Here's to 2010

"Do what you love. And do it well. And with those you love. Here's to 2010."

-As seen on Twitter this evening.

Amen to that. Have a glorious New Year's, all!

Target Women

Sean gave me this link to watch these videos by the glorious Sarah Haskins of Target Women. I wish I could sum it all up as eloquently as Miss Haskins, but...you just have to watch.

Back2School!

Broadview Security!

Disney Princesses!

Birth Control!

I will post more later, but here's a final one, dedicated to my soon to be husband (by his request):

DOOFY HUSBANDS!

"So what are you going to do...

...after the wedding?"

Yeah, I get that a lot. Well, first, I'm going to continue to be awesome. Next, I'm going to keep working 40 hours a week and doing pretty much everything I have been doing! In short, that's what I'm going to do after the wedding. I would love to stay home and drink cocktails and wear pearls, but that's what the weekends are for! Seriously though, there are some things that we have been holding off on until "after the wedding", and once they happen, I'll be pretty stoked.

We have talked about adopting a dog. We got very close at certain points. We saw a little cutie pie face or visited a shelter and our hearts just yearn to take a little pup home to love and feed and play with. This requires time and money and a lot of work, though, which meant "after the wedding". So hopefully sometime in the near future I'll have a little bundle of joy to share with you!

Also, I have been researching and fawning over DSLR cameras and will be rewarding myself for all my hard work to get where I am today by taking my glorious United States tax return to put towards a shiny, beautiful piece of joy. There are quite a few events coming up in the next year, including a trip to Greece, that I yearn to capture and learn and share with you! But again, "after the wedding".

I will probably go through a bit of wedding planning withdrawal, like many brides do, depending on their level of immersion in the planning process. But I have a 12-Step Recovery Manual ready for the day I come back from the honeymoon. Just kidding.....kind of....

There are more weddings to attend, time to spend with family and friends, and of course, enjoying time with my new hubby (once I can call him "hubby", of course). So in case you're wondering, that's what I'm going to do after the wedding.

New Header!

So, I find that as a designer, I am never happy with my own header designs. I think I love something, and a few days, weeks, or months later, I look at it and think, "Really? That's the best I can come up with? Let's try this again..."

Combine that with the fact that my entire life, I have redecorated and rearranged various rooms every 6 months or so, and since we have moved in a year and a half ago, I haven't moved anything around (with the exception of the temporary living room adjustments to fit our Christmas tree). So I guess this is the place that I can redecorate and rearrange without Sean coming home and going "What did you do?!"

Which leads me to this afternoon, posting my previous post, and really looking at my blog for what felt like the first time in the past few months....It was so boring. So plain. So....blech. So here's a new look. And be prepared to see some new stuff in the coming months because Santa Sean gifted me with a pen tablet, so I will be mastering that in the next few months. I can't wait to draw all over the interwebs!

Also, tomorrow we're in the teens in our wedding countdown and I just might puke with excitement!

DIY - Pearl & Ribbon Necklaces

I haven't posted much in the way of wedding details and projects because I know some readers are coming to the wedding, and I want some overall "look" things to be a surprise. I do want to post this project however, for any bride or awesome lady looking for an easy gift to make for bridesmaids, friends, or herself! The picture to the left is the inspiration of what I wanted to create...

Some details of note...My bridesmaids range in age by nearly 10 years, so I wanted something classic-looking and elegant, but not your typical wedding jewelry; something they could hopefully wear again with an LBD; and something that I could make especially for them by myself.

Materials:

Beadalon Satin Silver .012 in jewelry string

10mm white pearls - 18 pearls per necklace

Accent finishing beads

18mm ribbon clamp (gold)

Champagne ribbon - 2 1ft. pieces per necklace

Tools: Scissors and pliers

Step 1. Cut an 12-14 inch piece of thread. Tie off one end of the thread to one ribbon clamp. I used a simple square knot, leaving about 2 inches of thread loose with the knot to tuck into the beads. String on a seed bead and a finishing bead, if you choose to use them.

Step 2. Feed the shorter, loose end of thread through the beads, and string pearls on, feeding thread through each pearl until it's completely hidden. Once done stringing pearls and finishing beads, tie the other ribbon clamp as closely to the beads as possible.

Step 3. Fold the edge of the ribbon so the unfinished edge is tucked into the clamp. The clamps have little "teeth" so you don't have to worry about the ribbon sliding out. Give the clamps a good squeeze with the pliers until they can't clamp anymore.

Step 4. You're done!

Merry Christmas!

I wish you and your loved ones, wherever you may be, a very merry Christmas! This has been quite a year. Some wonderful new friends, some oldies but goodies, some who I have never met but I keep close in my heart....You make my life rich in treasures that can't be measured here on earth. You bring me such joy, such laughter, and am blessed to know you, even if it's just glimpses through the interwebs. You all make me want to better myself with each day. Keep on writing, blogging, tweeting, sharing, and loving. I love you all and wish you a joyous holiday season and a peace-filled new year!

Cheers!

Hear Me Roar

I feel like I am conquering the world.

After a surprisingly pleasant week at work that involved some good things, I was ready to tackle this weekend with projects. And tackle it, I did! I managed to get a lot done yesterday before the snowpocalypse, including a Christmas shopping trip, and like most years, ended up buying myself a few new things. Nothing too exciting, but I love hitting Kohl's and Old Navy this time of year and refreshing my sweater collection. I wear sweaters every day in the winter, and I wear them to pieces, so I'm always happy to get some new ones.

My friend Jenn came over yesterday and we cut menu cards together and had a bit of an estrogenfest. She is such a good person and I love her dearly. I'm so happy that she came into my life. I know I don't always love my job, but at the core, it has connected me with some really amazing people. I also gave my unity candle a makeover (the one I originally did looked like an 8th grader art project), and made necklaces for my bridesmaids. That was a fun project, I haven't made jewelry in a long time. The hardest part was finding all the materials!

I am excited for so many things. I finished Sean's Christmas present and can't wait to give it to him. I hope he loves it! I have also been working on restoring my grandparents' and my parents wedding photos, and they look wonderful!

Besides being crazy busy, I've just been trying to pause and take everything in around me. I am a very lucky person, lucky to have the friends and family in my life that I do. Everyone is so supportive and loving, and I'm so grateful to know them. I don't know how I would have gotten through this year without everyone in my life.

This Christmas will be very different. It's my first year not going home. It makes me sad, but also hopeful for the future. Now is the time for Sean and I to begin our life together and make our own traditions. It means letting go of some of our traditions we grew up with, which is hard, but we have very fond memories. We're entering a new phase of our lives, as a new family. He is my person. It's so exciting!

1 month to go!

Christmas: 10 days

Wedding: 1 month

This week has been an interesting one already. For starters, my boss quit, after 3 months of maternity leave. I'll be interested to see how things develop over the next few months at work. The only guarantee is that it will be busy. I have a lot to do in the next 3 weeks to prep for Christmas 2010 sales meetings to be able to leave for the wedding confident that things won't fall apart. I guess it's a strange blessing in disguise that I won't be traveling home for the holiday and will have the opportunity to get a lot of work done while most people take year-end vacation days.

We had an adventure last week applying for our marriage license. We thought we were screwed at one point because the town clerk's office we went to on Tuesday was closed for the special election for the MA Senate seat. Luckily the next town over was not closed - that was after standing in the town selectman's office bawling my eyes out thinking we were screwed. I had taken my last 2 vacation days and Sean's limited days off to travel for this marriage license. The next time we'll both be up is 2 days before the wedding. But we were successful in the end, and that's all that matters.

We had a whole weekend of partying and socializing, and I am looking forward to a peaceful next 10 days.

Just checking in!

I created a badge for World Aids Day 2009 for anyone who'd like to add it to their sidebar, Facebook page, Twitter, etc. Share the message, Respect & Protect!

Life has been bustling along, so I apologize for the sparseness of posts. We had an absolutely lovely Thanksgiving, I had a very nice visit at home with family and friends, and holiday happenings are starting up as of tonight. I am looking forward to this month. We're in a good place with the wedding planning, just waiting for the rest of the RSVPs to come in, and then it's just finalizing and paying up! So I am looking forward to Advent celebrations at church, our Tacky Sweater Christmas Party, watching lots of corny Christmas specials with a mug of hot cocoa, and spending Christmas for the first time away from my family. Since Sean has to work we will both stay down here and have the holiday together. As much as it makes me a bit sad to not be going home and waking up Christmas morning at my parents house, we're moving into a new phase of our life together and he is my family now. It's important to start our own traditions together now!

We got rained out of getting our Christmas tree last night, so we'll be getting it next week instead. I can't wait to have that beautiful glowing, divine smelling thing hanging out in the corner of my living room. It makes the house seem so warm in the coldest of cold months.

I wish you all a blessed December. Stay warm, stay cheerful, and keep in mind those who go without many of life's necessities, those who are ill, those seeking jobs...It's a tough time for many. Let's not take our blessings for granted.

Clay and Water

Last night I realized that I have something going on every weekend until the wedding. On top of that, working 40 hours a week, other commitments through church, babysitting and trying to do some of my own work in the evenings, life seems to be going in fast forward. It's so important to me to not take days for granted. It's easy to wish away the week in anticipation of the weekend.

Life doesn't stop though. It doesn't even pause. It's up to me to catch my breath and allow myself to change and move with what goes on around me. I have a lot of changes happening in my life and while it seems overwhelming, natural progression can be a beautiful thing. I feel like the people who fight change and always want things to stay the same are the ones who end up disappointed.

There's a song that I always turn to when I start feeling like life is going through a bit of a loop-dee-loop. It's called "Clay and Water" by Margaret Becker...

I'm back!

I had a whole post written about recent wedding accomplishments, and couldn't bring myself to post, because frankly, it's not all that exciting unless you are me or my mother. So here's a fun video that Sean sent me yesterday morning to bring some cheer to my week:

Creative Endeavors

I recently began some freelance design work, a very enjoyable collaboration with a new friend, "Miss Rosy". She came to me with the idea for a couple wedding-related blogs, as she's a newlywed (she had a gorgeous Martha's Vineyard wedding last October) and has valuable tips for the bride-to-be and young newlywed. She has begun featuring Boston area weddings at Rosy Love, as well as the project she has enlisted my creative work for, The Rosy Report.

The Rosy Report takes more of a "dish" angle, with fun pop colors and a whole lotta attitude. I have been having a lot of fun contributing to various posts with my illustration, as it has given me a chance to work a creative outlet that I don't normally get to explore in my day to day work. And given the frequency of blog posts, it has given me a challenge to really make the time for myself to illustrate, as well as build my personal portfolio.

I encourage you to take a look. Even if "wedding dish" isn't your thing, it's fun to see what creative things Boston brides are doing (check out this Halloween wedding - I saw some pro-pictures from this past wedding, this girl worked her BUTT off and it was a beautiful wedding!).

Chicken Soup for the Kickass Soul

Tonight I was on my own for dinner, and wanted to try to use some leftovers to create something tasty. Fortunately, I had half a leftover baked chicken breast and some veggies. I didn't expect any other than a hearty chicken soup, but this stuff has a bit of a punch to it, and I am going to toot my own horn here...this might be the best chicken soup I've ever tasted. It didn't even occur to me to take a picture until I was halfway done eating - oops! Hopefully I can recreate it!

This recipe is for one serving, multiply as needed! Also, I apologize for my poor measurement specifications. I don't usually whip out the spoons and cups unless I'm baking. I also don't include nutrition facts because you can usually tell if something's going to be on the leaner or meaner side of things.

Kickass Chicken Soup

3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
2 large carrot, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms
1/2 chicken breast (pre-cooked), cut into small pieces
2 cups of gluten free, low fat chicken broth
sea salt and pepper to taste (I use about 5 twists to the grinder on each)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 dashes of sage
1 dash of cumin
2 dashes of ground paprika
1 dash of ground cayenne pepper

Directions: In a deep frying pan, melt butter over low heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and mushroom, season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft. Add chicken broth, chicken and other herbs and spices. Stir and then let simmer over medium heat for 35-40 minutes. Serve hot.

The little touch of cayenne gives this soup a kick like none other you've tasted, I promise. It's so good for a cold night, it's chock full of vegetables and protein, and it really tastes flavorful and satisfying. I am a soup person at heart (nothing makes me happier than a big bowl of clam chowder, any day of the year), so I was very surprised by the crazy delicious flavors making their way from my bowl to my mouth. I wish I had made more than one serving so I could bring more for lunch tomorrow!

This could easily be made as a crock pot stew, add a little rice to bulk it up, and you'll have a great, hearty fall meal to serve your family. Or to, you know, horde to yourself. I don't judge.

Toasted Rosemary Focaccia Bread with Bruchetta

I am currently working my way through Bethenny Frankel's book, Naturally Thin, and among many of the tips she has, one of the greatest so far is choosing quality over quantity. In other words, why would you subject yourself to 2 or 3 cups of unsatisfying coffee made with skim milk and artificial sweetener when you can sip and really enjoy one cup of coffee with a dash of whole milk and a teaspoon of real sugar? Many of her points have been hitting home as I read and think about my own dietary choices that I know I frequently make (or give in to). So I am finding ways to enjoy my food, become a pickier eater, and in turn choose quality over quantity.

Today I made a very simple afternoon snack that was filling, satisfied my taste buds and satiated my desire for something crunchy and delicious. I have realized recently that I am more of a salty/savory person than a sweets person, so it's important for me to find healthy and delicious ways to satisfy those cravings without breaking out a bag of chips with salsa.


Toasted Rosemary Focaccia Bread with Bruchetta

1/5 loaf of Trader Joe's Rosemary Focaccia, cut in half

Olive oil (I use EVOO spray)

2 heaping teaspoons of Trader Joe's Bruchetta

You can use a toaster oven, or I use my conventional oven (preheated to 350) so as to not cross contaminate Sean's gluten-free toaster.

Lightly spray a coating of olive oil onto slices of bread. Place on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 10 minutes until crunchy. Spoon bruchetta onto pieces of bread and enjoy warm!

Dinner Option: Top it off with a couple fresh basil leaves and shredded mozzarella. You'll have two healthy slices of pizza that won't leave you hungry or unsatisfied!


The bread is so crunchy and the combination of flavors between the bread and bruchetta is absolutely delicious! Much more satisfying than mindlessly munching on corn chips all afternoon, and it will keep me full until dinnertime. Also, with something higher quality like this, I don't want to spoil the flavor, so I enjoy with a nice tall glass of ice water, instead of the beer I typically drink with chips.

Enjoy!

I Broke Down

No, not in a fun, to hell with it splurge on that $100 pair of shoes way. I hit my limit and bubbled over. And poor Sean had to witness it.

I've been so good. I have not to my knowledge gone bridezilla on anyone. I have made what I consider to be sound chocies when it comes to planning various elements of the day. I even had my times of glory (see previous entry re: invitations). But I broke. And you know what it was over?

Envelopes.

No, not the idea of my dress fitting next week. Not the struggle to save with the holidays and many social opportunities approaching. Not because my job has been busy and I haven't been getting enough sleep. Envelopes.

See, I had come to accept that my handwriting just won't cut it for addressing envelopes (calligraphy was never in my budget and is an unnecessary expense, really), and that I had seen many other girls mention that they printed theirs at home on the printer. Piece of cake! Well, not for me apparently. I was ready to go home and run an envelope smoothly through the printer and have it come out gloriously printed in my favorite Edwardian Script font.

Except, it didn't fit. Word wouldn't let me custom size the document, and the 9 or 10 times I ran the test envelope through the printer, I got error messages and nothing but a mangled envelope.

I didn't rant or rave. I just broke. I was defeated. Sean tried his best to help me figure it out, and it became clear we would not solve this issue in one night. I broke out the calligraphy sharpies and started practicing writing with them, which only got me more depressed.

So Sean, the magnificent man he is, hit play on iTunes, swept me up in his arms, and slow danced me around the office. We probably looked like a couple of fools, trying to waltz, giggling over our clumsiness. And he successfully saved me from a night of misery and reminded me just why we're doing all of this. Because he is my better half. He lightens my load and makes my heart dance.

Envelopes be damned, I won't be defeated again!

I am a creative genius.

Yesterday, I had one of those experiences where everything in your mind comes together and you realize that in that moment in time, you are a creative genius. Some people experience it directing or choreographing a show, when all of a sudden, it just works. Or you're a cook and you've been missing that little taste that makes your dish perfect. You add it, taste it, and you know you've got a winner.

That happened to me yesterday. Standing in the aisle of AC Moore, looking at beautiful swatches of scrapbooking paper, I found the element to tie it all together. I am a creative genius.

For the past couple months I have been trying to figure out how to package my invitations within the envelope in a way that I imagine people pulling them out and gasping at the sweet beauty. "But Shannon," you say, "it's just paper." Yes, it is paper, but it's so much more! It's literally the first impression that the wedding guests will have of the kind of day it will be. It sets the tone, the formality, and gives a glimpse into the couple's romance, if done well enough.

Words that I have used to describe the feel for our wedding have been rustic winter romance. I never considered incorporating blue and silver and snowflakes into my decor (not that there's anything wrong with those things), because that's not the feeling I want accompanying our day. When I picture our day, I picture our families and friends coming together, cozying up on the dance floor while a soft snow falls outside. Cheerful chatter and laughter while cocktails or cocoa are sipped by the roaring fireplace at the tavern. The flicker of light from the hurricane globes, accented by the evergreen wreaths speckled with pepperberries. Everything I picture is warm and joyful. Blue and silver don't do that for me.

So yesterday, I became a true dork/creative genius, because I found the perfect paper to work into my invitations to pull all the elements together. The color, the season, the design...I can't wait to share pictures. I hope my vision comes to life as I imagine it! I am still in the process of cutting and assembling. It will probably take this whole week to finish, as I am cutting each by hand. It is tiring, but when I think about my grandmother, or a friend I haven't seen in forever, opening that envelope and sliding out the bundle of paper, I can't help but smile.

It just works.

Dress Up!

Sean messaged me at lunchtime to tell me I got a "poofy package" in the mail, to which I cried out "MY CRINOLINE!"

Yes, I get that excited over layers of itchy tulle.

I ran in the door when I got home, shimmied out of my skirt and pulled the hot mess of poof up over my black stockings.It fits! Not bad for a $25 e-bay purchase, if I do say so myself. I told myself I wasn't going to spend any more than that on something I was only going to wear for one day... I actually started thinking maybe I'd have a little girl someday who would play dress up in "mommy's wedding clothes". Or a little boy, I grew up doing theater and know that boys like to play dress up just as much as any girl.

There are so many things that I'm doing for our wedding that help reality settle in more and more, but I must say, it's the trying on of pieces of the ensemble that have made me the most giddy. What girl doesn't dream of having that one day where you get to wear the dream dress, the shoes, the jewelry... It's starting to feel magical!

So here's a little bit of me being a tool in my tulle. And yes, I know it's wrinkly beyond imagination. It's still awesome.

Paper, Paper Everywhere!

I swear one of these nights I will dream of a land made entirely of paper, where I slide down rainbows of paper while origami butterflies, birds and flowers twitter about. I swear...

I am elbow deep in printing wedding invitations right now. I wish I could post some pictures or scan them, but I don't want to spoil it for the readers who will be receiving them in the mail (keep an eye out, they're mailing November 9th!) and I don't need any wedding crashers (although if you went through the trouble to crash my wedding, maybe I'd give you some cake and a handshake). I am actually very pleased with the print quality of my handy dandy HP Officejet. So pleased with the color match quality that upon visiting our venue last week and picking out linens, I held up my mock- up invitation to the napkins I picked and was immediately convinced that I need to make menu cards.

*facepalm*

Menu cards in addition to the invites, Mass programs, directions sheets, escort cards, table numbers... Luckily, I love doing this sort of thing, and it will make the day so much more ours than just a cookie cutter wedding. Even if no one else notices, I'll look around and know the work that went into all this paper and be proud of myself.

And then I'll eat cake.

Shiver Me Timbers!

This morning on the drive to work, I was listening to my favorite classic rock station down here (there aren't many to choose from) out of NYC, and in the weather report they said possible flurries today and tomorrow. Nothing will accumulate. There isn't even a guarantee of flurries, but it will be cold and we'll be getting some effects of the nor'easters that have been making their way across the country.

Most people will curse the high heavens for this, lamenting over a short, cold and wet summer. Call me crazy. Call me an overexcited winter bride. There is something about the first truly frigid day of the year that warms my soul. I love being from New England and experiencing different seasons. I love breaking out all my sweaters and scarves and boots and rocking my thick stockings with a cute wool skirt. I love drinking hot cocoa or a cinnamon latte and seeing my breath dance in the frosty air.

I love using a snowfall as an excuse to take my time driving back roads to work and enjoying the winter wonderland that Mother Nature lays before me. Little crystals of ice make an average tree look gorgeous, like something you see in a 5th Avenue department store window display.

I don't even mind a cold, fall rain, because it means snuggling up under a blanket on the couch, drinking tea and watching the latest Netflix on a Saturday afternoon. The laundry and dishes can wait. The bed can stay unmade. Just let me enjoy this...

It Was 7 Years Ago

7 years ago, it became pretty clear that I'd found the man of my dreams. Of course, we were just starting our freshman year of college, so one couldn't be too certain, but I definitely hoped.

Now looking back, I don't know how I ever got so lucky. We've been through a lot. We've had incredibly rough times, and incredibly joyful times. And I am sure that the best is yet to come. I am slightly saddened that this dating anniversary may not be as meaningful once we're married. But my hope is that we'll continue to celebrate this weekend every year as the time when we fell in love (for the first time and again after a tough break up period).

I won't gross you all out with a sappy list of things I love about him, because he already knows I love everything. Every damn thing. The good and the bad, for better or for worse. You're stuck with me, m'love. You're my best friend and my partner in crime. Here's to 7 x 70 more years together.

Southwest Chicken & Rice - Crock Pot

1 package of chicken tenderloins
1 container of fresh salsa (I use Trader Joe's Mild Fresh Salsa)
1 small onion
a handful of mini button mushrooms
1 cup of brown rice
1/2 cup of corn
1 red bell pepper
Salt & Pepper to taste

Roughly chop onion, and cut button mushrooms into 1/4 pieces. Combine chicken (season with salt & pepper to taste), onion, mushrooms and entire container of salsa into crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Prepare rice. Chop red bell pepper into small pieces. Spray a sautee pan with olive oil and cook pepper and corn. Combine with rice and mix.

Serve chicken with salsa, onions and mushrooms over the rice/pepper/corn mixture. Enjoy with a margarita.

Gluten Free

:)

Wedding Update

With 101 days to go, everything seems to be picking up speed this month. I have a busy 3 months ahead of me because starting next week, I have no choice but to get things done in a certain order and time frame in order to save my sanity.

Sean and I are heading up to Boston on Monday, which is our 7 year anniversary! The plan is to squish as many little visits into 2 days as possible. We also have two major appointments to make on Tuesday. We'll be picking out and buying our wedding bands, and then we have our tasting and "details" meeting at the reception venue with our mothers. I can't wait to taste the dishes we've picked out. They sound incredibly tasty in the description. I won't list them here, since some readers are guests and I don't want to spoil all details.

With picking out our menu, I need to finalize the invitations next week, print them, and cut them out so we can mail them by the first week of November. We then have a meeting with our priest at the end of the month, after which I can finalize the mass programs and get those printed. The first week of November I have my hair and makeup trial, and I need to find a seamstress and schedule a fitting for that afternoon so I can see everything together. Which means I need to find my undergarments that I'll be wearing with the dress...

And the weekend after that I get to party it up with my favorite ladies!

I think what keeps me sane is at the end of the day, when Sean and I are just hanging out, eating dinner, snuggling on the couch, I'm just so excited to be his wife, and for him to be my husband. It has felt like such a long time coming, I can't wait to begin this part of our life together.

Cheers!

Stealing The Modern Gal's horoscope for today...

"Sensing that now is a time for new activities and encounters, you'll find ways to break from daily routines. Don't hold back."

A-freaking-men.

26 Years Young

26 years ago today, I came into the world naked and crying. Thankfully, that is not the case today.

I am glad to have had another year full of blessings and laughter. Each day I am more and more grateful for the people I have in my life, family and friends, who have made me rich with joy and happiness. It sounds corny, but I sometimes have to just pause because people take my breath away. I don't know why I am so lucky.

This past year was amazing. The big moment for me was Sean's proposal, followed by my niece Bailey being born in December. My parents celebrated their 32nd anniversary, my brother and sister-in-law celebrated their second, and my sister and brother-in-law celebrated their fifth last weekend. The wedding planning has been very calm and just this past week seemed to jolt into fast forward.

The year ahead....so much to look forward to. I know it'll be a fantastic year, for many, many obvious reasons. I love that I get my "New Year" in October because it's just the best darn month kick off celebrating life.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go call my mom and wish her a Happy Mother's Day.

Cheers!

Rocktoberfest Badges

At the request of The Modern Gal, I created some badges in celebration of Rocktoberfest '09! Feel free to right click and save to upload to your blog, or use the direct link. Spread the love, and credit me where necessary - no design stealin', folks! That wouldn't be in the spirit of Rocktober!

A little naughty Rocktober school girl...

http://tinyurl.com/y9anvpt





Kind of girly, this is my personal fave...

http://tinyurl.com/y9drwvf




And for those anxiously awaiting New Moon...A little Rocktober Moon.

http://tinyurl.com/ydaugus




I have a few more ideas and requests to put into action, so if you don't like what you see, hang in there! There's more to come!

Rocktober

It's here folks, the absolute best month of the year! So much to celebrate this month, I don't know where to begin. I guess I'll begin with my birthday, which is Saturday (a little attention-whore plug there...). After that, Sean and I will celebrate 7 years together on the 12th, my brother AND brother-in-law's birthdays on the 14th, Sean's bachelor party is the 17th (I'm not going of course, but I'm excited for him and get to have a girl's night!), and so many friends birthdays.

Besides the sheer number of significant dates, it's a fantastic time of year to enjoy the cool crisp air, the delicious harvest based crock pot recipes, the football, the pumpkin ale. It's the prelude to the holiday season when you break out your most fabulously comfy sweaters and most fabulously stylish knee-high boots and stockings.

I am going to have a Rocktober, for sure. Who'll join me? My friend The Modern Gal initiated Rocktoberfest last year, and I'll be creating a badge for you to post wherever you feel like spreading the Rocktoberfest word later this evening. Stay tuned!

I threw away my scale.

Well, it's not in the trash yet. It's on the back porch, waiting for trash day to come around, but it's not in the bathroom, tucked in the corner behind the toilet. It's out of sight, and for the first time in a while, it's not the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning. See, I came to the realization yesterday that every day for the past I don't know how many years has started with me dragging my sorry butt out of bed into the bathroom to shower. I strip off my clothes, step on the scale, and decide what kind of day it will be based on that number. Will I have to try to eat a smaller portion at lunch or dinner? Will I feel super guilty when I give in (and I KNOW I'll give in) and have that pumpkin spice latte? Will I be pleasantly surprised and then binge in celebration?

I'm tired of it. It's a number. A freaking number that I've allowed myself to become defined by on a daily, sometimes two or three times daily basis. I'm done. I'm tired of "changing my lifestyle". I'm tired of being part of that group that says we're dieting but when we go home we drink wine and have an extra large helping of mashed potatoes and then giggle the next day and say "Oh well! Today's a new day, right??"

That's no way of living. In fact, it's reckless. I've been casting aside the responsibility of taking care of myself because I make excuses and say I can try again tomorrow. It's not about tomorrow. It's about today, and living and breathing now. I am sick and tired of worrying. I have today's number, and another number from 8 years ago that was my goal. Well, 8 years ago, I didn't have a chest or hips. And I wouldn't trade either of those things today for a lower number.

I will eat what I want, exercise the way I enjoy to, and learn to stop feeling guilty about choices that I make. How are you supposed to enjoy living with the level of guilt that half of us carry around day to day?

So I'm done with numbers. Done with THE number. It feels fantastic!

Come Rain or Come Shine...

As promised, some photography from this past weekend's wedding...

Heralds greeted us at the church and boat...Inside the church...Here comes the bride...Snacking before the reception...Cruising around lower Manhattan...First dance...A surprise for the guests; aerial photos of everyone on the deck at sunset. EPIC...Burlesque garter dance...Mad Men-esque (my new favorite show).

Odds 'n Ends

First of all, no I don't want to discuss the Pats loss to the Jets on Sunday. Both teams played well, and Jets fans can enjoy the glory while it lasts. My only hope is that they lose next week so Sanchez's ego deflates a little. His post-game press conference was a bit too smug for my taste.

We went to a wedding this past weekend for our friends and it was absolutely beautiful. I will post a few pictures here later.

My girlfriend from college is coming to visit this weekend and I am so excited because I have seen her twice since graduating. She has been in Scotland getting her masters degree the past two years, and she is going bak in January after our wedding. I can't wait to see her and catch up with her. She's one of those great friends that you might only see once in a great while but they are still one of your best friends in the world.

My birthday is a week from Saturday! I'll officially be in my late 20s, and frankly, I'm looking forward to it. Maybe I'm the only woman in the world who is ok with getting older, because I don't consider years a factor in age.

I skipped crock pot cooking this past weekend, but I promise I'll figure out something tasty to post this weekend!

Something more substantial to come...All I have for now is HAPPY FALL! And why is it 80 degrees?

4 months till Mrs.!

I am officially in full wedding planning mode, which is funny, because all the big stuff is booked and planned, now it's just details and execution. Sean surprised me yesterday with booking the limo, which was the last big vendor we needed to check off the list, so now it's really on me to get the invitations and paper items done, to confirm details and make any final choices or changes. I'm not feeling stressed or nervous, but every week that goes by I get more an more excited. I can't help but be amazed that it's all really happening. When did I get so lucky?

The little things are starting to occur to me. Everytime someone at works asks me what Sean's last name is and then they say my name with his last name, I realize I will really be entering a new phase of life. When I see people with babies, and realize that sooner rather than later (compared to 7 years ago when we got together) that will be us. And we'll be on the same insurance, bank accounts... It's a lot of change! But definitely good changes. It's all part of progressing as a couple. If we didn't grow and change together, life would be pretty boring.

This weekend we have a wedding to go to for our friends. Sean went to college with the groom, and they are such a fun, awesome couple. They're the first of Sean's college group to get married, so this is going to be quite a party on Saturday. I am so excited to be able to celebrate the day with them and the rest of our friends. And even more excited perhaps to see Sean decked out in his new 3-piece suit...

It is Time

It is ONE of the most wonderful times of the year in approximate 10 minutes.

The wings are in the oven, there's a Sam Adams in my hand, and my jersey is on.

#12 has been such an anticipated comeback from his injury last season, and I know he won't disappoint. And even with my #1 man Bruschi retired, I get to gloriously enjoy him now that he's employed by ESPN.

Life is good.

GO PATRIOTS!

Sucky-inny Underthings

I did it, ladies. I caved. I gave in to the fact that in 26 years, I have developed some curves that need some TLC if I ever want to wear a nice dress and not look like the Michelin Man. I'm through sucking in and adjusting every 2 seconds.

I bought a sucky thingy. That's what I'm calling it, because that's what it is. It starts right under the twins, and goes down to about mid-thigh, shorts style. It claims to control your midsection, butt, and thighs, and you don't even need to wear undies and worry about pantylines. I also bought a pretty dress to wear to a wedding next weekend, and wearing the two pieces together, I feel like a new woman!

I also kind of feel like Bridget Jones, with the completely unsexy underthing that no man should ever see. Luckily, I know who I'm going home with at the end of the night.

Fresh Salad, 95% Homegrown

I feel like a proud mama.

Let me explain...Over the weekend, Sean and I were discussing all the exciting things we could do for Labor Day. Last year, we went to Dick's and got fishing poles, licenses, and chilled out by the local lake, watching the bobbers bounce across the water. The year before that we went to Staten Island for a pool party barbecue. Considering we spent most of our weekend energy partying it up in New Jersey with friends who are getting married next weekend, the best we could come up with this year was to go out and give the yard one final hurrah of trimming, cutting, raking and weed-pulling.

One hour and one bee sting later (poor Sean!), our yard looked astronomically more presentable than it had due to three solid weeks of neglect.

Before: The hedge looked like Edward Scissorhands hair. The garden looked sad and ignored (because it was indeed sad and ignored. And bee infested.).





























After: You can't tell much of a difference from the pictures, but if this cooler weather keeps up, we'll probably only need to mow once more. But I digress...

So in my weeding of the garden which I had all but given up on (I could only weed about half because of all the bees, I think I counted 10), I came to realize that we had a good portion of fat green beans, lettuce, and one juicy red tomato. So I challenged myself when I got home today to make something healthy, no cooking, and only ingredients we already have.

Since it's been a while since we had a good grocery store trip, I decided on salad from the garden. I combined lettuce, green beans, chopped tomato, and chopped fresh basil from my kitchen (which although sad and a little wilty, I have not yet killed). I added a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts, a dash of cracked black pepper and a dabble of dijon mustard and olive oil.

I'll be honest, it's not the most delicious thing I have ever tasted, but knowing that about 95% of it was picked from our backyard and my little basil plant, it makes it that much more satisfying to eat.

But now it's time to stop blogging and settle in for some So You Think You Can Dance and GLEE! Until next time, cheers!

White Wine and Apple Cider Vinegar Porkchops and Potatoes

As requested in a comment on my previous post, here's the recipe for porkchops and potatoes that I made this past Sunday. I didn't follow a recipe, so the measurements are more eyeballed than exact.

Allow 5-6 hours cooktime on low in crock pot, 3-4 hours on high.

4 1" thick porkchops
4-5 russet potatoes, sliced 1/4-1/2" thick
2 small onions, one quartered, 1 cut in 1/4" slices
1/2 cup chardonnay
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic, minced or ground (whichever you prefer)
salt and pepper to taste (I use sea salt and cracked black pepper, but ground works too)

Season porkchops with salt, pepper, and a light sprinkle of nutmeg and rosemary, set in bottom of crock pot (I use my small crock pot and do two layers of 2 chops). Wedge onion quartersin betwee and on the sides. Place onion slices on top of porkchops. On a separate plate, season potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Simmer chardonnay, apple cider, nutmeg and rosemary until it bubbles, approx. 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in water. Add mixture to crock pot, and place sliced potatoes on top. Cook on low for approx. 5 1/2 hours.

Note: You will be tempted to lift the cover and smell frequently. Keep in mind that this will add to your cooktime if too much heat escapes!

The porkchops are incredibly tender, but I was more surprised by the potatoes, as they retained more of the apple flavor. You can adjust any way you'd like, if you have a different white wine preference (I prefer chardonnay for cooking, it's a bit more bitter).

I am hoping to try this recipe again soon, but instead of white wine and cider vinegar, with cinnamon apple sauce. And maybe another time with an apple reisling, for a much sweeter meal. It's the wonderful thing about fall, there are so many delicious smelling and tasting flavors to use.

Enjoy!

Fall Festivities

This is my favorite time of year for many reasons. Not only is my birthday fast approaching, but it's the time of year Sean and I got together and fell in love, there is delicious pumpkin spiced beer and lattes and candles (oh my!), the air gets cooler and I can break out my sweaters and knee high boots, and most importantly....

Sundays. There is nothing that beats a Sunday in the fall. Starting next week, there will be football, dinner in the crock pot, and lazy afternoon for the next 12 weeks or so. I love throwing food in the crock pot and letting it warm up the house with it's delicious smells. I love having a beer at 2 in the afternoon watching the Pats. I love taking walks around the lake and smelling the leaves starting to decay and crisp.

We have quite a busy fall ahead of us. We're going to the Norwalk Oyster Festival next weekend with our friend for her birthday. I might try my very first oyster! We have a wedding the weekend after that, including a reception cruise around Manhattan (can't wait!), plus many Oktoberfest type activities. It sadly means Sean is back to his crazy work schedule for football season, but it means quiet time for me on the weekends if I need it.

Last week we kicked off the crock pot season with full chickens soaking in beer and spices. This week, I have porkchops and potatoes simmering in a white wine and apple cider vinegar reduction with nutmeg and rosemary. Sound yummy? It smells divine! I love cooking and even more I love eating what I cook, so I am always on the lookout for new recipes. Let me know if you have any you particularly love!

Wedding Tidbits

So as promised, I will attempt to condense all wedding type updates into one. The past two weeks saw a few significant "checks", so here goes...

While I was on vacation I got a lot of little do-it-yourself project done, including our card box, our unity candle, and a little something for our out-of-towner welcome bags. I wasn't feeling as gung ho motivated as I thought I would, so I didn't get to any fabric stores to look for lace. That'll be on the back burner.

Wedding Rings

Last weekend we had 3 somewhat major things. First, we went to look at wedding rings. We both found ones we really like, but don't *love*. I liked this palladium band with simple leaf engraving (palladium wears the same as platinum, but is less expensive). Sean was really drawn to the Celtic knot bands, in particular a two toned band with the knot for "Serenity". I've been thinking more an more though about a plain band in platinum, no decoration. So we'll be making another trip to the jeweler in a couple months.

"Let the eat cake!"

We had our cake tasting on Saturday morning, and I love our cake vendor so much because not only do they have a delicious gluten-free chocolate cake, but they're throwing it into our cake package for free, and it's a cake that will feed 20 people! This is great, because the flavors I picked are not chocolate. The big cake will be four tiers, ivory buttercream frosting with champagne pearls and swag, and a pile of chocolate seashells on top. The bottom tier will be Strawberry Grand Marnier, with white cake, and white chocolate mousse filling with fresh cut strawberries. Yum. I should also add that all their cakes are tortes, so there are three layers of cake and two layers of mousse per tier. The second and third tier is tiramisu, and the top tier which I will eat on our anniversary is carrot cake.

I didn't think I would get so excited about cake, but I would say it was one of the most fun experiences in planning so far, other than trying on dresses. Number one, I got to eat cake, and a lot of it! Because of Sean's allergy, I was the only one who could taste the cakes, and they give you an entire slice of cake! From watching wedding shows, I was prepared for a little bite. Nope, I got 8 whole slices of cake folks. At 10 in the morning. I had a crazy sugar high, but I'm not complaining. It was comical though, because every other couple had brought their parents, or one of two people from the wedding party. But our table was just Sean with his chocolate cake, and me with my 8 pieces of cake piled in front of me.

Bridal Shower

Once we were done with the tasting, I dropped Sean off with my brother so they could have a man-day golfing, and went with my future mother-in-law to my bridal shower in the afternoon. It had not been a surprise, but I was still nervous. I consider myself an incredibly social person, but the idea of many people being gathered who don't necessarily know each other, but all know me, was well, overwhelming. I wanted to be a good hostess and tried to spend time with everyone there. It was absolutely lovely. Although it was hot out, my mom, "FMIL", and my favorite ladies worked very hard on putting together a beautiful shower, with lots of iced tea, finger foods, and a candy bar!

Everyone was incredibly generous with gifts. The day seemed like such a blur, but once we got home and I was writing thank yous this week, it really gave me a chance to reflect on the day and each person's thoughtfulness. I got very emotional! I know the state of the economy is making things hard for a lot of people right now, and I never expected to see such a party with so many wonderful women in attendance. I was humbled and felt so loved.

Here are some pictures of the details that went into the special day...

Cake made by one of the mom's from my brother's baseball team.













The Boston/seaside themed candy bar!
-Saltwater taffy
-Rock candy
-Boston baked beans
-Peppermint swirls
-Chocolate malt balls







Candy bags made by "FMIL" and a friend of the family












4 types of iced tea












Favors - Mugs with tea and honey sticks

Setting Up Shop

In an effort to expand my creative outlet and (hopefully) start making some extra money, I am setting up a shop with Etsy! I am very excited because I think it'll be a great way to put myself out there as an artist. At the same time, it's very scary, because making money is entirely dependent on someone seeing your work, liking it, and liking it enough to buy it. I have seen SO many things on Etsy that I would like to buy, but I have yet to actually take that step.

Anyways, I started this project at the beginning of the spring, including building a website to act as a portfolio/small business. Right now everything is very bare bones. So the next step is the "beefing up" step. I need to produce as many pieces as possibly in the next couple months, and I am marketing myself across a wide variety, from painting to photography prints to ink drawings to assisting with wedding stationary needs. Yeah, you can call me crazy now.

Another step I need to take, which I half-assed back in June, is draw up my goals; personal goals as an artist, and business goals as someone who is looking to run a business. The ultimate goal is to be self-sufficient enough to do this full time. I don't know if that will ever happen. But it's worth a try. And boy, I am ready to try, try again as many times as necessary.

For tonight, I have hit my brick wall. However, I will set a goal right here, and I will start small.

This weekend:

• 3 inked drawings, finished and photographed
  
• Photograph my paintings and add to website portfolio
• Finish 2 graphics I have been putting off
• Make a generic version of our wedding stationary components, in 3 different color schemes and font families

Cheers!

Shazzie

Over-socialized Nation

Disclaimer: I use Facebook as the prime example here because it is so universally used and active. Twitter and other social networking devices are also relevant, but may not be the best example for my thoughts at this time.

This post stems from a conversation I had over the weekend with my future mother-in-law on the drive to my bridal shower. She is a very wise and thoughtful woman and I can always count on her for sound advice and food for thought. The discussion of Facebook came up, and how it has changed the nature of relationships forever. She said it used to be that people would come and go from your life. Like one of those thoughtful coffee mugs, some people are meant to be in your life for a short time, some people forever. When someone leaves your life, for whatever reason be it the move, a breakup or divorce, or just drifting apart, it's necessary to be able to separate yourself from that person in a way that allows you to move on with your life, and them with theirs.

I spent the past hour-commute home from work thinking about this, and I can't help but think she's exactly right. Relationships have changed, and life as we used to know it has changed, for better or for worse. We have adapted to a culture of over-socialization. Everything is instant these days. Since the rise of email and cell phones, it has been expected that you could be in touch with any given person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It has changed the workplace. I have witnessed my boss being called while he's on vacation to answer another coworker's question. I don't know of anyone who can say they have lost productivity for a day because they've been sucked into Facebook or a Youtube video. Or blogging. *smirk*

The Good

Facebook does have it's benefits. In just the past year, nearly my entire immediate and extended family have joined, allowing us to all be connected and keep in touch easier. When you have over 20 first cousins on your dad's side alone, this is important. Another benefit is the ability to quickly share news, raise awareness, and promote small business and personal meaningful projects. For example, while walking my all-night security patrol 2 weekends ago, I checked Facebook on my Blackberry at 2:00 am and saw that one of my close friend's aunt had died in an accident and she was flying to Florida at 6 am that morning. I quickly sent her a text telling her how sorry I was and that she and her family would be in my thoughts and prayers. I have seen many groups pop up that raise awareness or act as fundraisers for important causes, such as Breast Cancer, MS and Lymphoma walks, and a benefit concert for a local boy who died which will raise scholarship money for a graduate of the music program. I have seen numerous friends (and a couple family members) start up their own businesses recently, and Facebook is a great way to let people know you're out there, what you do, and hopefully take off in a very competitive, oversaturated business world.

The Bad

This mostly applies to the conversation mentioned above with "FMIL". While reconnecting with old friends can be fun, there are times when people should be less exposed to each other. People have nasty breakups or divorces, or a falling out occurs and friendships end, yet you can't get away from each other. You still have mutual friends, you see each other in pictures from your friends albums, and it's hard to process the feelings that are necessary to move on with your life. My uncle joked once that his "Friend Suggestion" box kept suggesting he befriend his ex-wife, with whom he had a very tough divorce. It may seem funny on the surface, but it must bring up some very painful feelings any time he sees her name or picture. Also think of the many people who are grown up, married, with families, and all of a sudden an old flame from high school or college re-enters their life. I would like to see a study on how many healthy marriages have strained or ended because these people have quickly and easily come back from the land of lost love. And friendships ended...this one touches my life personally, as I "unfriended" people I have tried to separate myself from, yet with so many mutual friends, I still see them in pictures, wall comments, and events. How are you expected to move on when everyday, reminders of tough times gone by pop up in the seemingly harmless News Feed of infinite updates?

The Ugly

Here's where it gets interesting. I will preface this by saying I am equally guilty of all these things, as a regular Facebook/Twitter user. We have quickly become a culture of oversharing. For whatever reason, we now feel it necessary to share the most minute, insignificant happenings with the world, in a self-centered act to hope that someone out there will care and perhaps even "Like" or comment on what we have to say. I find myself trying to phrase things in a way that is funny, poetic, or interesting in hopes that people will read it and think how clever I am. But there are many, many, MANY updates on Facebook, Twitter and blogs that are pointless and far too much information. Does anyone really care that baby A had explosive diarreah and you only got 2 hours of sleep? Or that your feeling emo? I'll use some of my very own updates as examples of how pointless they can get...

From this morning:

"Shazzie" had her first cup of coffee from the new Keurig this morning and her quality of life instantly improved.

In a nutshell, I had a cup of coffee. So what???

Tuesday at 8:29 am:

"Work work work work work work work...."

Duh. It's Tuesday at 8:30, of course I'm at work, along with millions and millions of other people.

Last Thursday afternoon:

"Shazzie" is chilling on the Post Road. saw a hippie playing the pan flute. sweet.

I couldn't just be content to sit and enjoy the scenery. I thought that someone out in the interwebosphere would think "Oh Shazzie, you're a goof. You always have such interesting, random things happen in your day."

So where do we stand? Are we truly self-centered, clinging to the idea that somewhere out there in the world, we need another person's approval of the ongoings of our own everyday lives to feel important? I will be the first to admit that half the time, I have nothing interesting to say on this blog (and I apologize for wasting your time in those cases). But I have been journaling and blogging since 1998 when I was a freshman in high school, and have documented many events in my life that are interesting and that I enjoy going back to and reading about. And there are times when I wish I could just delete large chunks of time and history from the online world.

Manners and Etiquette and Teh Internets

This all seems so poignant at this time in my life. I have been sitting down each night to write thank you cards for the shower, and feel guilty that I haven't popped on to Facebook to let someone know I received their package in the mail. Yet I have found it to be an enjoyable experience to write each note, think about the person and how much they mean to me, and feel genuinely thankful for their generosity and the time they took to come to the shower. It's taken me nearly all week to work on writing them because I have gotten very emotional at times, and I believe in the power of a thank you note, or even just anything written. This is why I wrote Sean letters in college, even when email and Facebook was at my fingertips. There are some things that should never, ever become outdated. Like invitations.

Facebook has done a number on manners and etiquette. In the past, you could have a quiet dinner party or movie night with a couple friends or family members, and have a wonderful time. Now you have to worry about making an event private or public, if Person A is invited, will Person B get upset (because you no longer really hang out with Person B, but they still see every detail of your life, so doesn't that mean you're still close?)? Sean keeps joking (I think) that we should just send an e-vite instead of formal invitations. I think it's part hilarious, part horrifying, that such a thing would be called into question. Call me old school, but people used to receive an invitation in the mail, call or write back their RSVP, and show up to the event. Now there are planning websites (guilty), websites for guest information (guilty), and more details shared than anyone could ever imagine or care about. I am designing invitations and worrying if anyone out there is offended that they're not invited because they can see my wedding countdown ticker on my profile page and through various status updates and blog posts know exactly when I am getting married, where, the flavors of the cake, and 90% of the guestlist.

Also along the lines of manners and etiquette, I have seen some appalling things posted on the internet in the way of emails, comments and responses. Petty namecalling, inappropriate language, and just plain distasteful oversharing. I fear for kids who are in school these days. You don't have to live a sheltered life, but literally anything can end up on the internet these days, whether you post it of yourself or someone else posts it of you. You don't need permission. You don't need to even know someone to post a picture of them. And once it's out there, it's out there. The damage is done. The concept of discretion was thrown out the window a long time ago, as far as I'm concerned. And this is coming from the girl who has around 30 pictures of her wearing a Boba Fett helmet drinking red wine at our Tacky Christmas Sweater party last year.

Like I said, I am guilty of all things posted above. I don't know many people who wouldn't identify with most of these situations. Are we a happier world because we know (or can know) everything about everyone? I am thinking no. I think it causes unnecessary stress, anxiety, and pain in a lot of cases. Or boredom. There's an old saying that "Knowledge is power." I'm not so sure anymore.

And because I think you'll find it interesting or funny: