding present (shhh! I'm probably not supposed to use it until after we get married).

The entire cooking process only took about 30 minutes (maybe less), though I do regret "dirtying" so many dishes and apparatuses for Dan in the process. (Thanks for washing everything, Dan!)

Cilantro Noodle Bowl Recipe

For those of you who aren't familiar with baby Romanesco, you can see it in the second photo in this post. Feel free to substitute any other (lightly cooked) vegetable you prefer - many will work well with the buckwheat and cilantro.

8 ounces dried soba noodles

2 - 3 cups baby Romanesco or broccoli florets (I used broccoli, cauliflower and quartered portobello mushrooms totaling about 4 cups)

zest of one lemon

2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

2 large cloves garlic (I used 4)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (I used a whole teaspoon or more since I like the heat)

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

scant 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

12 ounces extra-firm nigari tofu 

(the tofu was fine, though Dan suggested using shrimp next time, which sounds like an excellent idea)

Cook the soba in a big pot of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender - but about 20 seconds before the pasta is done cooking add the Romanesco (or broccoli) to the pot. You want it to barely cook. Now drain and rinse under cold running water. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.

In the meantime make the dressing by combining the cilantro, garlic, cayenne, salt, and olive oil. Blend in a food processor or chop by hand. Taste, adjust for more salt if needed and set aside.

Drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into rectangles roughly the size of your thumb (1/2 inch thick and 1 inch long). Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. Remove from skillet, let cool a bit and if desired cut into matchsticks (as seen in the photo), sometimes I don't bother and use larger pieces instead.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, Romanesco and a couple big splashes of the cilantro dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and gently toss again, add more dressing and a couple pinches of salt if needed. Turn out onto platter and crown with a couple pinches of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Serves about 4 - 6. 

(More wonderful recipes at www.101cookbooks.com) 

A Fabulously Unique Wedding Gift

My Uncle Harry offered up a wedding gift idea that wasn't your typical china place setting or bedroom linens. He asked if we would be open to him creating a painting for us.

After we enthusiastically agreed, Harry got to work on a Georgia O'Keef style painting of a lily. The colors, which he also ran by us, will be perfect for our living room.

The painting was completed a few weeks back. Harry and his partner planned to have lunch with us in Atlanta this past Sunday but had to reschedule because he wasn't feeling well. Instead we'll meet up in two weeks. To satiate my desire to see the finished work, he sent us a picture. The 30'' by 40'' painting is going to look great on our wall!

What a great wedding gift. Thanks Uncle Harry!

Running out of Ideas in Product Marketing

I just read the cap of a Mitchum deodorant/antiperspirant container.

"If your favorite vegetable is a corn dog, you're a Mitchum man."

For even more of Mitchum's interesting ideas, see the company web site and check out the Armpit Orchestra.

http://www.mitchumman.com/

Seriously?

Reunited and it Feels So Good

On Friday night, Dan, Maria, Kyle and I participated in one of America's favorite past times—bowling. We went to the relatively trendy 300 Atlanta (similar to Lucky Strike or Tin Pin Alley, if you're familiar with those).

Our dinner, drinks and prices per game were not cheap, but I do feel that the group enjoyed the outing. I think the highlight of the evening, however, was being reunited with a long, lost love...

The music video.

Oh how I've missed thee! Channels that played music videos in our youth now focus on reality dating shows, pseudo soap operas and other things not pertaining to music videos. Even Total Request Live, a show that goes through the "top 10 music videos" of the day only plays snippets of each video.

At 300 Atlanta, ATL VJ's kept videos flowing and entertaining. After playing some relevant songs, the VJ at the helm mixed things up with "Old School Friday," going through some Naughty by Nature, Aliyah, Snoop, Bel Biv DeVoe, etc., even going so far as to mix one video into another. Each lane had a screen and bowlers were moving and grooving to the music (myself much more awkwardly than the bowlers to our left and right).

I was particularly enamored with Rihanna's newest release, Disturbia. She's hot, the song is fun and the video is fierce. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6zdhHLvT7k

Good News in Twos

When I listened to the voicemail that Steffi Smith, owner of the photography company we're using for our wedding, left this afternoon, I can honestly say I was nervous. She said, "Katy, give me a call when you get a chance." Did she have bad news?

Cariad Photography, Steffi's company, handled our friends' Jeff and Laura's wedding last May. Steffi's business partner, Laura Parente, photographed their nuptials and following celebration. We were fortunate enough to spend some time with Steffi in July, when she invited us to her mountain home for a little weekend getaway. A love for entertaining and an interest in photography encouraged Steffi to keep up this tradition for years.

I dialed Steffi up, picturing her answering the phone at her handcrafted home amongst her dogs and piles upon piles of digital memory cards and photo printouts. She asked me to send some of the wedding readings we'll be doing to incorporate into the handcrafted, one-of-a-kind wedding album she'll be working on for us. We quickly updated one another on our lives and goings on before Steffi spilled out six little words. "I have a surprise for you." 

She elaborated. "I have a surprise for you that I couldn't keep to myself any longer. I have such a tough time keeping surprises to myself."

At this point, I was beyond curious. "Tell me, Steffi, tell me!" I coerced. 

Steffi went on to tell me that she has decided to join Laura on our wedding day—that she and Laura will both be photographing our wedding. She mentioned that she couldn't imagine missing it, so she decided to come, too. 

I can't imagine why Steffi is so excited (she's photographed so many weddings), but I can tell you that I sure am. I hope she has fun, feels the venue is enjoyable and thinks our group is a fun one. What a treat, honor and delight to have them both in attendance! I've been smiling ever since I heard the news.

Two talented, thoughtful and engaging photographers. 

Maybe 15 minutes after hanging up with Steffi, I dropped by That Pottery Place to pick up the custom platter we ordered. The girl managing the shop surprised me by saying they made two platters, allowing me to pick which one I thought looked better. I examined each one, finally deciding that one with a teeny paint smudge was still my favorite because of its antiqued ceramic shade.

While packing it up, this employee said, "Edith said you could have both of them if you liked them both." I nodded and smiled in approval and within moments she was wrapping the large platters in bubble wrap and placing them in a large brown shopping bag. I think we'll keep one "as is" and have the other on hand as our wedding "guestbook."

Two unique platters with the unique wedding logo created by our friend Greg. What a fun surprise!

Because Laura photographed our engagement and not Steffi, I've "borrowed" a photo from her blog, shared below. This is one of Steffi's more creative shots, using self-taught photoshop skills to make life imitate art.

My Recollection and Remembrance

I woke up disoriented. The night previous had not been a late or a wild one. Someone was banging on my door, insisting that I wake up and let them in.

My roommate must have already left for class, as my dorm room was dark and quiet. As I stirred and rose from my slumber, I looked at my alarm clock. "Already past 11! How could that have happened?" I asked myself. After all, I had freshman biology at 11:30 and usually preferred to grab a hearty breakfast before class.

I opened the door, wearing my royal blue Blue Sky Coffee t-shirt and a pair of black athletic shorts. Despite needing to be awake, I was mildly grumpy and in need of a few minutes to adjust to being awake. Missy, my across the hall neighbor in The University of Georgia's Russell Hall, was bombarding me. In a fashion that was loud and panicked, she told me that the World Trade Center in Manhattan had been bombed. She, too, was trying to make sense of what happened.

I barely had a moment to grasp what she'd just said when I looked at her small and dated television, probably an appliance she inherited from her parents when they upgraded to something more modern. Squinting, I could make out the words at the bottom of the screen. Something to the effect of, "Attack on America" rolled across the marquee. Lindsey, another girl on the hall, and Lauren, Missy's roommate, also were awestruck by the news.

After further news coverage, we learned these buildings, which were longtime staples of the Manhattan skyline, were punctured by commercial jetliners. It was not for many years that I saw footage of the planes hitting the buildings and their eventual collapses, as the news stations decided before I woke that morning that the footage was too painful, too graphic to show anymore that day. Even the mental pictures I created in my meekest and wildest imaginations were painful.

Next it was more bad news. Not only had the World Trade Centers endured  irrevocable damage, the Pentagon had also been targeted. Waves of distress again blew through our 32,000 student campus and across our country.

Only a few minutes elapsed before we started hearing (via e-mail and through word of mouth) that classes were canceled for the remainder of the day. Some students, who had early classes, were making their way back to the dorms. No one knew what to do. Some girls went and filled their cars up with gas, unsure of what the attack would do to availability of fuel. Others of us called the Red Cross to see if we should come donate blood. Being hundreds upon thousands of miles away from the disaster, we wanted to help—but having a direct impact was challenging, if not impossible.

Immediate increases in patriotism were seen, reminiscent of how I picture WWI and WWII America. American flags waved from buildings and homes and other red, white and blue memorabilia were placed on vehicles and notebooks. Nearly every television show or commercial mentioned something about our nation remembering 9/11. 

For the next several months, we watched from afar as our nation attempted to rebuild its security and morale. We heard more details about that terrible day's timeline and about the people behind it. Students and other Americans tried to move on, us maybe easier than those in the northeast because we didn't have the constant reminders in our backyard.

In 2005, my mother took me to New York as a college graduation gift. We spoke with two older gentleman at the Empire State Building who saw the hijacked planes collide into the Twin Towers. While I would guess they had been asked about this many times before, they still couldn't seem to shake the reality of it all. We didn't stop by Ground Zero on that trip, but we could see it from some of the taller buildings we visited. 

I didn't know anyone personally affected but still feel a deep sadness to this day. Tears rolled down my cheeks today as a local Atlanta radio station played clips from that dreadful morning. I don't think any soul in our country can forget what they were doing those very moments. We'll hold these memories until the day we die.  

On this, the seventh anniversary since the worst attack on American soil, I say a prayer for the people lost, the families and friends affected, the brave firemen and police officers—and the terrorists so jaded that they could easily take away thousands of human lives.

Bachelorette Party Weekend

I hate that I am just now blogging about this; I only hoped to give the recap the attention it deserved. Not to mention I'm sure I won't do near as superb of a job as my dear friend Mb.

So, the abridged version is that I have wonderful, fabulous, generous and fun girlfriends. Ladies came out en masse for my bachelorette party weekend (Labor Day weekend). I had fun for every moment of the weekend and couldn't have asked for a better "last hurrah" as a single gal. While Dan and his friends were in Charleston, my girls showed off Atlanta's best assets (and their own). Friends came from far, all seemingly equally as excited about the weekend's festivities. For this I was grateful, as they've had many a Katy event they've been invited to. 

Since some friends were already headed to town, I corralled a bunch at our place for Friday evening. Kate joined me early for grocery shopping and a little pre-festivity quality time. We had plans to bowl originally, but as the conversations roared and time elapsed, we realized that staying in and playing a game of "Who's the biggest pervert" (real board game, care of my sister) sounded like the best idea. We laughed; we cried; we had a marvelous time before heading to bed.

Saturday morning brought breakfast and a quick shopping trip to the Ross ("Dress for Less") nearly across the street from our little three bedroom ranch. Before I knew it, it was time to head over to Megan's, where I had no idea what was in store. 

I was welcomed by spinach dip, fresh fruit, drinks, hummus and pitas—and smiling friends, ready to entertain. Megan was a gracious host for the weekend with other friends/family playing generous hosting roles as well. A "sexy gift" shower kicked the bachelorette weekend into high gear. Honeymoon attire, silly games and other unmentionables poured out of gift bags while friends laughed and took photos. Another bride to be, Miss Moeko, seem to like what she saw so much that we may just incorporate a lingerie/sexy gift shower into her upcoming bachelorette weekend.

Before I knew it, Maria was leading me back to a bedroom and asking me to don clothing and accessories from a random "packing list" she'd made for me. I had, of course, been wondering what I would need the following items for: crimping iron, hat, scarf, boots, something animal print, swim suit, pajamas and night club clothes. After following Maria's instructions, I looked in the mirror and questioned my red shorts, zebra top, slouch boots, swimsuit overtop my shirt and cheap cowboy hat atop my head and questioned her fashion sense. After all, I didn't think I was going to try out for the next season of "Rock of Love."

"Whatever could we be preparing for?" I asked myself. Because I enjoy surprises, I suppressed my curiosity and complied. In a few moments time, I was told I would be blindfolded, put into a car and taken on an adventure.

We weren't in the car but for a few minutes before we pulled into a parking spot and unhooked our seat belts. I was really curious at this point. Hearing propellers and jet engines overhead, I asked if we were at the airport near Megan's house. "Wrong," I was told.

The blindfold was removed and I recognized my surroundings immediately! I'd been to this Goodwill many times before. "Since you love a deal more than anyone we know," Maria announced, "we have decided to do a thrift store bachelorette fashion challenge!"

She went on to explain the rules. Three teams would choose an outfit each for me to try and model runway style in the store—then I was to choose a winner. The winning outfit, I was told, was what I would be wearing "out" for the evening.

I browsed the store while the teams hunted the store's aisles. While I was waiting, I found a Theory black button-up top and a black Gap brand trouser skirt (score)! The three teams' final outfits were impeccable and worthy of Bryant Park accolades (okay, maybe that's a stretch). See the photos below in order. 

I really think I would have worn the black, beaded jumpsuit number out (so silly!); too bad a group of effeminate guys, possibly drag queens, staked their claim on the dress before I even got it off my body. Oh well, maybe they have more use for it than I would have. 

What a fun idea. You ladies know me too well!

We trudged on. Dinner (chicken fajitas and beef tacos alongside beans, rice and margaritas) was divine. We prepared for a night out on the town and were picked up by a thoughtful pair (my sister's boyfriend and his cross country coach). Alan drove from out of town to be one of our "taxis," which was very thoughtful.

The gaggle hit up new-ish nightspot Door 44 (a rock-n-roll kind of club) before moving the party to an old standard (Twisted Taco). A series of "dares," put together by Mb, kept the night fun and exciting (not to mention full of great photo opps). Veil and all, I embarrassed myself (and my female companions) through a series of dares, having a great time along the way. 

The early morning came before we knew it. Our chauffeurs picked us up and brought us back to Megan's for some Mexican leftovers and frozen pizza. Time to wake up also came before we knew it, especially since Lauren and I stayed up talking until the wee hours. 

The girls wrapped up the weekend with a Sunday diner brunch/lunch and a planned, lazy poolside afternoon. We worked on our tans, napped, read the latest gossip rags and recapped the weekend. What an ideal end to the perfect weekend. Thank you, ladies, for being so wonderful. I am one lucky, lucky girl. 

In Lieu of a Guestbook

I would venture to say I've been relatively traditional about our wedding planning, the elements of the ceremony and so on and so forth. However, I haven't been able to sell myself on the idea of a traditional guestbook. 

In theory, I like the idea of the photo mat that guests sign (surrounding a nice photograph of the wedding couple) but haven't been able to envision that for us. I fear a true guestbook or a signed photograph would lay in the attic, collecting dust. 

During my guestbook alternative investigations, I thought about having a platter our friends could sign—and I came across this online vendor: Say Anything Ceramics. If it was possible, I wanted to utilize the fabulous "logo" that our friend Greg created for the invitations and other wedding collateral. Say Anything allowed for custom art as well as pre-existing designs offered on their site—but had pricing that I felt could be beat.

After further thinking, I realized we could utilize a local vendor. I called up That Pottery Place in downtown Decatur and asked them if they could handle a job like the wedding platter we had in mind. Edith was delighted to speak with us and asked that we meet her the following day after breakfast to discuss. 

We picked out a large, rectangular platter (I cannot recall the dimensions at the moment) that could fit the number of signatures we needed. Edith told us that the ceramic pen she had in mind was so "user friendly" that we could bake the platter at home after it was signed.  Custom ceramics for dummies, right? Later, we e-mailed her the art as well as the glaze colors we preferred. Customer service was great throughout; not to mention it's nice to support a local business and get great pricing.

Voila! Edith just e-mailed me pictures of the platter, which I can pick up on Wednesday (along with two black ceramic pins). Thanks!

That Pottery Place

412 Church Street
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 371-4557

Addendum to September 2 Post

Piedmont Park 

Quality time with family

Morning Spark!

In an effort to make sure our wedding pictures are as okay as possible (I can't say I'm excited about having my picture taken over and over and over again)... I decided I might as well have white teeth.

Step 1. Check into professional teeth whitening. Dentist cost = $299.

Step 2. See if there are any more affordable options out there. Find out that Sam's Club has a traveling teeth whitening program. Track down phone number, call teeth whitening people and leave two messages. After no return phone call, and hence never finding out which store they would be visiting next, decide to check out other options.

Step 3. Settle on Crest White Strips. Find White Strips on eBay for $8.99 plus shipping.

Step 4. Consider that your morning coffee drinking habit isn't conducive to keeping white teeth or doing a whitening program.

Step 5. Remember that a friend mentioned a caffeinated morning juice. Seek out that juice (Morning Spark) in the grapefruit flavor the friend recommended.

Step 6. Begin whitening regime. Hope that replacing coffee with the less-abrasive-on-the-teeth Morning Spark satisfies the caffeine need and the white strips do their job.

(Note: I will give an update on Morning Spark and its flavor, caffeine level, etc.)

What Have I Amounted to?

I just sent an e-mail (via the Nestle company's web site) to Lean Cuisine to tell them that the "new recipe" for their meat lasagna is not near as good as their previous recipe. 

What have I amounted to? At this rate, in a year, I'll be voting on American Idol and saving my cereal box tops!

One Month From Today

Dan asked me to marry him on August 11, 2007. It seems like only yesterday that I mentioned to him, "we're getting married a year from today!"

Well, the time has passed quickly and now our countdown has reached the one month mark. Even though I've had 13 months to get used to the idea, it's still surreal and fantastic that we'll be getting married. Husband and wife. In sickness and in health. 'Til death do us part.

So many exciting things to come (one month from today, and for this lifetime).

Photo credit: Laura Parente of Cariad Photography

Favorite Things

It's amazing how simple things can really brighten your day or make you smile.

Here are a few of mine:

• The Your DeKalb Farmer's Market in general (see my January 5, 2008 posting)
• Fresh flowers (often bought from the YDFM)
• Fresh (and affordable) produce
• Pencil skirts
• Thrift store bargains, such as pencil skirts
• Ebay finds (recently Crest White Strips Premium for $15 including shipping while they retail for $34.99 at your local Wal-Mart)
• Ross (Dress for Less!)
• Digital cameras and the fun moments captured by them
• Girlfriends (wonderful ones at that)
• Sleepovers and the friends that host them
• Dogs roaming my office
• Craft projects (upcoming: wedding programs)
• Project Runway and its great fan blog
• Friends' and colleagues' blogs 

"And these are a few of my favorite things..."

Pictured here is a $3.99 bunch of lilies from the farmer's market.

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