Happy Birthday Fiance'!!

Happy Birthday to my super, duper, terrific, loving, caring and handsome fiance! (Yup, he'll hate me for that ;) )

I love birthdays! I really don't know why. I'd have to say it's because I like a celebration. Of just about anything. And what could be better than celebrating someone special? And I like surprises. I like being sneaky and super clever when it comes to giving gifts or planning things. It's almost as fun as getting a surprise.

But this year I seemed to have lost my touch. For the first time in 4 (birthday) years, I could not think of what to get Tony. I mean, I have been wracking my brain for the past couple of weeks to think of the perfect thing...and bam....it's his birthday and I have zero clever ideas. With the wedding and mini dining room makeover (currently in progress) I'm on a bit of a budget.

So this year I went with the safe choice of clothing. Boring! But necessary. (And homemade birthday cards. Clever, easy and personable. Score!) And miraculously I think he was happy with everything. Even the sweater. I believe it's the first sweater he's owned in 26 years. (And I will notice if he does or does not wear it.) AND I'm pretty sure he was telling me the truth that I did good....

I did my best to make it a special day for him. He woke up to a birthday note, I got up at 4AM to spend the morning with him (if that doesn't say I love you, I don't know what does!) and drink coffee (again...can we say love here? I haven't drank coffee in 29 years/11 months), he opened one present this morning, then came home to another note, had a birthday dinner and then got to open the rest of his presents. What I lack in funds, I certainly try to make up in creativity!

Happy Birthday Tony! I love you more than words can express!

After opening presents.
Rudy likes the paper.

One of my homemade "cards".

A Weekend Worth Mentioning

Happy Sunday fun day everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I'm spending my Sunday night relaxing, watching my favorite t.v show (Once Upon A Time...if you haven't seen it you MUST watch it! However trying to type this and watch is proving challenging), and reflecting on what a fulfilling weekend I had.

I spent much time drinking wine and watching movies...catching up on the Twilight series (don't judge) and a sickly amount of wedding shows (yes, since becoming engaged I've turned into a wedding junkie). But while it sounds like I was unproductive I most certainly was not. I'm not sure where all the extra hours in a day came from but somehow I managed to get lots of stuff done in what seemed like an endless day(s). I managed to discuss wedding plans with my parents, meet a girlfriend for lunch, get engagement pictures printed, buy out a 1/4 of Hobby Lobby (ok not really....but close) and do some price checking on printing invites. Then I was able to make breakfast for myself, do dishes,  have a little girl talk this morning, went to the hardware store on a whim and bought paint, painted the dinning room and made homemade chili in the crock pot. Phew! It sounds exhausting but I'm so pleased with myself for accomplishing so much I'm actually feeling quite relaxed and complete! And not to toot my own horn or anything...but the chili was definitely the best I've ever made. And top it with some shredded mozzarella cheese and light sour cream...MUAH! Perfection.

I can't wait to share with you my dining room makeover. It's going to be a little work in progress but the paint was a huge first step. Funny how having new pictures to hang makes me have the ambition to finally start painting. It's only been about 2 years....yeah for changes!

Everyone have a great Monday!!!

Our Photoshoot!

Can I just start with:

I ORDERED MY WEDDING BOOTS!!!!

I'm so freaking excited I can't stand it. I just couldn't wait any longer. I didn't want to risk the chance of them discontinuing or not having my size. And I don't even get to see them until they arrive in November or December! I cannot wait to see them. Fingers crossed they fit perfectly and are as awesome as they look in the picture....

Secondly:

OUR ENGAGEMENT PICTURES ARE DONE!

Keith Weich from Weich Photography did a great job on our photo's. I'm so excited that Tony and I FINALLY have some nice pictures of us together. Not to mention, it makes it a little more real that we are actually getting married!

I love this man so much. He's my best friend and tries his best to make me happy. Best example to date: HE NEVER ONCE COMPLAINED ABOUT ALL THE OUTFIT CHANGES FOR THE PICTURES! Tell me that's not an honorable trait!! LOL

 

 

 

 

These are just a few of our favorites. Can't you tell I'm crazy about this guy? We had so much fun doing these.  I cannot wait to see what's in store for our future!

 

A Lazy Weekend

It was an icky weekend. Rain, rain and more rain. It was cold. And did I mention rain? But we did need it. And I welcomed it. I needed a weekend that would keep me in the house. So I could be lazy. And watch numerous episodes of Say Yes to the Dress (which didn't happen). I wanted to just have a totally unproductive weekend.

But then being lazy resulted in the urge to bake. Because that meant I could be lazy and eat cookies when I was done, right? I see nothing wrong with this theory. Except that never actually happened either. I baked and then baked some more. And then I made dinner. And after that it was time to go out for a couple cocktails with some friends (and one can't complain about that!). So I can honestly say after day one of my "lazy weekend" I was tired from standing and baking all day but I did get some pretty yummy cookies to share with you. AND I slept like a baby.

Our night out. (P.S. I gave myself a new look...bangs!)

Thankfully, today was a more successful lazy day. We went to a 3 year old's birthday party, which everyone knows....all you do is eat lots of food until you're stuffed to the max...and then eat cake. But at least I was able to relax. However, thanks to football I still didn't get to watch all my chick shows. But I did get to eat some cookies. So I guess I could call it a winning weekend. Even though it didn't go the way I had imagined, I can see the silver lining. Relax + eat cookies = successful lazy weekend.

On that positive note, here is one of the two cookie recipes I made this weekend: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I hope everyone else had a great weekend. Hopefully the rain helped you accomplish something on your "to do" list! :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Adapted from www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon *
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 2 cups chocolate chips

* Recipe calls for 2 teaspoon cinnamon but after reading some reviews I decided to cut it down to 1 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon nutmeg as well as 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. I think I will add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice the next time I make these. It all depends on how much you want them to taste like actual pumpkin pie!  Also optional is 1/2 cup Walnuts.

Directions:

 Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil and egg in large bowl. 

Stir together until mixed well.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt.
Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in.

If you want a more pumpkin pie flavor I recommend

adding pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg.

Now add the flower mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips (and nuts if you wish to do so). 

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake 350 degrees for 

approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. Mine didn't

turn brown but if you poke them you can tell when they start getting firm.

Once done, let stand on cookie sheet for a minute or two and then remove to cooling racks. Look at these babies. (I couldn't wait to try them and let me tell you....they are just as good as a regular chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven!)

Trust me, you will not be able to stop eating these. Plan on having someone to give some too, so you don't find yourself eating the ENTIRE batch...

Wedding Update

Wedding Ceremony/Reception Venue...CHECK!

Caterer...CHECK!

D.J...CHECK!

Photographer...CHECK!

Dress...CHECK! (which leads to the next...)

PRE-WEDDING WORKOUT....CHECK!!!!!

I just joined a local gym because trying to become a sexy bride just wasn't going to happen in the basement along with my DVD's. Sorry Jillian Michaels and Jackie Warner. You two are GREAT....SUPER GREAT, in fact. But truth is, I'm lazy. I figure if I'm half a quarter as in shape as those two are, I'm doing fantastic. Seriously...pain? No thanks....BUT I know that's not going to get me where I want to be. Soooo...my super, duper, terrific fiance' added me to his gym membership. I've gone 2 days in a row and I feel terrific. Now to keep this up for the next...mmm...11 months! Bahahahah....that's almost funny. No. I WILL do it. I will NOT have office arms or a twinkie roll on my wedding day! I think I read on someone else's blog that they wanted to have the super power of eating anything and never gaining an ounce. Yeah...I want that too.

Things are slowly but surely coming along in our wedding plans. I'm excited to say that we are at the 11 month mark so time's a tickin'! It's time to start planning out the small stuff and working on those DIY wedding projects. The only reason I don't mind this cold weather is that it gives me a good reason to stay inside and get busy on these things. My horses miss me but for once I have a legit excuse. (I DON'T really not see them....I feed and clean their poop every day. I just don't get to enjoy the benefits much lately). One of these weekends I'm planning on attacking our invites. I have plans for making a garter. I have to do some tweaking on a veil. I have to get crafty with some signs. I have lots o' little projects to get cracking on!

Next on the big list is florist. I already know I'm using my aunt but I have no idea what I want. Take that back. I have too many ideas of what I want. Which makes things really confusing. Do I want field flowers? Or am I going for more romantic? What about roses? Oh but I like those succulents! If I were to create my own it would probably look like the garden threw up a bouquet. A little bit of this and a little bit of that. Although...I may be on to something...I can never make decisions so it may be appropriate....hmmmm. No. Let's leave that to the professionals. I have no doubt they will make anything look beautiful.

And that, my friends, is my current wedding update. I cannot wait to start working on those projects!

Crafty Sunday

Do you ever look around your house and see all these changes you want to make but you know it's just not feasible to do it all at once, or possible, for that matter? That's how I feel all the time. There is so much I want to do it gives me a headache. I don't think I'll ever get them done before we decide to make our move back into the country. BUT...I'm trying to make the most of it and make what we have cozy.

For starters...making your home have a fall vibe always helps make it feel homey. So this weekend, I pulled out some of my old fall decor and then decided to tackle a crafty project to create a new piece of my own.

After a trip to Hobby Lobby (AGAIN! I could live at that store!) I came home with some burlap (a little nicer than the stuff from the hardware store) and some yarn and was determined I could make something with it. I keep trying to come up with my own creative projects and stop relying so much on Pinterest. But let's face it. Pinterest is GENIUS. So I took a little of my own idea and combined it with what I've come across in some pins. So there....I can take a little credit.

I have a cheap canvas painting that I picked up at Goodwill a long time ago. I have it sitting on our bookshelf just to add some height and color to our dining room (I told you I make the best of what I have). But quite honestly it's not exciting and additionally, Tony HATES it. So what better canvas to test out my idea. It was soooo easy and it turned out really cute. MUCH better than the painting itself.

Afterwards, while cleaning up and getting the rest of my decor in it's place I thought "Oh wouldn't a little jute vase be cute right here...oh...hold up. I've got jute!" Then I ran downstairs and for the first time ever, Tony hadn't thrown out my saved bottles. Hallelujah! I sat down and 15 minutes later (ok maybe longer, I wasn't actually timing myself) I had a cute little vase. Score for me! Make that TWO crafty moments in ONE day!

Cute little jute vase!

And other than Tony thinking that I had incorporated a backwards J into my masterpiece, he liked my creations. (Seriously, we don't have a J in either of our names.....bahahahaha...I love that man!) Not to  mention, I wouldn't hang it backwards!!..... ;)

The odd T ;)

If you want to know how I made my cute creation check out Burlap Art here.

Tony even complimented my table centerpiece. It makes me happy that he notices these little touches. I'll even share these fall touches with you!

I added some textures for a fall centerpiece.

Natural textures. My jute vase looks right at home!

So there you have it. My fall accents to cozy up our home. I have a few more ideas in store to add for Halloween. I'll keep racking my brain and I'll be sure to share my ideas with you!

Happy Halloween Month!

Can you believe it's October already??? So hard to believe!! With wedding on the brain and our crazy hectic schedule the last month I almost forgot my October tradition. I am a huge fan of scary movies and I heart Halloween, so what better way to kick off the holiday than watching many of the best movies for an entire month!

Example: Hocus Pocus. Need I say more? I watch it every year!

Not to mention the other classics such as: Halloween, Friday the 13th (ch ch ch ), Psycho and Nightmare on Elm Street. There are just too many great movies to try and watch in one weekend before Halloween so I've taken to enjoying them for all of October. It's become my Halloween Month!

I also enjoy reading more of the mystery and thriller books throughout the month of October. I realize I can read them anytime but there's something fun about saving some of them for the beginning of fall, snuggling up on the couch and enjoying the early dark nights. After a full day of work it lets me get to a fun, dramatic place. Sometimes its the childish, magical part of Halloween that gets me excited. While other times it is the mysterious persona that goes along with that haunted day.

It also leads me to realize I have NOT even started to set up my fall stuff inside the house.  (Well...besides the leaves/tin pot I have as a centerpiece on the dining room table. That's been the extent of it. Whoop-de-doo...) So I'm now on a mission to get some new pieces to add to my decor'. I want to start having a more grown up and crafty looking holiday display.

My first big purchase was my little witch! She's perfect for keeping the door open and she was a whopping $2.00 at Goodwill. All I had to do was hot glue her spooky little hat and hair back on.  I love finding steals at that store! (And I'm pretty sure she's happy to be fixed!)

Isn't she adorable?

 I hope everyone had a terrific Tuesday! Tomorrow is hump day already! Yee Haw! ;)

Oh! I almost forgot to share my DIY wreath. Here it is folks! Let me know if you like it!