We're headed to the Windy City!

My sissy S, is getting married! I can't believe it's here already. Seems like yesterday we were just kids planning operation HoHoHo which was a high tech 'catch Santa in the act' mission.  

The wedding is in my favorite city-Chicago! For those of you who don't know, I spent a year and a half in the Windy City launching my journalism career. I can't wait to get on the road and show the hubs around town.

I had every intention of packing light. After trying to re-arrange luggage at the airport during our cruise vacay, I was determined to be efficient. Like one of those people who writes articles about how to pack for a 2 week trip with just a carry on. But then we decided to drive. And somehow, my vision of us cooly walking into the Intercontinental hotel

(fancy, right?) has become weighted down with our huge rolling suitcase, my rolling carry-on(best drugstore purchase ever) a garment bag, AND our bagged wedding attire. 

I envisioned packing like this...

We achieved something more like this. 

Can I just say that I felt really good about my packing? I am completely OCD about my packing(think Jack Nicholas' character in As Good As It Gets) and had everything listed out, cleaned and laid out by Sunday night. I took up less than half the big suitcase(thinking surely we'd be able to fit both of our belongings in a suitcase big enough that I can curl up in) so I was ready to roll but then we started working on Mac's stuff. 

Man decided he had to bring 5 pairs of shoes. Because he simply couldn't wear the brown boots he was wearing on Thursday with khakis again on Saturday with jeans(the horror of me suggesting such a thing). This man and his boots. It is true that you can take the man out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the man. I can't be angry because I brought the equivalent number of pairs of shoes, but I wear a size 5, and some of my shoes were flats! Anyways, we(and by that I mean I) were able to strategically pack his shoes in our big rolling bag. This did mean completely changing the layout and removing all toiletries to be placed in another bag. This brings me to my question, wives-is it easier for you to pack for your husband or does he go it alone. Do you find sharing luggage space a good idea, bad idea? Why? 

I guess I could write an article about it. It would be called, How To Have A Nervous Breakdown While Packing Your Suitcase, A woman's battle against her husbands shoes

Lots of details to come on the wedding and the Windy City but here is a quick wish list Weds. 

Saw this on FB yesterday, isn't it cute? 

http://www.vancaro.com/lovely-exquisite-cutout-love-letter-ring-pendant-cubic-zirconia-alloy-plated-18k-gold-women-s-necklace.html 

I'm totes ordering this skirt from Alloy! 

And lastly, I'm in the market for a new purse. I HATE buying bags. I don't care for the price of a brand, and I am very specific about my everyday bags. Here's a few that have caught my eye. 

Favorite purse brands, good places to find deals? Help! 

Wish List Wednesday Kitchen edition

So back in January, we started a kitchen renovation(see 3-20 post). As I said back in March, there are few things I dislike more in this world then painting cabinets. It was just recently that we even finished(and by that I mean The hubs) the last set of base cabinets. So now it was time for our island to be updated. Instead of the very predictable contrast color black, I became determined to find the perfect shade of gray so I could introduce that color into the kitchen. Uhhhh, has anyone ever tried to find a gray that doesn't have blue undertones? It is very difficult. But alas, my persistence prevailed when I stumbled across a blog that had the same kitchen features we did. Black granite counters with cream cabinets except their island which was Venetian gold. We had Lowes match the Benjamin Moore Equestrian Gray and had them create a dark brown/gray glaze to go over it to keep it from looking blue. 

Well, then I got the idea that we should put picture frame molding on the open side of our island to complement the molding throughout our house. So Mac and I took another trip to Lowe's where we managed to get all the materials in one trip(there's a first for everything). But he did the most amazing carpentry(mitered corners are not easy) and it was so worth it! 

Before

After(isn't it amazing?) 

After the woodwork was complete, we delved into trying out the paint and glaze. It took us 2 coats of paint with primer and 2 coats of glaze. At first we weren't sure if the glaze did anything, but once we compared just the paint to the side with the glaze, you could actually tell. 

We just need to finish painting and glazing the doors and we'll be ready to tackle the next project, the window seat. 

Which brings me to my wish list Wednesday. I have hopes and dream of having the kitchen completed by Summers end. Here are the things I've got my eye on. 

We are planning on building a window bench seat. Here are a few options I've looked at: 

Simple bench seating with cozy pillows

(makes you want to curl up with a good book)

Bench seat with cabinets/shelving

(this is where I'm leaning) 

And this is what Mac was thinking: Banquette seating

(I don't think this will work with our layout tho)

And lastly, it's a long ways off but how fabulous would this floor look in our industrial farmhouse kitchen? 

Shooting for the island to be complete this weekend and perhaps drawing plans for the bench early August. 

They say it's your birthday! And a recap of the past few months

I meant to blog fitness progress over the past few months, really I did. But honestly, it's taken this long for me to really 'feel' any difference. I mean I didn't strut around in my bikini on vacation(but I did put one on and that's a victory in itself). I should really clarify, I feel better about my workouts when I'm at the gym. I've been doing HIIT(high intensity interval training) and really enjoying it. I plan to keep it up and have been trying to find a good weight training program to go along with the cardio. 

So since I last wrote a post, I have celebrated my first anniversary and been on vacation. 

As far as my anni goes, I can't believe we made it! I have said it again and again this past year but seriously, marriage is not for the faint of heart. I guess it surprises people that we didn't feel that honeymoon/all bliss period. Well, I'm just trying to be honest. Marriage was not what I thought it would be. A big part of that was/continues to be unrealistic expectations. I am constantly reminding myself, you've never been married before, it's ok to have no idea what you are doing, its ok to set your own standards. And like most things in life, the hard work makes it so worth it. I recommit myself to Mac every day and the end result is an ever changing relationship that is filled with compromise, patience, trust, sometimes conflict but above all, love. So to repeat myself, marriage is not what I thought it would be, but honestly it's so much more than I ever imagined. 

When we're cruisin together....

Hard to believe our vacation has come and gone for 2013. We joined up with Nicki and Cina for another great week long cruise, this time to the eastern Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. There were 3 ports of call; Nassau Bahamas, St Thomas USVI, & St Maarten. 

Highs: great friends, having champagne and strawberries for our anniversary from our trip mates, similar boat layout, balcony view, 'be'Dazzles, jump rope, listening to Mac and Cina talk to Roxy, sock less formal night. banana raft ride, smuggling in shells, braving the coach sale, anniversary cards from hubs(not 1 but 2!), Seeing 9 people in a cabin shower

Lows: understaffing/less enthusiastic staff, figuring out how to get to St John from St Thomas, no OX tail, motion of the ocean, food selection, realizing we are in the 'older' fun group

All in all, we came away from vacation with a few scratches and bruises, several 2nd place medals, and more great memories with Nicki and Cina. Wishing them the best as they begin their 'real' married life together in NC and (selfishly) hoping that they come back ASAP! Looking forward to our next vacation together soon. 

29 is gonna be the best year yet! ;)

As I reflect on the past year and the year to come I'm pretty amazed and overwhelmed. When I look over all the fb messages, texts and calls I can't help but praise God for bringing all these people into my life. I am who I am today because of all the people that I've met and they have all had a profound impact in my life. This made me think, how have I affected others I've come across? Has it been for good or worse? 

My goal for the upcoming year is to serve others more consistently. Whether that be a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, an extra set of hands, monetary donations, I want to start giving. Thoughts on good ways to get started? 

And for those of you who don't know, I'm actually 32 and proud of it. But seriously, could I pass for 29? 

Truth, I wear the same size jeans as my husband! (TJ haul)

Yes, that statement is true. But let me clarify. Because trust me, about 45 minutes ago I about had a full-on melt down in the TJ dressing room...

As much as I love my skinnies, I like to change it up every know and then. While thinking about what I wanted to take on vacation(yes, I plan several months in advance to prevent anxiety), I knew I wanted some denim shorts. Jhorts, as I affectionately call them. This comeback trend(I rocked mid-thigh light blue denim rolled shorts circa 1992, and yes I have a picture to prove it), is lovely! However, I have no interest in 'wearing short shorts' these days. I guess I'm not stylish because apparently, anything that doesn't show the bottom of YOUR bottom isn't hip. I'm rambling, but I have a point and here it comes. I was researching Jhorts when I came up with the idea of using 'men's/boyfriend jeans' to make a pair. My thinking was, I could cut them the length that was appropriate to my frame. That's when I decided, because its only logical, that if I'm going to have boyfriend shorts, I have to have boyfriend jeans.
I digress..
So, I'm shopping in heaven, I mean TJ Maxx, when I discover that the juniors section has a whole rack devoted to the boyfriend denim style. But they honestly were looser skinny jeans, which just looked like skinny jeans on me. I just didn't like the fabric or the fit. Which brought me to brave the men's section.
First off, who else is glad that there is such a variety of washes now? I mean, they had everything from 'John Deer' farmer blue to 'Jersey Shore' faded wash.

I managed to find what I needed in 2 trips to the dressing room. After the first trip which nearly sent me into a shame spiral, I settled on a dark wash, slender fit pair of 32/30 Express Jeans for $19 bucks. I even managed to find a pair of white shorts that were a decent length in the juniors section thus restoring my faith in humanity about clothing length. (Am I too old to be shopping in juniors?) Another great TJ trip all in all.

Here's a few tips I learned.
1. Remind yourself they sit on the hips, not the waist(unless you're going for a baggy mom jean look, no judgement here). This means the measurement 'number' will not be what you are accustomed to.
2. Skinny is not just the fit for women, apparently the gents also like to rock the tight fit.
3. Rejoice because for ONCE length doesn't matter
4. Don't cry because they aren't as baggy as you thought they'd be(refer to number 1 and 2)
5. Don't be afraid 'wear the pants' in your family. I mean literally, I can just use Macs jeans in the future. I wanted a darker wash then he likes to wear but I could probably try his for daytime fun!

Inspiration pic below, I'll try to post a 'look book' picture sometime this weekend.

Thoughts on my mani? Too young, just right?

In my defense, my husband is pretty trim. I guess I could work at fattening him up so I don't have to stalk the men's section anymore, bwahahaha....

Every New Beginning Comes From Some Other Beginning's End.....

Got a lot of things coming up in the next few months. A trip 'home', a vacation, and my 'little' sister's wedding. What a blessing that I am able to do all these things!

So, a follow up from my last post. After a kick off week of super clean eating, I am on my way to fit-town. Because for me, skinny isn't an option. It's just not the way God made me. I've got Mary Lou Retton thighs, huge calfs and a broad chest. And even though I don't like that I don't have long stick legs-it was those muscular stumps that got me thru 5 years of stunting in college. So I strive(not settle) for fit.
I've hit the gym for at least 30 min of cardio each day. I've also been doing 3 various weekly plans that have complete arm, glute-area, and ab/core circuits for each day. Now that I'm getting back to 'real-life' eating I'm shooting for 3 meals with 2 snacks. I may go to 5 mini meals but I am going to try 3-2 first.

Train insane or remain the same! I bid goodbye to blah me....and(as Barbara would say) hello gorgeous! :)

Check below for a few new foods I'm trying out. The peanut spread says gluten free and vegan, and it was very good! Almost as good as my favorite Krema peanut butter.

High: that I set a goal and have stuck to it, even tho I wanted to quit(just about every time I got to the gym)
Low: realizing that a lifestyle change means limiting my beloved pasta

Weekend highlight: Hank fell asleep sitting up in the car yesterday. We took the dogs to Bark at the Park downtown and got to play and meet lots of other dog lovers. A great time was had by all.....

Ain't no turning back time.

Vacation. Should be a time to look forward to, a span of time filled with whatever your heart desires(changing scenery and good friends in my case). But if you are like me, or many of the women I know-it becomes a furious and panic filled count down of trying to get into shape.

I will be the first to say, I am my own worst and harshest critic. And I tend to put myself on a shame spiral that ends up 5 stops past crazy town and blows up on everyone. However this time I'm determined to stay in control and on the tracks.

I've committed myself to 3-4 days of activity sessions(30 minutes minimum) and a 'food' challenge a week.

Accountability is what's key here. So why not have it in writing? I've got to teach myself that gone are the days of eating what I want and when I want it. I am no longer a college athlete and I am no longer in my 20's.

There's no going back, only forwards.

Pickle dip, Lemon-Raspberry cake and French eggs, oh my!

Been keeping my hands busy the last few weeks. Started to play around with calligraphy, but more on that later. This post is about food. I've learned over the years that there isn't much that I don't love about it. Thought I'd share what I've been whipping up in my kitchen as well as a few tricks of the trade I've been using.

PICKLE DIP

- I made this for a Sunday school class girls night gathering. It was a BIG hit, which was a relief after my last outing with buffalo goat cheese bites was only so-so. Note to self; don't bring soft cheese to a gathering with numerous pregnant women. I highly recommend this as a simple and crowd pleasing item.

Ingredients:
(From bunsinmyoven.com)
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temp(can't stress the room temp part enough)
- 1/2 to 1 C dill pickles(to taste)
- 1T Worcestershire
- Dill, if desired
- Pickle juice(to taste)

Instructions:
- Chop pickles finely
- Combine cream cheese(the softer, the easier to mix) with Worcestershire
- Use pickle juice to thin dip out
- Season with dill if desired
Serve cold or at room temp with chips(I chose the classic ruffled chip, is there anything better to use as a vessel for dip?)

TRIPLE LAYER LEMON CAKE WITH BLACK RASPBERRY FROSTING

- This past Sunday, I was given the task of bringing a dessert for Easter and did not want to:
A) disappoint the in-laws(always more pressure there)
B) bring a standard dessert

Tutorial:
I used 2 boxed lemon cake mixes. I ALWAYS doctor my boxed cakes with either flavored pudding, melted chocolate, or (in this case) lemon pie/dessert filling. I make the cake according to the box instructions and add the extra 'goo' to keep the cake super moist. Some helpful tips...
- it does help of you sift the cake mix, but you could hand whisk the lumps if you wanted
- use the box cooking temp and time as a guideline and just keep an eye out(using common baking sense, aka toothpick test).
2 boxes made 3 8-inch round cakes and I used the extra batter and my favorite Wilton mini fluted bundt cake pan to make little lemon cakes which I brought to work.

For the frosting, I used a classic American buttercream recipe(see below) and added in my new favorite sweet-Graeter's Black Raspberry Fruit Topping(found at Kroger with Ice-Cream Sundae stuff). A few notes about making frosting...
- add powdered sugar a small bit at a time(never fails that my counter, floor, dogs and myself end up covered)
- make sure your butter is softened or you will get butter chunks in your frosting
- too runny? Add more powdered sugar. Too thick? Add Water or cream. Grainy? Whip it into submission

I let the cakes sit before moving them to a cooling rack. I use parchment paper when flipping them onto the rack since the extra moist cakes can break easily(bonus-less dishes!). The cooled completely before I even made the frosting, this is so I'm not tempted to rush the process. The rest is easy
- put strips of parchment on your cake plate that can be removed after frosting for a clean base.
- center 1st layer, top with thick layer of frosting, repeat with 2nd layer
- place top layer on and frost with thin crumb coat.
- frost cake with desired thickness(I'm not a huge frosting person, but I have to admit that this recipe rocks!)

The frosting would have been fine on it's own, but the Graeter's topping gave it such a delicious fruit flavor and gave it such a beautiful pink color. Et Voila!

OEUFS EN COQUETTE AUX FINES HERBES(Eggs baked in Ramekins with Herbs) a Julia Child Recipe
- My something to read this Christmas was Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. So after coming across this Pinterest recipe pin, I was inspired to delve into the cooking book and try.

I used Amanda's Cookin blog as a guideline, along with my cookbook
Ingredients:
* I modified the amounts.
- 2 T cream
- 1-2 eggs
- dab of butter
- herbs(S&P)
- you'll also need an stove & oven proof pan

Instructions:
- turn oven to 350 degrees
- fill stove top and oven safe pan halfway with water and bring to simmer
- 1 T Cream into greased ramekin, flavor with herbs, half dab of butter
- place ramekins in simmering water and heat until butter melts
- add egg(s), 1T cream, remaining dan butter and additional herbs
- place pan in middle of over(so you don't burn bottom or top)
- cook 7-10 min(depending on oven) until just set. Remove and let sit for 3-5 min
Notes:
- The cream will make it look not cooked
- you could play around with various herbs and ingredients
* I'm guessing this is one of the easier recipes in the cookbook, but I'm hoping to get the courage to try additional recipes soon!