Lulu in Chicago

Working on a Cabo Body!

2010-06-30T08:35:00.004-04:00

As part of the "Bonding" experience to get to know classmates, as well as a fun start to two years of school, J's MBA program does KWEST. We ranked 10 different trips a few months ago in order of preference and just found out we are headed to CABO San Lucas, Mexico. Unfortunately we did not get our first choice to go to Thailand, but Cabo will be fantastic. We will join 23 other students and JV's (What Kellogg refers to as wives/husbands or significant others) on a week trip to the Me Cabo resort.

As we will be wearing swim suits for most of the trip, I need to get back in BIKINI SHAPE! I didn't quite keep up after the wedding/honeymoon and need my butt kicked a little right now. We will celebrate our 1 year anniversary in Cabo and I want to look as toned as I was at that time last year (and hopefully stay that way this time)! I am very nervous about vacationing with 23 strangers, but look forward to new friendships.

My goal is 15 miles a week running, followed by LOTS of sit up's, push up's and workout's with my resistance band. It has just been so HOT here that running has been very difficult. I don't have boot-camp this year to help with this, so lot's of self-motivation is needed! I have been doing well at 7.15 miles so far this week...almost half way there!

Does anyone use Apps to track their runs? Now that I have the Iphone, I was thinking of purchasing an app to get accurate mileage, but I want to make sure it will be helpful first.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I will have to do a post soon to show you all the itinerary for this trip...I fell out of my seat laughing at what we are going to do.

Weekend Update!

2010-06-27T10:18:00.008-04:00

This weekend has been wonderful! Besides today, we had absolutely nothing we had to do. Although, we were supposed to start packing...J convinced me to delay this.

First off, let me update you on this new iPhone. If you have the "old" version of the iPhone, I really don't know how it is any different, other than the style is not as rounded and then we have a camera on both sides of the phone. I think all the apps are the same if you upgrade your software. I LOVE it though. Besides having to leave Verizon after 11 years, this phone is wonderful. I swear it has a brain. Face time chat is also pretty cool. And so far, I have had no issues with dropped calls, only a few texts that would not go through.

Now, my weekend...

My office has been trying to promote more flexibility since the economy has been better. So, my team worked 9 hours M-Th and then took a half day on Friday. I was able to run a few errands, then a friend and I relaxed by my pool for a few hours. It was so hot out though, we had to stay in the pool the entire time. Friday night J and I headed to Ray's Hell Burger's for a quick dinner, then headed home for a movie and wine.

Saturday J and I ventured to Capital Hill to find a photo of DC to have as a keepsake from our life here. If you have not been to Eastern Market, YOU HAVE TO GO (for all you DC bloggers). We ended up getting homemade olives and pickles, fresh fruit and I found a wonderful picture of the Potomac looking over Georgetown/Key Bridge. J and I love this area of DC and our favorite run is over the key bridge to the famous exorcist steps in Georgetown. We had discussed moving there this year if he had not been accepted to school. The vendors have everything from jewelery to antiques to handmade furniture. I LOVE IT! And, they serve a wonderful brunch in the market.

Not our exact picture (ours is prettier), but similar.

We ended up watching the USA game at home, as most bars were at capacity. I guess that ended up being ok with the results of the game. Since it is SO freaking hot out, I couldn't imagine eating a hot meal. So, I made one of the Chicken Salad recipes from the Southern Living magazine that just came. I did the Chicken Waldorf Salad. IT is wonderful. Jay does not like a lot of mayo, so this has a mix of mayo and honey mustard. See recipe below.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Total: 21 minutes

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 large Gala apple, diced
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup honey mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake walnuts in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Stir together chicken, next 5 ingredients, and walnuts. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Add mayo/honey mustard mixture half at a time. I did the full 1 cup and it was WAY too much. You can probably just do 3/4 cup mixture total.

We ended the night with drinks on the rooftop at Eventide! Definitely recommend this for a quiet night out. The Red Sangria is great!

See the Rooftop. Make sure you go to the sit down area, not the bar.

What my mom and I will look like today! :)

Hope you all had a great weekend also! I am looking forward to a 4 day week, followed by 4th of July in Wilmington, NC!

Vineyard Vines Sale

2010-06-26T12:50:00.000-04:00

Hurry over to VV for 25% off any item! Enter FFSUMMER10 for the discount at checkout!

Early Adopter...

2010-06-24T09:36:00.003-04:00

Photo From Apple.Com

This phone will be mine in less than 3 hours! Yes, J has convinced me to switch from Verizon and move to AT&T (I am sorry, but the service will definitely not be as good). But, the phone is worth it! Apparently this is a better phone for Kellogg's email service...and I couldn't let the hubs have anything but what school recommends, right? I will post about the features tonight once I have played for a few hours! So long Blackberry Curve. Even though you never let me take pictures, you were a fabulous phone for two years!

Anyone else lucky enough to get this phone today?

TOP 2 TUESDAY!

2010-06-22T09:06:00.010-04:00

The Undomestic Momma is featuring a Realty TV Top 2 Tuesday Topic. I decided to include two shows that J and I enjoy watching together.

Our favorite show is The Amazing Race. We are both pretty active people and very competitive, so this show is everything we wish we could be. We have thought many times to send in our application, but with the way our lives our now, we will have to wait a few more years. The show is actually very funny, both in some of the bizarre challenges the contestants are given and the comments made about the other teams. My all time favorite was two seasons ago, where the contestants had to carry huge things of cheese up a steep hill...just watch this video!

Cheese Video Link Our other favorite show is Top Chef. I can't get enough of these amazing chef's and the food they come up with each week on the spot. I also love Padma! Talk about a dream job!! I am looking forward to this season in DC and all the local places they go for challenges!

Hope everyone is having a great week. I am going to try to post several times this week...I have a lot to share!

Top Chef DC

2010-06-17T08:58:00.004-04:00

WHAT DID YOU THINK? I must say, I don't see any of these contestants being better than the VOLT brothers, but there is some strong competition.

I have to get some frustration out first. Angelo hit a nerve with me as soon as he spoke. I respect his confidence and obviously he is a very good chef, but he is too cocky. Maybe he will grow on me, but for now, it will be a love-hate relationship.

I found some of the upcoming events shown in previews exciting. I love how Adam Dunn (Nationals Player) expresses his dislike for a chef's food by throwing it on the floor, and love knowing all these events took place around DC. However, knowing Nancy Pelosi (who I extremely dislike, sorry if I offend anyone) will be on the show put a bitter taste in my mouth. I still love watching these chef's and seeing how they improve each week. I am going to say right now, I think Angelo, Kenny, Kevin, Kelly and Amanda will do the best.

Who were your favorite contestants?

Needed: Chicago Advice!

2010-06-10T08:29:00.007-04:00

I have been a little lazy with posting lately. But, I wanted to reach out to any of my blog friends from the Chicago area or who are familiar with the area. We are moving in a month and a half and I honestly have NO idea about this new city. I ironically was born in Chicago and lived there for 13 days before my parents brought me back home to New Jersey. (I was adopted, but that is another story). Other than those 13 days, my only other trip to the city was this past February when Jay and I went to check out where he will be starting business school in August.

ANYWAYS, my parents already have planned a trip to visit over labor day weekend. It happens to be my birthday and their anniversary (a day we share in common) that weekend. I have two questions for you all about what to do in the area to entertain them...

1. My dad is a HUGE baseball fan, so I thought we would go to the CUBS/METS game on Sunday the 5th. We were wondering if anyone has suggestions for seats. I saw there are "bud light bleacher" seats for $45, but I am not sure we want to spend that much on the game. I mean, we are true PHILLIES fans to begin with, but will learn to be CUBS fans I am sure. I would love to be able to go to one of those rooftops on the houses surrounding the stadium, but I guess that might have to wait for another time. Are the upper deck seats bad?

2. We are planning to celebrate my birthday and their anniversary that weekend with dinner in the city. Any restaurant suggestions? Nothing overly expensive, but something fun and and nice.

Thanks for your help! Hope you are all having a great week!

Time for a Much Needed Vacation

2010-05-25T09:55:00.004-04:00

J and I are headed down to Corolla, NC tonight to spend the rest of the week at the beach. The last time we were down at his parents house in Corolla was when we got engaged, two years ago Memorial Day weekend. It has been a busy two years starting work, planning a wedding and settling into marriage, but we are excited for our first time back!

J's parents had just finished building this house when we started dating in 10th grade (2001). I was lucky to spend many summers and weekends with his family in Corolla. I even took the SAT's at a high school in the Outer Banks in order to be allowed to go down one weekend. My family has also rented the house several times for our own family vacations. Corolla is a special place for J and I, and we hope that we will be able to take our kids there for summer vacations in the future. Here are two of my favorite OBX pictures:

My family and My best Friends family during a summer vacation! CRAZY people!

Walking Back from the Beach.

These will be my first vacations days since Christmas, and I definitely need them!

Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day!

Virginia Wine Tour

2010-05-19T20:56:00.007-04:00

One thing I will definitely miss about living in Virginia are the wonderful wineries around the state. We have been to many, including Veritas in Charlottesville, Cave Ridge in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Sunset Hill, Breaux and Hillsborough in Purcellville, just to name some of our favorites.

This past weekend we traveled to 3 new wineries in style for my best friend Alison's 25th Birthday. Her boyfriend (who we LOVE) planned this surprise, and everyone had a blast. J and I were the only ones who had actually been to wineries before, so we could help guide everyone. We visited Molon Lov and Mediterranean in Warrington and then went to Barrell Oak in The Plains.

We had a wonderful time and Alison had a great birthday celebration. I would definitely recommend this type of event if you live around Virginia. Here are some of our pictures from the day.

The "Before Picture"

J and I at Barrel Oak (they allow dogs and have yard games! YA!)

Enjoying out picnic Lunch at Molon Lov

The Birthday Girl and her Champagne from Sam (who was not able to make it)

The "After" Picture

Calling all 2010 and 2011 Brides

2010-05-14T13:23:00.007-04:00

Last weekend I went Bridesmaid dress shopping for my sisters wedding. She is not getting married until August 2011, but literally the entire wedding is planned. My mom is the exact opposite of a procrastinator and works way ahead of time.

Anyways, we found a beautiful dress for the wedding. The dress is made by Coren Moore. I fell in love with her designs (more than my sister I think) and just love the silk fabric. My sister is getting married outside on the Chesapeake Bay in August...so this light fabric is perfect.

Shannon chose the "Kate" in Lavender. LOVE the one shoulder.

I tried this dress on also, and it was beautiful. Slightly more formal!

Did I mention that these dresses also have pockets! LOVE!

We found this line at a shop in Delaware (yea for NO tax!), but you can find other shops that carry the line on the website. It is mid-range I would say for pricing, around $250. I thought this was a good deal for this dress, which I definitely will wear again.

We are ready for a busy weekend with a wine tour for my friends birthday. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Top Two Tuesday's: DREAM HOMES!

2010-05-11T09:51:00.022-04:00

As many of you know, my husband and I are about to move to Chicago so he can pursue his MBA. I am hoping after his two years, we can find a city to settle in and FINALLY buy a house. I have often thought about becoming a realtor, once he is settled in his new job. I LOVE looking at houses, dreaming of my future home and DRIVE J NUTS when I always watch HGTV. It just does not get old to me.

Taylor at The Undomestic Momma has a post topic that I absolutely love today, DREAM HOMES!

My style is very traditional, with clean lines and classic looks. I guess I tend to lead a little more country traditional, but you can decide after seeing looks I love below.

I love this style home, if I were living in Texas or out west.

This style is definitely my favorite, wrap around porch and classic.

I found this house for sale in Myers Park (Charlotte) NC. I love the style, and find it perfect for this neighborhood. I would love to live in Charlotte, if J could find a job that works for him. Unfortunately he wants high tech.

Love the fireplace, wood floors and exposed beams. High ceilings are a must in a family room!

Just as I believe China and Crystal are a must for a wedding registry, so is a formal dining room. I can't imagine anywhere else to host dinner parties with family and friends. It must have great moldings, like this above! I love the neutral colors.

Beautiful Kitchen with butcher block, white cabinetry. I love the beadboard ceiling and lighting also. A beautiful kitchen is a must. I don't need a large house, just a very NICE house! :)

I love this style sink. I don't particularly love marble countertops, but wouldn't mind them.

I also think a formal living room is special to host guests. I love this style, because it is not too stuffy. I love the blue color and neutral furniture. The wood floors are also perfect.

Lastly, a beautiful home is not complete without great outdoor space. I love the idea of an outdoor kitchen and fireplace, and LOVE this pool.

Now J, if you are reading this...take notes! I loved this Top Two Tuesday topic! Hope you join Taylor each Tuesday also!

Hope you all are having a wonderful week. I had a great day today, despite my work computer crashing.

Almost the weekend

2010-05-06T09:55:00.006-04:00

This is where I will be tonight...sitting right behind home plate. BUT NO, we are not Nationals or Braves fans...we are going to watch my sister SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. She was asked to sing tonight...it is too bad it is not a Phils game, but we are still so excited for her!

So if you are in the DC area and going to the game, make sure you get there early to hear her!

Yesterday after work, I was supposed to meet friends for some Cinco De Mayo drinks at a local Latin restaurant. It was a beautiful day, so I decided to walk to 1.2 miles to the restaurant. It is close to the U Street area of DC. Well I show up a little early and notice the "Restaurant Closed" signs hanging all over the windows. I noticed people inside, and opened the door. I literally had made the reservations the night before. A couple was sitting there, so I asked what was going on...they said in a very nasty voice "well you won't be eating here tonight, they didn't pay their rent." WHAT? SERIOUSLY? Closing a Latin restaurant on Cinco De Mayo...they could have paid rent with all the business they would of had. I couldn't believe it!

We ended up going to a place next door, Cork. It is a wine bar with small plates. It was just fun to catch up with my friend, and get to know her friend who also joined us as well.

It was a little bit of a late night, and the margs I enjoyed at another Cinco de Mayo party after dinner are not making work go by very quickly today. At least I have something fun to do tonight!

Wish my sister luck! And cheer for her if you are at the game!

Top 2 Tuesday!

2010-05-04T09:30:00.010-04:00

After seeing this Tuesday post topic for a while, I decided to join in on the fun. You can join in on the fun too by visiting the Undomestic Momma.

ToP 2 THINGS YOU SPLURGE ON

1. TORY BURCH

I not only live for her REVA flats, but love her clothes as well. I wore a Tory Burch classic dress at my wedding rehearsal, which I now can wear to work as well as dressy events.

My sister and I (excuse the wine, but it was the only picture in the dress on my work computer)

I am also loving this dress! Maybe on my wish list?

2. Car Washes

I am not joking, I drive 30 minutes to this car wash place in Virginia that not only does the car wash, but also vacuum's my car. I am SO picky about keeping my car neat. I spend way too much time in it, and don't want to be sitting in traffic with a dirty car. I also love these car scents from Bath & Body Works. My favorite is the Cherry Blossom scent, but I don't see it on their website currently! :(

What do ya'll splurge on? This post is making me want to SHOP! I am going to have to hold back.

Great Find at Target!

2010-05-03T10:12:00.007-04:00

I am starting to prep for our big move, so I headed to Target Sunday for some storage containers. Well, of course...I couldn't leave Target without browsing the ENTIRE store. And I made a great find. MISS TRISH is selling at Target. Maybe this is old news, but NEW to me! :)

I bought a black pair with a simple pearl and jeweled starfish. I could not find a picture I could use here, but they are so CUTE. And, at $24.99...they are a steal. Her shoes typically run at least $200. I have a pair of sandals that I had made for me in Capri, Italy...and obviously the quality is not quite as nice. But, for the price they are GREAT.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and happy shopping! :)

Our Version of the Amazing Race...and Weekend Randoms

2010-05-01T11:09:00.004-04:00

Today J and I will be heading downtown to participate in the DC Challenge. We are HUGE fans of the Amazing Race, and are hoping this will be similar. The course is huge, spanning from the Capital to the Lincoln Memorial and down to the Jefferson. If you live in DC, you know that is a BIG area. Unfortunately, all of our friends had other plans (especially with it being Gold Cup today), and the start of wedding season...so we are on our own racing against 299 other teams. WISH US LUCK!

After the race, we are headed back home to mix up some Mint Julep's and head to a friend's barbecue. We are hoping to catch the Kentucky Derby over there...I need to do some research on these horse's quickly and pick a favorite. Any suggestions? We were big fans of Barbaro a few years ago, since he was from a stable close to our hometown in Pennsylvania.

Here is a quick mint julep recipe we found and are going to try today...we are using Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon, as it is J's favorite (he is slightly obsessed with all things related to his Alma mater, UVA).

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
32 fluid ounces Kentucky bourbon
8 sprigs fresh mint leaves for garnish

Directions

Combine water, sugar and chopped mint leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow syrup to cool, approximately 1 hour. Pour syrup through a strainer to remove mint leaves

Fill eight cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice and pour 4 ounces of bourbon and 1/4 cup mint syrup in each. (Proportions can be adjusted depending on each person's sweet tooth). Top each cup with a mint sprig and a straw. Trim straws to just barely protrude from the top of the cups. Serve juleps on a silver platter.

I also wanted to point out my post that I think got a little lost. I am looking for a gift for a close friend. If you have a chance...read this. I appreciate any advice, as this is a VERY special gift.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. The weather in DC is PERFECT, so I am looking forward to spending time outside!

The Hills are Back

2010-04-28T12:36:00.001-04:00

I have honestly not watched the Hills since Kristen took over for LC. She annoyed me way too much. But, last night, I was nostalgic when I saw it was the last season premier. We used to watch this in college in our sorority President's room after our small group standard meetings. It was hysterical. These people are paid so much money to provide zero substance in a show for a half hour. I noticed a link to a play on last nights show, where little kids act out the Hills. Basically, they are showing how immature these people are. Don't get me wrong, I will probably continue to watch and love their clothes, hair, etc (except Heidi)...but will I come away knowing any more than I did before, definitely NOT.

Anyways, ENJOY!

Weekend Recap

2010-04-18T07:52:00.011-04:00

I know this is a few days late...but better late than never!

Friday night I had plans to meet up with some friends from work to go to Lucky Strike...it is definitely not your typical bowling ally. But, since we planned to meet at 8:30, J and I decided to meet for dinner after work downtown. We chose Oya, an Asian fusion restaurant that has the most beautiful decor I have seen in DC. We had a great meal, including a Tuna tempura roll, sea bass spring roll, scallops, and the most amazing banana bread pudding! They have a price fixe dinner menu every night, 3 courses for $29! Not a bad deal in the city! If you are in the DC area, definitely check this restaurant out!

On Saturday, we woke up at 4:30 am to head down to Charlottesville, Virginia to watch my sister-in-law run in her first half marathon! I also had two sorority sisters running the race as well. They all did great! Katie is a sophomore in college and ran with two of her sorority sisters. To have that dedication to run a half marathon in college is very impressive! We were very proud of her! Here are a few pictures with J, Katie, Meagan (my sorority sister and one of my bridesmaids) and myself. I apoligize if I look tired, we WERE up at 4:30 AM!

We had a quick lunch after at Bodo's bagels, a fine bagel establishment in Charlottesville. I am quite sure this is why Jay made the trip, as he helped to keep this place in business during his four years at UVA.

Saturday night we met our friends Alison and Jon for a drink at a new wine and coffee bar in the Clarendon area of Arlington called Northside Social. It had a great selection of wine, beautiful wine bar and wonderful selection of cheese's to pair with the wine. It also helps that this place is in walking distance from our house, as the wine just kept flowing with all the catching up with had to do with Al and Jon. The one thing I will miss about living in this area are all of our close friends who are so close.

On Sunday, we met my mom, sister and cousin for lunch before heading to a local bridal show. My sister is engaged...but her wedding is not until August 2011. The show was quite pathetic, but I did discover a great line of jewelery. Stella & Dot. They do trunk shows through hosted parties, similar to a Pampered Chef type business. I am thinking about hosting a party soon for my sister and my mutual friends. Here are some of their jewelery, it is so fun!

Definitely check out their website!

I hope you all are having a great week!

Gift Advice Needed!

2010-04-16T09:59:00.010-04:00

Friends, I have a VERY special request to make concerning advice on a VERY special gift I want to give to my best friend in September. I know I sound crazy thinking this far ahead, but read on and you will understand...
Her 5 year anniversary since she found out she was cancer free! She battled a tough fight for a year and a half to overcome stage 4 Lymphoma and looking at her now, you would never know!
She is my best friend in the ENTIRE world and was my maid of honor (with my sister) at my wedding. She did this, only putting her one year behind at school, and coming out as a stronger person with a great outlook on life.

Jen & I before my wedding (this is the only picture I had on my work computer)

Anyway, her mom emailed me today with suggestions on a gift for this anniversary. She wants to give her jewelery or a trip (I think jewelery is a better idea)...and is looking for something with diamonds (preferably 5 to mark the date)...but not too expensive ($1K or less). She sent me these two ideas...which I love and think are timeless pieces of jewelery you can wear everyday or for special occasions.

Bracelet

Necklace

I wanted to ask each of you for some advice on other places to look for special, unique jewelery other than Tiffany's, David Yurman (which I find too trendy for such a special gift), etc. I think a classic piece she can wear everyday would be perfect, to remind her of what she overcame and how strong she is now due to this fight.

I hope you all had great weekends! Oh, and No...she does not know about or look at my blog...at least I hope not!

What Have I Been Up to Lately?...

2010-04-07T09:22:00.007-04:00

Can you spot me? I am squinting because of the bright sun...and probably because I am about to fall over from being too tired!

YES! I ran my first ten miler this past weekend! Since we are moving away from this beautiful city, J and I wanted to run in the Washington DC Cherry Blossom Race, with 15,000 others!

I only trained for about a month and a half...and managed to finish the race in 92 minutes! I ran a little in high school, and then again when I did boot camp last year, but never in my life have I run 10 miles! It was a great feeling crossing the finish line! I did the the run with J (who is some kind of freak, finishing in UNDER 70 minutes) and my best friend Alison, and her boyfriend. I was the slow one of the group, but quite satisfied at that.

I have been out of the blogging world for a while, busy with visits to and from my family, J's family, and trying to figure out the next few months of our lives before we head to the Midwest. I promise to try to keep up with more frequent updates.

I still enjoy reading everyone's blogs, and try to keep up. Hope you are all having a wonderful start to Spring!

Happy Friday!

2010-01-22T11:54:00.005-05:00

I have been able to take a few breaks today...and am looking forward to getting out of work at a reasonable hour. Although, knowing I have to work all weekend doesn't make it that exciting. Anyway...I was reading my friend Jenna's blog at Daily Loves & Laughs and loved this questionnaire about couples...

1. What are your middle names? Thacher (I took my maiden name when we got married) & Andrew
2. How long have you been together? Since March 2001...9 years!

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating? We met in 8th grade and started dating in 10th. We were good friends before we actually started dating.
4. Who asked who out? He asked me out :)

5. How old are each of you? I am 25 and he is 24 (will be 25 in June).
6. Did you go to the same high school? Yes!

7. Are you from the same town? Technically no, but the towns boarder each other...and are part of the same school district.
8. Who is the smartest? Definitely Jay. I am not saying I am not smart, just not as smart. And I think I win in common sense.
9. Who majored in what? I was an accounting major, he was a double major in systems engineering & economics
10. Who is the most sensitive? I saw we each have a sensitive side.
11. Where is the furthest you 2 have traveled? I think the furthest is Paris...he came to visit me in Belgium when I studied abroad and we went to Paris during that trip.
12. How many children do you two want? We think 2...but maybe 3
13. Who does the cooking? We both cook when we can. We like to cook on the weekends a lot...but typically during the week whoever gets home first is on that duty.

14. Who is more social? We are both social with our friends, but when it comes to meeting new people, Jay is more outgoing I would say.
15. Who is the neat freak? ME! Jay loves to try to test me by leaving clothes out and not doing dishes!

16. Who is the most stubborn? Me..I always have been.
17. Who wakes up earlier? I do...I always end up trying to sneak out of bed on the weekend without waking him.

18. Where was your first date? Our first date was to the movies. My mom drove us since neither of us had our license. It has been that long!
19. Who has the bigger family? Jay has more siblings (3) and I just have a sister. His parents both come from larger families also.
20. How do you spend the holidays? Since our parents live so close, we split time between both families. However, we sleep at my parents, since Jay's little brother moved into his room after he went to college.
21. Who is more jealous? I don't think either of us really get that jealous.
22. How long did it take you to get serious? I would say we got really serious during college. We had a few issues later in college, but realized we were meant to be and started seriously discussing marriage after graduation.
23. Who eats more? JAY! We can't keep food in our house! It makes me so angry sometimes.

24. What do you do for a living? I work for a large public accounting firm. Jay works as a litigation consultant, but will be going back to school for his MBA in the fall.
25. Who does the laundry? Me...although he helps when I am really busy.
26. Who's better with the computer? Jay...I get so frustrated.

27. Who drives when you are together? Definitely Jay...although I am not sure he always likes to.

Hope you all have a great weekend! And pass this list along, it was fun!

See you in March!

2010-01-19T08:50:00.006-05:00

Just picture me with that sign. I am buried in work and trying to survive audit busy season. Working 7 days a week until 10 pm causes me to be very anti-social, so I apologize to all my friends.

But...I am getting through it all knowing J and I have a trip to Chicago planned for Valentine's weekend to check out our potential new home.

So I am sorry for the lack of blogging. I hope to be back at it more consistently in March!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2009-12-19T10:51:00.007-05:00

Jay and I woke up to a beautiful snowfall! It is still coming down, and will continue through tonight. As you can tell, I do not have proper winter gear, as we rarely see a snow like this in DC!

Around our neighborhood...

We really wanted to make waffles, so we ventured to whole foods. I was shocked that the store was so crowded. I guess everyone who could walk there did! We live in a really convenient neighborhood with lots of shops and restaurants within walking distance.

Hope you all are enjoying your last Saturday before Christmas! J and I are enjoying a lazy day at home together. We do have a Christmas party to go to tonight...we are hoping the metro does not shut down!

Scotland & Ireland

2009-12-18T09:58:00.026-05:00

This post has been in the edit phase for a while. I finally had time to sit down and finish it today! Hope you enjoy!

Jay and I on the Old Course Swilcan Bridge.

The house we stayed in at St. Andrews. It was so cute and our view was the North Sea and old castle ruins.

The streets of Edinburgh

We arrived in Dublin at 7am (around 3am Eastern Time) and headed straight to the Guinness Factory. It was a great tour. J brews beer as his hobby, so he was loving it!

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. The gardens around the church were beautiful!

Christmas tree being put up outside the Dublin Castle. We went on a tour of the Dublin Castle and loved it! Our tour guide was so knowledgeable about Ireland history, and the castle itself was gorgeous.

Had to capture the traditional Scottish Piper.

Jay and I at Ma Bells Bistro in St. Andrews. This was Prince Williams favorite bar during his time at St. Andrews.

Jay playing down at the docks in St. Andrews.

The old castle ruins in St. Andrews.

High tea with Jay's mom and sister at the golf hotel at St. Andrews. It was wonderful and we had a great view of the course.

Christmas List Post

2009-12-17T16:30:00.005-05:00

I have seen this posted on several blogs over the past week, and wanted to do it myself! It will help me get a little more into the Christmas Spirit!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! Although, I have not mastered wrapping as well as my mom yet!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real! But, in our apartment we have a fake tree. Actually, my parents also purchased a fake tree this year after always having a real tree. It actually looks great with the lights!
3. When do you put up the tree? Weekend after Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take the tree down? Weekend after New Year's.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes! But only one glass.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS! We have every one and a few "create your own." I can't wait to give my (future) daughter mine!
7. Hardest person to buy for? My in-laws. They are way to honest about gifts, and I don't like to disappoint!
8. Easiest person to buy for? My mom, because she always finds a way to tell me what she wants.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I have one ready for me, but it is very big. So, I will wait until we move to take it from my parents house. We have always had one growing up and it is my Dad's most valued Christmas decoration. However, he did let J put it together this year!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? MAIL...I will never email Christmas cards (or formal party invitations, thank you notes, etc.)
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't really think I have a worst, my parents were always very good at playing Santa.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story, Love Actually and The Holiday
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Normally right after Thanksgiving.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas cookies and chocolate fondue!
16. Lights on the tree? WHITE lights...I only want to decorate with white lights. My mom was the same way, and my dad loved colored. We compromised and let him put colored lights on our evergreen that sat outside his office window (in the back of the house of course).
17. Favorite Christmas song? All I want for Christmas is you!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Now we travel home to Pennsylvania. We are spending Christmas with my family, since we did Thanksgiving with Jay's. However, we will spend time with his parents, since they live 10 minutes away!
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes...but no need to list.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We have a star right now.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We always do one present after Church Christmas Eve. Usually it is new pajama's, or a new ornament. My mom has bought my sister and I ornament's every year. I have enough to decorate 3 trees I think.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? MALL TRAFFIC! I work near Tysons Corner Mall and have to work so late so I don't sit in hours of traffic.

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? I love ornaments that have meaning. I love looking at the ones my sister and I made growing up, and then those we have collected traveling.
24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner? Filet, mashed potatoes, corn pudding. LOVE our Christmas dinner.

25. What do you want to do for Christmas this year? Spend time with my family. I just love being with them all day Christmas and just relaxing around the house with a fire burning. It is so relaxing.
26. Favorite Christmas tradition growing up? Cheese fondue on Christmas eve for dinner, our neighborhood lined with candles, going to church Christmas eve, and then driving around looking at lights. I am praying for a White Christmas this year. I think we have only had one in my 14 years living in Pennsylvania.
27. Favorite tradition now? Well, I still live by my families traditions. But I look forward to making new traditions with Jay, as our family grows.
28. Favorite Christmas Memory? Getting up early and waking my Nana up. She would read to us until we could go downstairs. Also, waiting on the stairs to open presents. My Nana is 95 and was just moved into a nursing home this week. It breaks my heart to see her in this state. She was healthy and living alone until 4 years ago. I just love knowing she has spent every Christmas with me.

So...I was going to post pictures of our trip tonight, but Jay is at another interview for business school tonight, so I had more chores around here than expected. I also had to finish my Christmas cards tonight.

I will share, that Jay was accepted to his top choice business school, which is just outside the city of Chicago. While we are not sure if he will definitely accept, it looks like a good fit for us, and a great education for him. We look forward to this new adventure. I will definitely keep you all updated. Luckily, my company is global, and I should have to ability to transfer offices. Pictures tomorrow, I promise.

I hope everyone participates in this fun Holiday list.

I still Exist!

2009-12-17T10:55:00.008-05:00

Life has been a little crazy lately. But, I have LOTS of news to share from our fantastic trip to Scotland & Ireland, lots of Holiday parties and some news that will cause my blog name to change too! I promise to post all of this TONIGHT! Hopefully once I am on vacation next week I can catch up on blogging and make up for lost time!

I received a blog award while I was away over Thanksgiving from a friend who I used to dance with during Middle School and High School. We have reconnected thanks to Blogger and FB, and I love to hear about how her life is going with her husband and adorable dog, Ty! So thanks Jenna at Daily Loves and Laughs.

Off to Scotland...

2009-11-20T12:20:00.005-05:00

But first, I wanted to wish everyone a VERY Happy Thanksgiving!

Since I will be leaving today, I won't be able to do so next Thursday. I hope you all have a wonderful time with your families and loved ones, and eat WAY too much!

I will be sure to let you know how our Thanksgiving goes in Scotland...I do know we have a Turkey!

I love Cupcakes, but...

2009-11-17T08:58:00.003-05:00

I think D.C. has gone too far.

I recently read an article on the Washingtonian Magazine website about this new business roaming the streets of D.C. and selling out in its first week. Why are cupcakes so trendy these days? We have become immune to the $4 prices for these little treats that cost no more than $0.25 to make. Don't get me wrong, I will definitely try these cupcakes if I spot the truck around, but I still will never understand the fascination with cupcakes. The lines at local cupcake bakeries in this area are out of control.

I must say though, I love that the truck is PINK.

Hope you all have are having a great start to your week.

I have a very thoughtful husband...

2009-11-13T09:09:00.004-05:00

J received a very fun gift from his groomsmen for our wedding...a very generous amount of money to Best Buy. Every boy's dream, right?

Well for months he has been saying he wanted this sound bar system, but has never gone to look or see what is available. Anyways, yesterday morning he finally decided he wanted to go to Best Buy after work, so I agreed to go with him. However, when we got to best buy he told me he was actually there to pick up this:

J knows I hate my camera, and how slow it is to take pictures. He had secretly done research, and purchased this great little camera in time for our trip next week! It was so thoughtful of him to use his gift card for a gift for us (mostly me I guess)!

I am looking forward to using it this weekend for a get together with our close friends. I played with it all last night and just love it! It is so small too!

This weekend is going to be very low key. I have to clean our our closet and get some old clothes off to goodwill or the thrift shop. Saturday night we are going to see my best friend and her boyfriend, who we have not seen in weeks despite living 3 minutes from each other. Then Sunday, I unfortunately have to work. My inventory count was rescheduled from today to Sunday (boo), so think of me while you all are enjoying the beautiful weather we are supposed to have. I will be busy counting circus and ice show paraphernalia. (I am not even joking).

Have a great weekend!!

P.S. My mom sent the high res CD of wedding photos to me yesterday! Look forward to more pictures next week!

Arriving in the Mail TODAY!

2009-11-11T13:00:00.001-05:00

Woo Hoo! Kate Spade has a shoe named "Lindsay." Although spelled differently than my name, I had to have them! And, to make it better I found them on sale, less than the price at the Outlet! I can't wait for these to arrive!

Now, I just hope they are comfortable to walk around Ireland and Scotland in two weeks! My wedding shoes were Kate Spade, and they were not the most comfortable shoes (maybe due to the almost 4 inch heel)? I am going to give her brand another try with these...I hope I am lucky!
Driving mocs are my favorite shoes for the fall and winter, and I am so happy to have a new pair!

Does anyone else love Driving Mocs? What are you favorites?

Happy Veterans Day!

2009-11-11T09:45:00.005-05:00

Living so close to Arlington Cemetery and passing by the Marine Corps Memorial on a daily basis, I sometimes forget how important these men and women are to our country. It is nice to step back and take a minute to remember these Veterans and all that they have done for our country. So, thank you all for your service!

Happy Wednesday!

Back to Blogging!

2009-11-04T12:51:00.020-05:00

Work has been crazy lately, and weekends are even more busy. Anyways, a little catch up on my life the past week or so...

After 11 weeks of waiting, we finally received our professional wedding photographs. I was so antsy, but the pictures were worth the wait. We have not received our full high resolution CD yet, but here are a sample of two of my favorites. I will post more when we receive the CD.

(Photos Courtesy of Clair Pruett, Greenville, DE)

We used a well known photographer in the Philadelphia/Delaware region and were very happy with the final product. We met with the photographer for 4 hours a few Saturday's ago and completed our album, which unfortunately will not be ready for 4 months!

We have gone home to Pennsylvania the past two weeks to visit family and my Grandmother, who is not doing well. She is 95 and has bad Osteoporosis. It has been great to see our families and spend time with them as well. My mom has been in and out of work and doing a lot of work for my Grandmother, so we made dinner Saturday night as well. I am sharing this recipe for EASY, delicious chicken that makes a wonderful dish for a cool fall or winter night. I am not kidding when I say it is so easy!

Ingredients:

Package of Chicken Breasts (usually 3 boneless, skinless breasts are in a package)

Swiss Cheese (slices)

One can Cream of Chicken Soup

Two cups Pepperidge Farm

stuffing mix (crumbs, NOT the big cubes)

½ stick butter

Directions:

Wash and pat dry chicken breasts and place on bottom of casserole dish.
Cover each breast with a slice of swiss cheese.
Mix well one can of Cream of Chicken soup with 1/3 cup water and pour over the chicken and cheese.
Evenly sprinkle two cups of stuffing over all .
Drizzle ½ stick melted butter over all.
Bake for approximately 45 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees, uncovered. Easy and delicious and makes the house smell wonderful!
Jay and I spent many evenings the past three weeks cheering on the PHILLIES! Unfortunately, they lost this week. They had another great season though! And who doesn't love a picture of Chase Utley's Butt! haha (Sorry, for all you non-Philly fans)!

(I saw this picture on my friends Blog, and just had to use it! It is so cute!)

Thank goodness for the weekend. I have an exciting weekend ahead. Jay is off to Chicago for a business school interview on Friday, so while he is gone I am going to pamper myself at a new Salon. I have been getting my haircut and colored by the same person since I was in 9th grade. I have continued to travel home to get my hair done in Pennsylvania all throughout college and living in Virginia. I think it is time to try someone here in my own "NEW" town. She colored my hair darker than I normal get it, which apparently is my natural hair color. It was getting too red when it faded. I also chopped about 5 inches off! I have always had really long hair, and kept it that way for the wedding. However, it was time for a break and it looks great! I will post pictures soon!

On Sunday, I am headed to the Washington Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show! We are seeing a Paula Dean cooking show (I really wanted to see Giada, but she sold out quickly). They have hundreds of great vendors, and Bryan Voltaggio and Carla will be there (Top Chef). I am going with a good friend and roommate from college, so it is going to be a great time!

Lastly! I can't forget to thank Sharon at Little Bow Prep for her wonderful give-away that I WON! It is a beautiful Tolani Scarf from Chickdowntown. They did not have the original style in stock, so I picked out a beautiful gold scarf that goes with everything! She has a great blog and great style, so check her out! Thanks again Little Bow Prep!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Wishful Wednesday!

2009-10-28T16:15:00.005-04:00

I wish' .... I was six years old and going trick or treating, and my costume would be this ADORABLE CUPCAKE!!!

I found this at Pottery Barn Kids and think it is the BEST. I wish I was still 6 years old so I could wear it!

I must be short...my week has been terribly busy at work and I apologize for being so quiet!

Hope you all have a Happy Halloween.

Wishful Wednesday

2009-10-21T10:25:00.014-04:00

'I wish' .... I was going on vacation tomorrow, and I would want to go ... to the St. Regis Resort in Bora Bora!

Jay and I discussed this as a possibly honeymoon spot, but unfortunately I only started my job this past year, and did not have the vacation time to take to enjoy this wonderful location.

I would definitely only go if I could stay in one of these over water huts (seems funny to call such a luxurious room a "hut) and spend time relaxing and enjoying the beautiful clear ocean.

And a massage in the water would definitely be nice!

This seems wonderful to me, especially since it is getting cold now and work is starting to be very busy!

Maybe for our 5 year Anniversary!

Traylor Papers Free Stationary!

2009-10-19T09:01:00.004-04:00

What a way to start a Monday! I saw this offer on The Seattle Smith's Blog (which is one of my favorites!) and just had to tell everyone! I absolutely love stationary, and know many of you do as well!

Traylor Papers is a fabulous stationary and paper shop! I have n ever bought anything from them before, but I will definitely be doing so in the near future after scoping out their site.

So, here is the deal: "Send us an email to VIP@traylorpapers.com with your name and address and we'll send you a free customized card with your name. Tell us your favorite colors and/or style (i.e., whimsical, classic, girly ..., etc) and we will try to make you a match :) BONUS: post this offer on your blog or wall, send us a link, and we'll send you a few extra! Good thru 10/28/09!"

Here are two personalized note cards that I LOVE!

Blog Re-Design

2009-10-14T09:35:00.002-04:00

I am really not satisfied with the look of my blog. I have used several different "free backgrounds" from different designers, but just don't LOVE any of them. I am willing to pay for a blog design now, but just can't decide how to go about doing this.

Any suggestions on reliable, creative and well-priced blog designers? Thanks for your help and advice!

Going to the Chapel...in Savannah!

2009-10-12T21:47:00.010-04:00

This past weekend J & I traveled to Savannah, GA for our good friends Lauren & Denny's wedding. It was a fabulous weekend and beautiful ceremony and reception. Lauren's parents moved to Savannah about two years ago from my hometown in PA. However, we never knew each other in Pennsylvania. I met Lauren at my college, James Madison University in Virginia. A friend gave me her name as she was a cheerleader and from our town...and at the time I thought I wanted to cheer lead in College...I ended up dancing instead. Anyways, I ended up going to school there, joining her sorority and she was my big sister. We have stayed very close friends and she was recently in my wedding. I helped in her wedding by handing out programs and greeting guests! Anyways, she started dating Denny when she was a junior and I was a freshmen. He is a wonderful guy and the two make a beautiful couple. Lauren and Denny

recently moved from where J & I live in Virginia to Charlotte, NC to be closer to their families.

Here are a few pictures from our trip and the wedding. Lauren is one of the most beautiful people I know, and the nicest! J and I are truly lucky to have such wonderful friends and so happy for them. (Excuse the order, its almost 11pm and my computer is not cooperating!)

The first time as Man and Wife

Jay and I at the cocktail hour

My sorority family...The Britney's (Yes, as in Spears!)

Lauren's brother and Mom walking her down the aisle.

Having my wedding just over a month ago, I knew I had to get a shot of Denny's face when he first saw Lauren. They did not see each other before their ceremony! I wish I could have had that special moment!

The Bride to be and I at her rehearsal dinner!

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend!

My First Blog Award!

2009-10-07T17:16:00.018-04:00

Today was very stressful at work and not the greatest day until... I received an email about my first blogger award! I always see people get these awards, but never thought I would get one, especially since I have been slacking on the blog scene lately.

I want to send a huge thanks to Elizabeth at A Wedding Story. Check out her blog, if you are not already a fan! It is wonderful!

And now to my task: 7 Facts About Me!

1. I married my high school sweetheart after 8 wonderful years of dating. He asked me out after chemistry class in 10th grade and our parents drove us to our first date, since we did not have our license yet. We made it through four years of college at different schools (one hour apart) and after I graduated from graduate school, he asked me to marry him! Our first two months of marriage have been perfect!

2. I have a slight obsession with HGTV. I love to watch all the housing shows, especially House Hunters and Property Virgins. I make poor J watch this every night during dinner. We can't wait to own our first house, but we do not want to stay in the DC area long, so we just live through the buyers on TV for now!

3. I love to cook, but I am not very good at it! We have fabulous all- clad pots and pans, baking dishes and every gadget you could ask for thanks to our wedding guests. We always try new recipes, and I always find a way to mess something up. I just hope I am a good cook by the time I have children!

4. I spent most of my childhood (ages 3-13) living in Buffalo, yet I hate the cold weather. Sometimes even the DC area is too cold. The fact that Chicago could be my next address excites me, but the bitter cold weather scares me to death!

5. I have a Westie (West Highland White Terrier) named Buddy. He is the absolute best dog in the world. While, he was a gift to my dad and I, my dad won when I went to college and he still lives at home with my parents. I can't wait until we have a yard so that I can get another Westie.

6. I love vacations and getting to see new places in the world. We recently went to Aruba for our honeymoon and absolutely loved it. I promise to post pictures from our trip soon! We are headed to Savannah this weekend, another new place for us, for a good friends wedding. If you have any advice on what to do there, let me know! And in November, we are traveling to Dublin and Scotland. I promise we don't normally travel this much! We are just lucky this half of the year. I have been able to see a lot of the world and US thanks to my parents who also have a passion for traveling. I just hope to keep the tradition going when we have children.

7. I have a true love for preppy clothes and denim. I own more pairs of jeans that I want to admit! I hope to take this love and make it a career one day. Opening a clothing boutique is my dream. My best friend is great with accessories, which is my weakness as I believe pearls go with EVERYTHING. So, she plans to keep my boutique trendy, with lots of fun accessories. By the way, this is the same best friend who has call me "lulu" forever, and should be credited with my blog title!

I want to pass this award on to some of my favorite creative blogger's. Some of you already have another Kreativ Blogger award, but as this is a different design, I thought I would send it to you again. So many of the blogs I love are full of blogger awards!

1. My Life In Pink & Green

2. True Grace

3. Magnolias & Mimosas

4. Downtown Southern

5. Pink Washingtoniette

6. Sweet, Sassy, Southern and Classy

7. A Hokie & A Wahoo.

Show Us Your Life: Desserts

2009-09-27T10:24:00.004-04:00

This is my first Show Us Your Life Post. I absolutely love Kelly's Korner Blog and that she hosts these blog topics.

My favorite Dessert: Southern Banana Pudding. This is my Grandma's best friend Edie's recipe. I have literally had this for my Birthday "Cake" every year since I was five. I traditionally make it in a Pyrex baking dish, but as I did not have a picture of my cake from this year, I found this one above. I liked the dish it was put in...but I would not put whip cream on top, just my preference. Hope you enjoy as much as I do!

Grandma Edie and Nana’s Banana Pudding

1 small box Banana instant pudding mix
1 large box Vanilla instant pudding mix
5 cups of 2% or whole milk
6 or 7 bananas
1 small container sour cream (8oz)
1 small container cool whip (8oz)
1 1/2 boxes Vanilla wafers

Use hand mixer to combine the following:
Mix puddings with 5 cups milk
Add sour cream – mix
Add cool whip – mix
In 9” x 13” dish, place one layer of vanilla wafers topped with a layer of sliced bananas.
Add a layer of pudding.
Make 2nd layer of Vanilla wafers and bananas.
Put rest of pudding mixture over wafers and bananas, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate.

Make night before serving. . . ENJOY!

Boatman Geller Holiday Card Sale

2009-09-24T11:54:00.007-04:00

I was just browsing the Boatman Geller site and noticed a lot of their holiday cards are on sale. The one I love is on sale for $25 for a 50 card package (normally $85/package). If you are on the ball and ready to place a holiday card order, take advantage of this sale! This is our first year sending Holiday Cards...but I know my mom sends out at least 250, so they get pricey!

If you are not familiar with Boatman Geller, they are a fabulous preppy stationer. My mom picked out my bridal shower invite from them and then I bought matching thank you cards. Many items can be personalized, and make great gifts. They have additional items in their tent sale that are not Holiday related as well.

This was the style for my invite/thank you notes.

Check out their blog as well at http://liveyourstylebybg.blogspot.com/.

Happy Shopping!

Betty Draper: An American Housewife

2009-09-22T09:11:00.009-04:00

I was watching E's best & worst dressed list from the Emmy's last night. Clearly, there was nothing better to keep myself entertained at 11 PM. January Jones, AKA Betty Draper from Mad Men was named their best dressed female. I completely agreed. January Jones plays the wife of Don Draper, the main character on Mad Men. She is the image of the perfect housewife from the 1960's. I completely adore her style, presence and grace, even when things become tense between her husband and her. She is also beautiful, very similar looking to Grace Kelly.

Who did you think was the best dressed?

Missing gadgets?

2009-09-22T08:53:00.001-04:00

Is anyone else missing their followers on their blog? Mine all the sudden disappeared. It still says I have the followers on my dashboard, they just will not show up!

Truly Lucky

2009-09-21T15:42:00.002-04:00

This weekend flew by. I honestly can't believe I am already back at my desk at work.

My friend Lauren's shower and bachelorette was wonderful, and when I have more time I will post details/pictures. Sunday got the best of me though. I went to brunch with friends (another post for this week, which should be very entertaining) and then to a bar with J to watch the Eagles loose. I felt terrible after the game (and not only because they lost). I went straight to bed when I got home and could not make myself get up to make my final summer BBQ dinner. Jay just let me sleep and went ahead and made the wonderful dinner for us. He did a fabulous job. He even went above and beyond and made sauteed zucchini with onions and a little kick of spice with Cayenne pepper. He loves spicy food, and I am starting to acquire a taste. I just thought it was a great display of love and care for me. I am definitely one lucky girl.

I had a general question for anyone who reads my blog, especially the newlyweds/married bloggers. I had a goal to finish my thank you notes from the wedding by September 22, a month from my wedding day. I know they say a month is traditionally how long you have to write the notes, but is it from the day of the wedding or when you get home from your honeymoon? I have about 50 left and am sure I won't finish them by tomorrow. Having to write 200 something thank yous takes longer than I thought...and I had to take a break to do a few birthday thank yous in there as well. I do tend to write longer notes, trying to make them each personal and meaningful to express our true thanks.
Thanks for the advice! :)

Happy Friday!

2009-09-18T07:31:00.019-04:00

I have been waiting for Friday since I woke have been waiting for Friday to come since I woke up Monday. Work has not been bad, there is just a lot going on and I am ready for a little break. Anyways...I thought I would post the things I am looking forward to this weekend!

1. Finally purchasing the last of our All-Clad Pots & Pans. I can't wait to transfer my old hand-me-down pots & pans to my younger sister who just moved to VA. My cooking should improve now! :) (haha) I might even pick up something for fall to get myself in the mood...like this beautiful wreath. I love Williams Sonoma and could probably purchase everything in the store if I could afford to.

2. My good friend (and one of my bridesmaids) bridal shower and bachelorette. We are headed to a vineyard in Maryland tomorrow for her shower and then a night on the town in Georgetown and at a lounge in D.C. for her bachelorette. Here is a picture of us from 2 years ago. I am so excited to celebrate with her for one of her last nights as a single lady!

3. Coffee & Bagels at a new bagel shop on Sunday with my husband. Since I am leaving him for most of Saturday, it will be nice to catch up and try this new place! They serve genuine NY H&H bagels.

4. AN EAGLES WIN against the Saints. It is the home opener for the EAGLES and after a great game against Carolina last week, we are looking forward to another great Eagles season. (We grew up in PA, but went to school and now live in VA, but will NEVER be redskins fans)! Below is my favorite Eagle, Brian Westbrook!

5. Sunday Meals: Since I work a lot during the week, I enjoy having time to cook a real meal on Sundays. This week I am going to do a final BBQ chicken with our Budwiser Barbecue sauce. This BBQ sauce is so good and has a little bite to it! It is time to start doing more soups and stews on Sunday, but I wanted to get one last summer meal in before it is too late!

P.S. Last Sunday I tried out Fried Green Tomatoes. We love the fried green tomatoes at the Washington DC restaurant Georgia Browns. My recipe was not as tasty (I just used the Good Housekeeping cookbook recipe). Anyways, I think we were missing the cream cheese filling that make GB's soooo good! I will try these again, but will have to make some changes.

What is everyone else doing this weekend? I hope you all have a great one!

A New Obsession: MAD MEN!

2009-09-14T10:15:00.004-04:00

I was at Target this weekend and season one of Mad Men was on sale. I had heard this was a good show, so I took a chance and bought the season. It was only $20 for all 13 episodes, so not a bad deal. Well, we are obsessed. It is very interesting. It tells the story of Madison Avenue advertising executives in the 1960's. It is somewhat sad and disturbing, to see the amount of sexual harassment in the workplace and the amount of disrespect women received, but the show is a drama and keeps you continually wanting to know more. It is very sexy and provative as well. If you are looking for a new show, I would recommend it.

In other news, I forgot to blog about my favorite birthday present. My Grandma (courtesy of my mom) gave me this fabulous blazer (shown in navy, but I have it in charcoal grey) from J Crew. I love things with "frills" and can't wait for it to get a bit cooler to wear this to work. J says everything I own has frills or bows, etc. But since I work for a conservative accounting firm, I need to keep my wardrobe fun or else I will get bored. It is a bit pricey, but if you are a teacher or student (like my mom), you get 15% off ALWAYS! I chose the wrong career to have a J CREW obsession. Hope you all are having a great Monday!

Finally, A Quiet Weekend!

2009-09-13T17:25:00.008-04:00

After a year of wedding planning and a labor day weekend packed with guests, we finally had a peaceful and relaxing weekend.

Last weekend my parents were in town for my 25th birthday and their 27th wedding anniversary (yes, I was an anniversary baby). We celebrated together at a great restaurant north of Georgetown, Cheff Geoff's, followed by my Mom's homemade banana pudding. Then on Monday, J's family was in town before his younger sister left for a semester in Scotland. We are excited to be able to visit her in November over Thanksgiving! Overall, it was great to have everyone in town, but kept me on my feet entertaining and keeping things together. Oh, and we also celebrated J receiving a promotion and raise! Pretty great news in a down economy! He definitely deserved it!

This weekend we decided to keep things calm. We stayed in Friday night trying to work on thank you notes and J was continuing to work on applications to business school. He plans on starting next fall, and is applying all over the place. I just try to keep him motivated and give him a lot of encouragement. Saturday we were supposed to volunteer at a special Olympics soccer tournament, but it was canceled due to the fields being to wet. Instead, J and I headed to Good Stuff Eatery, in Capital Hill DC. This is Spike's restaurant from Top Chef a few season's ago. It is a burger restaurant and was fabulous. We have a few famous burger restaurants in the area, and this is by far my favorite. I liked it because the burgers were not enormous, and they had a ton of different dipping sauces for the fries. My favorite was the mango mayonnaise.

I spent the afternoon shopping, alone. I don't particularly enjoy shopping with other people, unless it is my mom. I had to get a wedding shower and bachelorette gift for a friends parties next weekend. I also had been given some money from my parents, with strict instruction to spend it on work clothes. I was pretty successful. I got a few things from J Crew (my favorite being a purple pencil skirt), a new pair of shoes (grey suede at Macy's), some work pants from Express (I HATE this store, but I am pretty tiny and this is the only store I can get work pants from that look normal). I also got a great new purse at Nordstrom. I have always had Longchamp purses, which I do love due to their versatility and size, but they are not very durable. So, I purchased this JPK brand purse in Navy Blue. It has a black leather handle, so it matches everything. I love the inside design of the purse too. It was pretty reasonably priced too!

Last night J and I joined my best friend and her new boyfriend to see the movie Inglorious Basterds. I had no idea what to expect. It was VERY graphic and I had to cover my eyes a lot. But, to be honest, I enjoyed the movie. Brad Pitt was very entertaining and funny and the story was interesting. If you can take the blood, I recommend it. (And this is coming from a girl whose favorite movie is Legally Blonde).

We are getting ready for the week now, after a great Eagles win!! I am trying out a recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes. I will let you know how it goes! Hope you all have a great week!

A Mrs.?

2009-09-01T23:44:00.025-04:00

That's right. I am a married woman! And I can't believe the planning...the 1.5 years of planning, are over. The tedious decisions, the fight over favors, the many many decisions became final. I could not have been luckier on my wedding day. It poured all around the DC area (where J and I currently live) and north of Philadelphia. But despite the 90% chance of DOWNPOURS, it DID NOT rain north of Wilmington, DE where J and I became Man and Wife. God was watching over us. We (hopefully) had a few fabulous outdoor shots, and great weather for an August wedding...with some heavy humidity. Ew. But, at least no rain, right!?

Anyways, below are a few photos that some of my great friends have posted via facebook. We still have a few weeks until the professional photographs are ready...but these are fabulous photos and I am thankful to my friends for posting these so quickly. According to friends, it was somewhat of a frat party...but I like to see it as the most classy frat formal you have ever been too.

We had a fabulous week in Aruba, which I will post about later. And now I have two more days of work before my 4 day (25th birthday) weekend! I really am lucky to have been born around a holiday. Enjoy my photos!

Garter goes on, thanks to my sister, and MOH, Shannon.

First Dance, to "Everything" by Michael Buble

My best friends, sisters and bridesmaids.

My best friend and MOH, Jen.

My two new sisters.

My Dad seeing me, for the first time in my dress.

He definitely loved me first.

My first Sorority Friend. And a great friend.

Walking me down the aisle.

Giving me away. See Jay's face?

A classy good-bye, in a White Trolley!

Hello Mr. & Mrs. Michelini!

Happy!

Mr. & Mrs.

Curls, before they were gone.

DDD sisters. Including my Grandma!

My mom. :)

5 days!

2009-08-17T18:25:00.004-04:00

So, I was slightly out of commission for a bit. About two and a half weeks ago, I had promised my younger sister and family that J and I would help move her into her new apartment down the street from us. This was great, it would give us a break from last minute wedding plans and get to see my sisters new place. Well, about one box into the move I sprained my neck. I was out of commission for the rest of the night...not knowing at the time how bad I had hurt myself. After two days of terrible pain, I finally went to the ER (since it was Sunday night) and was given Oxycontin and muscle relaxers (yea, that much pain!). I even took my first sick day that Monday. But, then work became so intense, wedding details became more stressful, and I was back to reading rather than writing blogs.

Well, we are down to 5 days. Some family are already in town, but most arrive Thursday. We delivered all the hotel bags (60 of them) to the reception site, as well as all of the reception items today. It was a huge relief to have it out of my mom's house, and made the wedding seem that much closer. My mom is even more of a perfectionist than me. She insists each out of town guest get their OWN hotel bag, not just per couple. We have had to re-print so many table seating cards because they say "Mrs." for someone who still has their ex-husbands last name, but still should be a Ms. Anyways, it is all finally finished. We also FINALLY went and applied for our marriage license today. As our wedding is in our hometown in Pennsylvania, and we currently don't live here, getting to the courthouse was not easy prior to this week.

Anyways, tonight I am going to relax. A glass of wine and a movie with my family and Aunt, will put me to bed easily tonight. I am so excited for all my bridesmaids to arrive and beginning to get very anxious! I will post pictures of our hotel bags tomorrow, because, I think they are fabulous compared to most I have received at weddings! :)

Have a great night!

2009-07-29T22:58:00.004-04:00

Honeymoon by Lindsey Thacher featuring Lilly Pulitzer

Hello Honeymoon!

I have discovered Polyvore! You can mix and match styles, including furniture. I know my items do not really match, it is mostly a wish list! How great is that arm chair? And of course, there is nothing more perfect than Lilly while vacationing in the Caribbean. This is my current "Honeymoon" wish list. Let me see your Polyvore sets! Also, we will be headed to Aruba for our Honeymoon...staying at the Marriott. Any restaurant suggestions? Activities we must do? We hear the food is great! I will take any advice I can get! Thanks!

Lilly LULU!

2009-07-28T12:33:00.004-04:00

I definitely will be getting this post-wedding as a staple everyday/work dress! I love that my nickname is the name of this new Lilly! I just wish it were a different print.

What is your favorite new fall Lilly?

Welcome to my Blog!

2009-07-20T15:29:00.008-04:00

After becoming an avid reader of several "preppy" and fabulous blogs, I have decided to create my own blog. As my wedding approaches (32 days! :)), I have lots to blog about, and will continue to post about my life as a newlywed in DC as the time goes on. I am a twenty something, almost married, accountant attempting to balance my life as I work and plan my wedding. We are down to the last details of the wedding, and life is starting to get a little stressful! I hope you continue to visit my site as I post about everything I love and the adventures I will encounter in DC as a soon to be newlywed! :)