Oh, Sweet September

Merry Christmas

2011-12-27T16:11:00.001-05:00

Weekend Guests.

2011-09-24T18:37:00.004-04:00

Or should I say Week-Guests? Yep, our furry family member number has doubled for the week. My Dad, step-mom, and sister went to Martha's Vineyard and we are the dog-sitters. It's sort of a circus around here, but we have a pretty good system down to make it work. They're all good dogs, so aside from some big bursts of energy, it's pretty cool to have all of these love bugs together!

{From left to right: Tuck, Tilly (both ours), Chessie (Tuck & River's Mom), and River}

I love a rainy night.

2011-09-19T18:33:00.004-04:00

It has been one gloomy day up here in the mitten. Rainy all day with no end in sight. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a rainy day. In fact, I like getting nice and cozy inside on rainy days. So today, when I got home from my interview after work, I put on yoga pants, my Black Dog Martha's Vineyard t-shirt (my fave lounge shirt), and have been snuggling on the couch since.

Tilly & Tuck are the best rainy day snugglers so they're content on this rainy day too. I'd say this is the face of someone who never lets a little rain get him down...

Hope you are all enjoying this Monday evening, rain or shine, wherever you are!

"The Help" Caramel Cake

2011-09-08T09:53:00.000-04:00

I came across this recipe last night and it looked too fun and delicious not to try! I thought you all might feel the same so I decided to share it. It seems like the perfect recipe to try this Fall :)

"The Help" Caramel Cake

(found on modernmom.com)

Ingredients:

4 egg whites, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk, divided (1/4 cup and 3/4 cup)

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (cut into small pieces), at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour three eight-inch cake pans (or use nonstick spray) and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the egg whites, ¼ cup milk, and the vanilla extract and set aside.

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and combine on low speed. Scatter the butter pieces on top of the flour mixture and add the remaining milk. Blend on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the egg white mixture a little at a time and beat on medium speed until just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cakes will appear slightly golden on top, not browned. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool completely. While the cake is cooling, make your icing.

Caramel Icing:

3 cups granulated sugar, divided (2 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 1/2 cups sugar, corn syrup, and milk. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and no longer has a granular feeling. Keep warm over low heat.

In a separate deep, heavy saucepan, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and spread evenly over the bottom. Cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves and begins to turn an amber color. You may “swirl” your pan if necessary to re-distribute sugar while cooking.

As soon as the sugar turns colors, carefully add the warm milk mixture into the heavy saucepan. It will bubble up vigorously and sizzle and the caramel on the bottom will harden.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the caramel dissolves and the liquid turns caramel color. Then cook without stirring until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage (235°F) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla, and salt.

Set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Mix until the icing is thick and the consistency appropriate to spread, about 15 minutes. A hand held electric mixer on medium speed works well for this purpose.

Cake Assembly:

Place one cooled cake layer upside down on a serving platter and pour about one-quarter of the icing over the top, spreading evenly with a knife or angled spatula. Place the middle layer upside down on top of the bottom layer and spread another one-quarter of the icing over it. Place the third cake layer right side up on top of the second layer and complete the icing of the top and sides. Set aside for two hours to allow the icing to set.

ENJOY!

21 Day Challenge!

2011-08-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I thrive on organization. However, this does not mean that I am Mrs. Organized. I can be far from it. But I recognize that when I am organized, I am at my best.

A couple of weeks ago, I shared our home organization binder on my blog. It has been such a wonderful help in organizing our life and home! I use it every day and have plans to add more to it in the coming weeks.

Today, I came across a blog post that was called the 21 Day Challenge. It is all about organizing some of those things that may not get a lot of attention all the time in the organizing department. It's basically a list of things to organize in your home, and it breaks it down to one item to tackle per day, which makes it a lot less overwhelming. If you're anything like me, feeling overwhelmed with too many "to-do's" is a death wish for getting anything done.

So, I'm joining the 21 day challenge fun and starting today! I hope you'll join too!

21 DAY ORGANIZING CHALLENGE

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life returns!

2011-08-24T09:15:00.004-04:00

I'll be honest, I'm mad at myself.

For the year leading up to our wedding and the year following, I had a membership at a kickboxing gym. I went 2 or 3 times per week and it was the best workout routine of my life. I felt so in shape, strong, energized, and everything I wore fit great.

Well, I'm sure you can tell where this is going... I stopped going. Why? I can blame it on a busy schedule. I can blame it on being too tired. Neither excuse is a good one though. And now, I'm so mad at myself for stopping. That fit and trim body definitely doesn't just stick around. After a year of not really focusing on fitness much at all, I'm paying for it.

So, I'm taking steps to getting myself back into that shape! I've known that in addition to jogging and eating better, I need to have that type of exercise back. Even though the class was awesome, I didn't want to buy the membership again (thanks Dave Ramsey:) ). The next best thing happened though, because on Sunday we bought one of these:

My new kickboxing training bag! I'm so excited. I know this is going to take dedication and follow through on my part, but I'm ready! I even have a couple of girlfriends who want to come over and have our own "kickboxing class" where we can push and motivate each other.

As soon as Lance put it together on Sunday evening, I tried it out. It felt great to put my wraps and gloves on again. But, yesterday morning was the first real workout. My friend came over and we kicked our own behinds! It was tough but felt so good afterward. And thinking about getting back in shape made it feel even better :) I'm so glad we bought it.

I'm going to dedicate myself to doing the bag workout every other day. There, I said it.

I have to make this change. I'm going to! I don't want to be mad at myself anymore!

What is your best workout routine?

Sunflowers.

2011-08-23T09:36:00.008-04:00

I LOVE sunflowers. They remind me of late summer/early fall and they're just beautiful! If you've ever driven by a giant sunflower field you know how breathtaking of a sight that can be.

When planning our wedding two years ago, I knew that sunflowers were going to play a part. And they did! I really think they fit perfectly into the style and feel of our day and our beautiful photos (compliments of Megan W Photography) prove it!

These were in tin buckets at the head of the aisle.

They were in our centerpiece arrangements.

My beautiful bridesmaids held them.

They added the perfect pop of color in our reception tent.

I hope to some day have a sunflower garden. Then I would be able to cut fresh sunflowers to put in vases throughout my house any time I want!

What is your favorite summer/fall flower?

For the Love of Burlap!

2011-08-17T11:00:00.003-04:00

I don't know when it began, but my love for burlap is strong and unyielding!

I love the rustic, country feel that home decor made from burlap creates. From pillows to party decor, burlap and a little bit of ink can go a long way. While browsing on etsy, I found so many cool pieces made from burlap. But even more, I found a lot of inspiration to create my own burlap home decor!

I thought I'd share them with you, so here are some of my favorite pieces of DIY with burlap inspiration:

www.thevirginhouse.blogspot.com

This would be so easy to make. I'm thinking it could be as simple as wrapping a clothing box in the burlap and stenciling your initial on with acrylic paint.

funkyshique - etsy.com

I absolutely have Fall on my mind and I love this Halloween banner! Some burlap, twine, black and orange acrylic paint and you've got the perfect banner to add to any part of your Halloween decor!

funkyshique - etsy.com

There's a season and a reason for every burlap banner! :)

funkyshique - etsy.com

These little burlap gift bags are adorable for a little girl's birthday party! And if you're a DIY, you can create gift bags for any occasion.

South House Boutique - etsy.com

This is such a cute idea! It's a wine bottle carrier that can also serve as a little potted plant holder!

South House Boutique - etsy.com

This is so cool and fun! It's burlap with chalkboard cloth applied to it. It could be used for any type of party, weddings, or in a shop!

Ramona Owen Designs - etsy.com

I love burlap pillows. Sure, they aren't the most comfortable surface to lay your head on, but they're perfect as throws. And if you DIY, the possibilities are endless!

I've been in a major DIY mood lately, and these burlap finds just added to my list of things to create!

Organized Wife = Organized Life

2011-08-09T10:31:00.010-04:00

A few weeks ago, I was inspired by BlueEyedBride to create a home/family organization binder. The concept makes so much sense, but I had never thought of it before! Sure, I have a planner and calendars for our life, but to put all of the info we need to be able to access/plan/organize in one place.. WHAT A CONCEPT!

So, without further adieu, here is our family organization binder!

I love these cute calendar printables. Since we have a "master calendar" hanging in our kitchen and I have my own planner, I don't plan to write everything on the calendars in the binder. However, it's perfect for birthday reminders!

The weekly chore list is huge! Some weeks, it is easy to let my "cleaning goals" get away from me. This way, I have to be accountable to my list! I like that I can easily add in Lance's house maintenance plans too :)

Lance and I are in major budget mode right now. So, each month, we will print our budget and put it into the binder. This way it is easy to reference quickly, and we can make notes on it as we need to.

I love the meal planner section. I don't plan our breakfast and dinner (might be more useful when we have children), but I do plan our dinners on it. I also love that it has a section for making a grocery list based on the week's meal plans. How convenient!

I'm sure I will add more as we go, but this is what I have for now! I already feel so much more on top of things and organized. Thanks to BlueEyedBride for the inspiration!

Pinnable Me Friday!

2011-08-05T12:23:00.004-04:00

I thought I would do another link up today with Paw Prints & Pastry Bags to share my Pinnable Me Friday! I love love love Pinterest, and it's fun to share some of my favorite things that I've come across and added to my boards.

My theme today is Words of Wisdom:

PS- If you need an invitation to Pinterest, please email me. I still have some to give away!

Looking forward to Fall.

2011-08-04T14:02:00.002-04:00

It never fails. Right around August 1st, I begin to "get over" summer and start really looking forward to Fall. Fall is my favorite season, and Michigan is definitely one of the most beautiful states at that time of year.

Aside from the cooler, more comfortable temps, beautiful fall color, and cider mills, I love Fall for its new line up of some of my favorite shows!

But the show I'm most excited about...

I was so happy when they announced that Parenthood would be back for Season 3. I know there was talk of it getting cancelled (I have no idea why!), so I'm really excited for it to be back. This show is wonderful for so many reasons - the humor, the drama, the love for each other the Braverman family has. It's just good stuff!

Each of the Braverman siblings are so different, but I can relate to each of them in some way. They deal with family issues in a serious and sometimes fun way, and I think that with all of the family comedy sitcoms out there right now, it's nice to have a show that is so much more real.

At the end of last season, we were kind of left hanging with some unanswered questions and open story lines. Like any good show, they left us wanting more. And soon, we will get more! :)

How about you? What show are you excited to have back in the lineup this Fall?

making changes.

2011-07-25T16:24:00.006-04:00

Changes they are a-comin'. That's right, there are some changes being made around the Podsy household! We're not necessarily fixing anything that is "broken", we're just making some improvements that are for the better!

Ever since McMommy Daze posted about starting Financial Peace University with her husband last year, I've been feeling a tug to check it out! No, we are not in bad shape financially, but we haven't exactly been planning ahead and making smart decisions about saving money. With plans to buy a new house and start a family in the near future, we realize the importance of paying down our debt and saving! So we jumped in and began FPU last week. We are still in the early stages of it, obviously, but we're really excited to buckle down, budget, and save! I'll try to do posts with updates and tips as we move along.

This has been a busy year. As some of you might remember, I went back to school to get my teaching certificate and I completed student teaching this past winter. Well, it rocked my world- meaning, my entire being was focused on student teaching and it caused me to get off track keeping up with my own healthy eating and fitness. 10 extra pounds later, I'm ready to get it off. I know some of you may think I'm being extreme in thinking 10 pounds is anything to fret about, but I have a naturally smaller frame, and 10 pounds is enough to make my clothes feel uncomfortable and things to feel very out of place.

So, with my mom's recommendation (she's a naturopathic practitioner), Lance and I have begun a body cleanse this week in preparation for getting back on the healthy track! Basically, the cleanse lasts a week and requires you to take a packet of natural supplements with each meal. It's really great because it rids your body of all of the toxins that build up due to processed foods, unhealthy fats, and sugars. That, lots of water, and a kitchen stocked with fruits, veggies, and other healthy food is going to kick start our turnaround. I plan to return to "Healthy Wife, Healthy Life" posts on Wednesdays now, too!

Lastly, I'm committing to being more organized. I know that I thrive with organization. The problem? I don't organize. Sounds silly, I know. If I know I am so much better when I'm organized with lists, calendars, and planning, why do I skip it? I think I just get caught up in the day to day and just start relying on sticky notes, random lists, and my memory. But that gets entirely too overwhelming. So, after being inspired by BlueEyed Bride's home organization planner, I'm making one for us! I don't know why I didn't think of something like this before because it makes so much sense to have everything in one place! So far, my binder has daily to-do's, menu planning & grocery lists, weekly chore list, and a weekly to-do overview list. I still have to get dividers and decide what other items to include, but I already feel so much more organized and in control. This is going to be a good thing!

Making changes is going to be a good thing around here. I'm feeling very optimistic, refreshed, and excited! Yay for budgets, health, and organization!

Bachelorette Fun!

2011-07-18T09:40:00.004-04:00

One of my really good friends is getting married at the end of July and her bachelorette party was this past Friday. I had been planning it for quite some time and I loved the way all of the details came together to make a great party! It began as a low key sort of shower at a friend's house, followed by a few hours of karaoke and dancing. All in all, a very fun celebration!

I wish I would have taken more photos, but here are a couple that I did take!

This summer is truly the summer of weddings. Five of our friends have (or have had) weddings from July-September. Each of them are so very different from the other and I can't wait to see how everybody's special days come together, and of course to celebrate such great couples!

Life Lessons.

2011-06-27T14:05:00.000-04:00

Lance and I have been attending a Christian young married couples small group through our church for almost a year. Each week, we meet at our church's youth pastor's home to enjoy fellowship and learn more about Jesus and his work in our lives.

We began with the Fireproof marriage project. It was wonderful! It was about 8 weeks long and it was such a great study on marriage, our relationship as a couple with Jesus, and overcoming life's obstacles while keeping a healthy marriage. We loved it!

For the last 3 months, we have been working on Pastor Mark Dri*scoll's Vintage Jesus. I have really enjoyed learning more about the life of Jesus and about his hand in my life today. At each session, I feel like I'm hearing something I need to hear that week and it inspires me to build my relationship with Jesus because he really is present in my life all of the time.

Last night we learned about Worship. In the beginning, Pastor Driscoll asks what it is that we live for? What is it that we make sacrifices for on a daily basis? It was a good question, because the truth is, we do that with so many other things, at the expense of devoting that time, energy, and worship to the Lord. We learned that it is so easy for us as humans to get caught up in the "worship" of so many things (both good and bad things!) like our spouses, children, jobs, money, food, etc. But there was one thing in particular that really struck a chord with me... Worshipping peoples' opinions.

It made me think about how many times I've worried about what someone thought about me, about something I said, or about something I did. I have spent many hours worrying about what someone else might "think" and it's exhausting. But hearing those words last night gave me a brand new perspective on it. When I spend time worshipping others' opinions, I am sacrificing time that I could be using to worship the only opinion that actually matters.. Jesus' opinion.

That message was so powerful and I truly want to begin applying that to my life. I am going to make a conscious effort to live like the woman Jesus wants me to be on a daily basis and that includes putting my worship of him at the forefront of my mind. I know that that is what he want from us, and in doing that my life will become more joyful and fulfilled!

On that note, I hope everyone is having a great Monday and has a great week!

Small Spaces, Cozy Places.

2011-06-22T09:35:00.002-04:00

Lance and I (and our two massive golden retrievers) live in the house Lance bought as soon as he graduated from college. It's small, about 1000 square feet, and the backyard is definitely lacking in the acreage department.

The size has obviously worked for us, but with two big dogs and plans to start a family in the future, we've been feeling ready for something bigger!

This house was a starter house for Lance and he really put a lot of work into it during the first year after he bought it. Since I moved in, we've done little projects here and there to make the size work for us and I think the next buyers of the house will appreciate them.

The backyard, though... It's small. To make it feel even smaller, the driveway extends out as wide as the 2.5 car garage that takes up most of the space. There is room for a "patio" on the driveway but it has never felt the way a patio should - cozy, inviting, and relaxing. That is until now!

As a side note, I have always thought that tented gazebos (I don't know how else to describe them) were sort of cheesy. I've seen them in other peoples' backyards, and they just looked kind of gaudy. However, I changed my mind about them last week when we came across one on sale.

I am so happy I gave it a chance, because it makes our little yard feel a little more cozy. We feel like we have a little patio now where we can hang out, have dinner in the evening, and just enjoy.

We're putting our house on the market next week so it's definitely a temporary fix. But it will be nice to enjoy our last summer in our backyard :)

Mommy & Baby!

2011-06-21T08:45:00.001-04:00

Attention all Mommies, Mommies-to-be, and Fabulous Friends of Mommies (that makes all of us!!) My post today is a MUST-SEE for everyone! I have something wonderful to share with all of you and I promise you will not be disappointed :o)

So, although I'm not a mommy yet, I know enough mommies to understand how important it is to feel like you are giving your baby everything they need and helping them grow into the smart, well-rounded little pumpkins they are and will be! I also know that being able to look cute while doing it is a plus! Well, what if you could nurture your baby, stay stylish, AND encourage their development at the same time?

You can! Zeebabee Designs is not only the MOST ADORABLE line of burp cloths I've ever seen, they also have the cutest designs for mommy! But most importantly, each of their pieces are designed with baby's "mind" in mind. The concept was created by the owner, my Aunt Suzie, who became a stay at home Mom when her second son was born. While nurturing her son, Zeebabee was born!

Here is a little more about the concept:

Did you know that infants reflexively prefer to look at high-contrast edges and patterns? Objects with patterns having 100% contrast (black & white) are the easiest for newborns and young infants to see. Furthermore, research proves that high contrast graphics improve a baby's early recognition.

And now for a sneak peek at some of their awesome and adorable products!

First, the Burp See burp cloths. They come in all sorts of fun desings, accented in all different stylish colors. They are perfect on your shoulder while burping your baby, or on the floor for instant tummy time!

Preppy Fun Burp See

Turquoise Tiffany Burp See

Pink Parade Burp See

Little Sunshine Burp See

In addition to the Burp Sees just for baby, Zeebabee also carries some fabulous items for mom that will benefit your sweet little one too! Check out the Zeebabee Totes that can double as an adorable diaper bag!

The Baby See T-Shirt for Mommy is a cute number that also serves to stimulate your little one's mind while you nurture them on your shoulder. Baby will love staring at the contrast while they hang out in Mommy's arms!

Zeebabee has been featured in Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine, and highlighted on many Mommy-blogs like Mo*mmy's Idea and Spr*out Style.

Please check out the amazing concept and designs of Zeebabee! They are the perfect and smart addition to any mommy's list of baby supplies, and are sure to be the best gift at the shower!

Enjoy!

Pinnable Me Friday!

2011-06-17T15:34:00.002-04:00

I've decided to join in on the Friday Pinterest fun, via Paw Prints & Pastry Bags! I recently discovered and joined Pinterest and I love it! If anyone is interested and needs an invitation, I still have 5 to give away :)

Here we go!

Source: flowerwildevents.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via Emily on Pinterest

Source: inspiredbythisfeeling.tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Source: cottage-company.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Source: justalittlegreen.tumblr.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Summer Fare

2011-06-16T21:44:00.002-04:00

If you are looking for easy to prepare Summer recipes, this is one you must add to your list!

Mojito Maven twittered about the Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe a couple of weeks ago. It sounded great and I had been wanting to try preparing pulled pork in our new slow cooker.

Over the weekend we bought "all" of the ingredients (only 4), and Tuesday when I came home for lunch, I quickly chopped an onion and threw the chicken, onion, pineapple, and our favorite BBQ sauce in.

At 7 PM, one of THE BEST summer dinners I've had was ready :) I sautéed some asparagus with lemon olive oil, salt, and pepper, toasted some whole grain bread, and piled on the pulled pork.

Amazing. That is the word to describe this delicious, fantastically easy, pulled chicken recipe. You could not even tell it was chicken instead of pork! It's a must for anyone looking for delicious recipes for this summer :)

Wordless Weekend Re-cap.

2011-06-13T14:07:00.013-04:00

I see you, Summer.

2011-06-10T15:45:00.002-04:00

The last Friday of the school year is over. Whew.

That means, 3 1/2 more days of wrapping up 2010/2011, and then it is officially Summer Vacation!

What are my summer plans? I think a bulleted list is appropriate here!

Relax and wind down. It has been a doozy of a year. Between finishing up my education certification, student teaching, raising another puppy, and working.. I'm ready to relax and focus on some of my hobbies that have taken a seat on the back-burner.
Spend quality time with my husband and our dogs. My little family, even the furry 50% of it, mean everything to me!
I plan to take a Photoshop class this summer. I have really enjoyed experimenting with photography over the last year, and I know I have so much more to learn!
Spend more time in the kitchen. For four months I was CONSUMED with student teaching, and the time spent out of the kitchen reached a level that I don't like. I'm excited to get back into the kitchen and to blog about the new recipes just waiting for me to try!
Get focused on fitness. This is another one that has fallen to the wayside. But I'm ready to get back in shape! I'd like to run a 5K in September.
Plant a vegetable garden. I have been wanting to do this since we were married almost two years ago. This is the summer!
Begin the process of looking for a full time teaching position. I have a few schools in mind and now I just have to get the process moving!
Read. I love to read and I cherish the summertime when I can lay in our hammock and get lost in a book.
Spend time with my sisters in Chicago. They live in the most fabulous city and I plan to make a couple of long weekend trips there.
Explore some new places in Michigan. Our state is really beautiful (especially northern Michigan) and there are some places that Lance and I would really like to experience. Tahquamenon Falls in the upper peninsula and some of the vineyards in Traverse City are at the top of the list!

Most of all, I just plan to enjoy.

I see you, Summer.

A Bachelorette Party!

2011-06-09T16:29:00.004-04:00

A dear friend of mine is getting married this July and as her matron of honor, I have been planning her bachelorette party.

She has requested something lower key, beginning with games, drinks, and gifts, followed by something she loves to do: karaoke! We found a trendy place that hosts a karaoke night and a group of about 15 of us are going to do just that. I'll admit, I'm not much of a karaoke-er (though I love to sing), but I think this will be a really fun time!

One of my favorite parts of party planning, though, is the invitations. I lo

ve stationary and I love browsing and choosing the perfect designs for the party.

For the last two years, I have created and purchased our Christmas cards from Tiny Prints. They have a huge selection of fantastic designs! So for her bachelorette party, I decided to start there. Their site links in designs from other companies and I found the invitation above on the Wedding Paper Divas site. I love the design for its classy and girly look. It's perfect!

Now I have a question for all of the talented party planners out there! I would like to design a food table and a gift table in a style like the invitation. I want to include those fun, paper pom-pons (is that what they are called?). However, I'm not quite sure how to make them. I'm including a photo below in case I am calling them by the wrong name.

Thanks ahead of time for the help!

Back To You.

2011-06-02T18:09:00.006-04:00

Hi friends!

I'm excited to be back to Oh, Sweet September. There was a little chunk missing from my life in the last several months and I'm extremely happy to be back to the blog with a new look, new things to blog about, and a chance to get back in touch with my friends out there in the blog world!

So much has happened since 2010, and though I will try to recap some of the big things, the exciting thing is that there are also so many things to look forward to in the second half of 2011. And what's even better is that I can share it with all of you again!

So, without further adeiu, I would like to thank the wonderful Marina at Penny Lane Designs for Oh, Sweet September's new look. Check out her website for many beautiful pre-fab blog layouts, custom designs, and all sorts of fun extras for your blog.

Looking forward to reconnecting with all of you!

Happy Holidays!

2010-11-27T10:03:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I'm excited for the Holiday season to truly begin!

Still reading all of your blogs when I get the time! Hopefully I can start to blog more again soon!

Same puppy, More fur!

2010-11-02T09:01:00.000-04:00

Our little Miss Tilly is 9 months old today! She's the same puppy, fully of energy and cuddles, just a bigger body and a LOT more fur! We love our furry baby so much and are so glad we decided to add her to our little family 7 months ago.

Hope everyone has a great day! Don't forget to vote!

Here Comes Halloween

2010-10-28T19:12:00.003-04:00

I'm ready for a crisp Michigan Halloween weekend. I'm excited to do a lot of Fall baking, go to the farmer's market, pass out candy to the sweet little trick or treaters, and relax!

Are you excited for the Halloween weekend? What are your plans?

Missing YOU ALL!

2010-10-27T09:15:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Wow. Don't I feel like a stranger!? Blogging has been a non-existant part of my life this month :( I am not exaggerating when I say I am busier than ever. Full-time work+Full-time school=a stand still some of my extracurriculars. Unfortunately, my blogging time has taken a hit. First, because I rarely have time to sit down and come up with a post.. and honestly, I don't think it would be all too interesting to describe my days filled with elementary school students and graduate courses. Actually, some of it would be quite interesting.. but getting a chunk of time when I'm not exhausted, to get it all out, is what is making it next to impossible!

I want you all to know that I am still reading your posts when I ca

n. In between classes I'll pull up my blog. I haven't been much of a commenter, but I'm reading when I get some time! I love my blogging friends and I LOVE reading all about your lives and its something I definitely will not give up! But, for now, I hope you'll stay with me as I ride out this busy, busy time. Even if I go a couple of weeks (or more) without a post, know that I am still around and I will be back to more blogging when my schedule becomes more calm and more normal.

There ARE some very exciting things going on around the P household. Lance is up for a big promotion at work, we are preparing to sell our home in the next year, I will begin student teaching at a great high school in January, and we are getting closer and closer to being able to make some of our dreams and goals a reality :)

One thing I HAVE been having some time to explore is my love for photography. I have always been very taken with design and photographs (I have a minor in Interior Design). We have a fabulous camera and I have been making learning about photography a hobby. It has been so much fun, and I will share some of my favorite shots with you all from time to time! I'm excited about a new portrait lens I'm learning to use and a cutesy camera bag we purchased so that I look a little more stylish when I tote my camera with me :)

I hope all of you are doing wonderfully! It looks like many of you are having exciting and fun Fall seasons. I can't believe how fast we are moving toward the Christmas and the holiday season, and I can't wait to read about all of the fun that comes along with it!

Peace & Love to All,

Emily

Organization=Motivation...

2010-10-05T17:37:00.004-04:00

...and I need to get organized!

Seriously, I am in a funk. I know, you're probably thinking "WHAT?! You just got back from a week-long, relaxing vacation.. how can you be in a funk already?!" But honestly, the vacation was also a vacation from being in a funk, and now that we've returned.. the funk is back.

I didn't share this on the blog yet, but our basement flooded BIG TIME about 2 weeks before we left for the Vineyard. Our once beautiful, finished basement is no more :( If we want to get it back to the way it was, we have some work to do. But in the meantime, it has caused some disarray in our already teeny house.

The Before:

The After:

So sad. But, we had to tackle the issue head on. All of the carpet and furniture has been removed, floors have been bleached and cleaned, and now we're in this sort of "what to do now" state. We will decide if we're going to replace the carpet and such, but in the meantime, several things have been displaced. Our corner sofa, chair, and ottoman are in the garage, our spare blankets, pillows, etc.. are piled in the spare bedroom, our laundry room was basically relocated to the spare bedroom for goodness sakes! The other random things have taken up residence in the office. Me no likey.

When we left for vacation, we definitely had a handle on the situation (the basement had been completely sanitized and such).. but the rest of the house was sort of left in its disarray. Now that I'm back, there is so much I'd like to accomplish, but I feel so busy and so unorganized. And for me, organization is the key to any kind of motivation. When I feel unorganized, I feel overwhelmed, and feeling overwhelmed for can be debilitating when it comes to the things I want to get done. Not to mention it puts me in a bad mood :( Its a fault of mine and I don't like it.

So, I know what has to be done. We just need to buckle down and get this house back into order! Therefore, I have taken a "personal evening" off of school tonight. As soon as I sign off, I am getting to work. I will feel organized by the time I go to bed tonight if it kills me! I know everything won't be finished and in place, but I'll have a chunk tackled, to-do lists made, and life at home will return to normal. God please send me the focus and motivation!

Alright, thanks for letting me rant! It was a step toward getting out of this funk!

On the Vineyard...

2010-10-01T14:56:00.003-04:00

We've been having so much fun this week, discovering/re-discovering this wonderful island. Martha's Vineyard is a true American treasure :) I LOVE THIS ISLAND!

We flew into Boston last Saturday and made the one hour trek to Woods Hole where we boarded the ferry. After a short ride, we arrived in Oak Bluffs. From there, we made the drive to Chilmark, which is where we've been living for the past week. We are staying in a great, cozy farmhouse, with the most wonderful view...

Each morning, Lance and I have woken up to this view from our window:

In case you can't tell from the photograph, there are about 25 sheep that graze in the field next to our farmhouse. They are so cool! They are owned by the family that lives just across the road from where we are staying. They are a well-known Vineyard family who have lived on the same stretch of land for hundreds of years. Their farm is so neat. Their home is absolutely gorgeous- authentic New England farmhouse, impeccably decorated and furnished the way a true farmhouse should be.

Lance, my Dad, and my Grandfather entered the annual MV Fishing Derby this week. So, we have spent a lot of time along the beach while they fish. Unfortunately, the fishing hasn't been all that great this week, but its still neat to watch them battle the ocean waves. Lance caught a striped bass the other day! Not heavy enough to enter into the derby though :(

And here is the beautiful scenery we have enjoyed while they fish...

I have taken SO MANY photos this week! I wish I could post all of them, but that would be a little obnoxious I believe ;) So I think I'll try to do a few trip recaps over the next several days.

We are heading back to Michigan tomorrow afternoon. We'll be very sad to leave this wonderful place, but are excited to get back to our Tilly!! :)

Hope everyone has had a wonderful week and has a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday...

2010-09-29T11:36:00.000-04:00

Where I Am This Week...

2010-09-26T18:09:00.001-04:00

Wordless (almost) Wednesday

2010-09-15T16:58:00.004-04:00

Happy Anniversary to the most amazing husband :)

I LOVE YOU and can't wait to spend the rest of my years with you by my side.

Our anniversary was this past Sunday and we spent it being in awe of the wonderful life we have made for ourselves and the wonderful things in store for our future together. I am so thankful for this wonderful man. He completes me :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T18:56:00.002-04:00

Ruche it!

2010-09-02T14:40:00.001-04:00

While doing my regular blog browsing this morning, I came across a post on one of my favorite blogs by interior designer Rachel Halverson. I love her style and not just when it comes to interiors.

In a recent post, she blogged about a top she was wearing during a photo shoot for Garden & Gun magazine. Here is the top (and her!):

(Photo by Hollis Bennett)

How cute is she?! And I LOVE the top she is wearing too! Apparently, she had quite a few inquiries about the top and so she did a search for it. Unfortunately, it was sold out.. booo hooo!... but it led me to Ruche, a fantastic vintage inspired clothing line that I had never heard of before.

(Found on Ruche website)

Ruche has so many adorable things! I found quite a few tops, dresses, and pieces of jewelry that are so sweet :) I love the vintage, country style and would love for many of their items to take a spot in my closet!

Here are some of the pieces that caught my eye:

Vermillion Visage Orange Ruffle Tank

Sugar Plum Tree Top

Calie's Coral Embroidered Dorman Top

Delightfully Delicious Biscuit Blazer Top

Tickled Pink Peasant Top

There were many other things that I loved, as well, but I won't go overboard on this post! Just thought I'd share this great online shop with you all :)

For the love of OREOS!

2010-08-31T10:16:00.000-04:00

Does anybody else love good, old-fashioned Oreos as much as I do? A plate of Oreos accompanied by a glass of milk never fails to be the perfect treat! In our house, a package of Oreos, especially double-stuf, will not last very long. Therefore, we don't buy them very often. It makes them even more of a special treat that way, too!

Recently, I came across some very tempting variations of America's favorite cookie. These Oreo recipes look amazing, and quite possibly even more delicious (how could that be?!) than the original black and whites.

The following recipes look awesome! They are all perfect dessert recipes to take to a dinner party, make for a shower, or just for making a sweet treat with your sweetie!

Try not to drool!

Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

(La Mia Vita Dolce blog)

Oreo Truffles

(MakeAWisk.com, adapted from bakerella.com)

Oreo Cream Cheese Swirl Bars

(beantownbaker.com)

Homemade Oreo Cookies

(tangled and true blog)

Semi-Homemade Oreo Cookie Ice Cream

(Vintage Chica)

Can we say.. YUMMMMMMM?!

Back Home!

2010-08-30T16:04:00.003-04:00

We're back from a wonderful weekend Up North! It was absolutely gorgeous, perfect weather the entire time.

Just doing a quick blog check-in. Time to relax and wind down. I'll be back to the blog tomorrow!

Back To Work!

2010-08-26T15:36:00.003-04:00

Well, summer is pretty much "officially" over, sooner than expected, for this gal!

When I went in for a little meeting with my boss yesterday, she let me know that they needed some extra help prepping for the students to come back in about two weeks and of course I offered to help!

Since I was transferred to a new building this year, today was a great, low-key, first day back to meet my new co-workers and get used to the building. My new co-workers are wonderful. So friendly, so helpful, and I just know I'm going to really enjoy working there.

Next week I'll be working just a couple of days, but I think its safe to say.. Summer vacation is no more! But I'm actually a-okay with that. Its going to feel good to get back into the routine.

Tilly's summer vacation is officially over now too, though. Even though Lance's schedule allows him to be home a couple of days during the week, Miss Tilly will be back on our work-schedule. Luckily, I work very close to home and can come home to let her out and give her some love at lunchtime! Otherwise, she'll be back to holding down the fort and greeting us at the window when we get home!

September on its way...

2010-08-24T08:55:00.002-04:00

In case you can't tell by the name of my blog, I'm a total Fall girl, with September being one of my favorite months of the year! No surprise that we chose to be married that month. In Michigan, its 30 days of gorgeous weather, the beginning of Fall colors, and the smell of Autumn just around the corner.

Being that it is already the 24th of August (can you believe it?!), the anticipation of Fall is in full force. To add to my excitement, I opened my mailbox to find this yesterday...

I've always loved reading Southern Living, and I'm excited that the Midwest has our very own magazine now, all about the wonderful things life in the Midwest has to offer. It truly is a beautiful part of the country, and if you ever have the chance to visit (especially during the Fall) you should! Our Fall color is magical!

Speaking of the Midwest, the next two weekends are filled with travel plans to a few of our region's gems. This weekend, Lance and I are packing up the car and heading to Traverse City with another couple. We're going to visit the wine country and do some wine tasting, spend some time in downtown Traverse City and Suttons Bay, and just take in the end-of-summer beauty of Northern Michigan :)

Since our family cabin is only about an hour from TC, we'll be staying there which means we'll also be spending time on the lake! Perfect for this pasty girl who needs a little August color!

Next weekend, I'm heading to the great city of Chicago! Two of my sisters are moving there and we're packing up the moving truck and getting them settled in. They'll be living in an apartment just North of Wrigleyville and I'm so excited for them (and for my visits!). We grew up visiting Chicago several times a year. Us girls usually do a Chicago shopping trip, and now I know we're only going to see the city more. Its about a 5 hour drive from where we live in Michigan, so its a perfect weekend getaway destination.

I'm taking my last summer semester final tonight, then I'm home-free until the Fall semester begins and its time to go back to work. Two weeks of relaxation, traveling, and getting ready for a big Fall!

We'll celebrate our one-year anniversary September 12th, take an anniversary trip to Martha's Vineyard at the end of September, I'll begin and finish my last semester of classes and observations for my second degree, and get ready for student teaching and becoming a certified teacher.

I'm definitely excited and ready for the arrival of Fall!

Are you? What do you love about Fall where you live?

In Need of a Reading List!

2010-08-23T12:15:00.001-04:00

In the past couple of weeks I've been doing some organizing around the house. While doing so, I've discovered (or re-discovered) that I have quite a few books that are just waiting to be read. I purchased them knowing that I wanted to read them, but just haven't yet been able to get around to it.

Looking at the books I started thinking.. when will I read them? where should I start?

So, I decided to make a booklist for myself. This keeps it organized and clear (two things I really need to stay on task!), and I can one-by-one add these books to the bookshelf/trophy shelf of the "already read" books!

I'll be reading these books in addition to our Book Beginnings & Book Ends book club books, as well as books I may pick up to add to the "que" along the way!

So, in case you're interested in what I'm reading, here is my list:

August: Finish The Help.

September: Say You're One of Them, by Uwem Akpan

October: Shoot the Moon, by Billie Letts

November: True Believer, by Nicholas Sparks

December: Captivating, by John & Stasi Eldredge

January: A Far Country, by Daniel Mason

February: Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

March: Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer

April: Suite Francaise, by Irene Demirovsky

May: The Double Bind, by Chris Bohjalian

I know it will feel good to finally get these read! They've been waiting for me to put a crease in their bindings for a long time!

Have any of you read any of these books yet? What did you think of them?

At Home in the Country...

2010-08-20T16:45:00.001-04:00

I love the country. Plain and simple. When I'm in the country, I feel free, at-home, excited, and just plain happy.

I attribute this love for the country to my grandparents and week's spent at their house in the country. I grew up visiting them on their farm, riding horses, swimming in the pond, gathering eggs from the chickens, picking apples from the apple trees, and helping grandma in the kitchen. I love grandma's kitchen. I have so many memories of helping stir the corn on her old, giant iron stove. We'd make pigs in a blanket, toad-in-a-holes, and buttermilk pancakes in the mornings. Grandma & Grandpa's house=heaven on Earth to me.

It's no surprise that we chose to be married there. In a place full of wonderful memories, love, and beauty.. it was the perfect setting for such a special day.

I have a longing to raise our children in the country. I want them to experience life in a place full of God's beauty. I want them to be able to pull on their clothes in the morning and run out the door for days full of adventures. I want to sit under a willow tree with a glass of lemonaid and my husband at my side, just taking in the beauty of our surroundings.

Life is good in the country. And hopefully, we will find our life settles us in the country someday :)

Back to School Shopping

2010-08-19T10:41:00.000-04:00

Its just about that time! We're officially at 'mid-August' and back to school shopping is getting into full swing! One of the fun things about being a teacher is getting to go "back to school shopping" before the new school year, just like when we were young. Now, I can't say that I'm allowing myself to do a full back to school shopping spree this year, since I'm not a full teacher yet (this will be my last year of certification courses! Yay!).. I'm still a teacher's aide which = still a teacher's aide salary, which = RESTRAINT when going back to school shopping! :)

However, I still love to browse and drool. If money were no object for us this year, here is what would be making its way into my closet!

Anthropologie Secret Treasure Dress

Anthropologie Mullany Dress

Ha' Penny Cardigan

Coach Lauren Flats

Coach Mia Leather Carry-all

Those are just a few of the adorable Fall fashions from some of my favorite stores/designers. I love when the Fall lines come out. Its a reminder that Fall (my favorite time of year) is indeed on its way. I'm not ready for summer to be over just yet, but in a couple of weeks when September rolls around, I'll be ready and excited for one of the best times of year in Michigan :)

How about you? What are some of your favorite new Fall fashions this year?

Book Beginnings & Book Ends!

2010-08-16T11:28:00.007-04:00

Happy Monday, everybody!

This morning, I'm excited to do my first post for the blogger's book club Book Beginnings & Book Ends! We're reading the novel "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes", by Diane Chamberlain. So far, it is wonderful! Its one of those books I'm excited to sneak away to a quiet spot in the house and get lost in. I can already tell I'm going to have a hard time making myself stop reading for each discussion.. I could easily not put this book down and be finished in two days!

But, I'm going to hold myself back. I'm currently reading a couple of other books anyway, so I'll just have to switch between the three :)

For today, we were to have read the first 10 chapters. So far, we have a pretty good introduction to the characters, their relationships, and to one of the main events of the story.

Questions:

What was your first impression of Tim? My very first impression was that he was a really sweet, great guy! I really like CeeCee's character, and I thought he was going to be the sweet college boy who sweeps her off her feet. As the chapters have progressed, though, I have definitely changed my mind. I don't think he has her best interests in mind, at all. And, I think he saw her as a naive, young, needy girl, and decided that was exactly the kind of person he needed to help with his and Marty's "plan".
If you were in CeeCee's position, would you be willing to help your boyfriend in the way that she is willing to help Tim? This is sort of a tough question. I know I would definitely never agree to be a part of any sort of plan like the one they are preparing for, let alone if I had only been dating a guy for a month or so, like CeeCee has! This shows how naive she is. I think the readers can see she's being taken advantage of. However, I can understand Tim's need to save his sister's life, and because she loves him, and seems to love his family, she is willing to do something she would not normally do to "make things right". But, again on the other side of the token, I personally would not want to live a life in secret for a family I barely knew. I don't think its a good idea for her to be involved. I have a feeling something is going to go wrong...
Why do you think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim? I think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim because of what she has been through. She lost her Mom when she was 12, had no real father figure in her life before that, and since then she has been in several foster situations. For the last four+ years, she hasn't had the full acceptance of being a part of someone's (or her own) family. Tim represents a chance for her to have that again.. to belong with someone; to be loved unconditionally be someone; to have a family. I think she wants that desperately, and it is shielding her view of what is right and wrong.
Who do you think has it harder? Tim or CeeCee? Both of these characters have it pretty hard. Tim has had to lose his sister and mother, both in some pretty horrific circumstances. CeeCee has also lost her mother, but her mother took care to make sure she was as prepared for it as possible and through her letters could still be present in her life after her death. I guess when I really think about it, though, Tim must have it the hardest. Not only has he had to mourn the loss of his sister (even if temporarily) and mother, he's sort of lost the "brother he knew" after Marty returned from the war, and his father is miles away. His entire family fell apart. In addition, he feels the pressure to do something so extreme to save his sisters life, and that must be a horrible position to be in too. I'm interested to find out what happens with his character though, because I don't trust something about him...
What character trait about CeeCee stuck out the most to you in these first 10 chapters? I think her caring, mothering nature has stuck out the most to me. I think these traits also lend themselves to her being so naive. She just wants to help, and make things right, and it is causing to her to get involved with something that can really hurt her in the long run. She's taking care of everyone but herself.
Do you think CeeCee is as mature as she seems? In some ways, yes. In others, not at all. I think she is smarter and has been through more than most 16 year olds. But again, she has the naivete of a 16 year-old. To me, this is one of the reasons Tim has decided to pursue her and involve her. He knows she can be persuaded and blinded by "love".

I'm so excited to keep reading! Hope you all are enjoying the book, too! :)

Blahhh Blogger...

2010-08-10T14:03:00.003-04:00

Lately I feel like my blog has been kind of.. blaaahh. I know I have not written any really interesting posts lately, and the posts I have put up are sort of half-tushy. I am not happy about this. I know what I want my blog to be all about. I know that I want to make it a priority to blog daily. I have the time.. its summertime and I'm a teacher for goodness sakes!

So, what's my excuse? There isn't one.

I need to sit down and give Oh, Sweet September some good ol' fashion TLC.

From here on out, I'm going to be a better blogger. There! Its out there for all of blog-land to hold me accountable! :)

Hope I haven't lost all of you wonderful ladies as readers! Stay tuned, I promise Oh, Sweet September will be more fun from here on out!!

Boys & Their Boards

2010-08-05T15:58:00.008-04:00

Lance and I live in a river town. We're right on the shores of a major body of water and summer time=water time around here! From boating to fishing to water sports, the river is a fun place to be in the summer months.

Lance, his younger brother, and a few of their friends started Wakeboarding a couple of summers ago, and any chance they get, they head out for a ride! His brother has a really cool boat, made for pulling wakeboarders or water-skiiers and its a blast to go out on the river and watch the boys ride.

I've tried it a couple of times. My time on the wakeboard usually consists of getting up, cruising for a few minutes, then trying to do something.. anything.. and face planting into the water. Therefore, usually I'm content hanging out on the boat with the other girls, taking some pictures, and cheering the guys on!

Here are some photos that I took and edited on the last ride:

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life

2010-07-28T09:25:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone! Happy Wednesday to you! :) For today's HWHL, I wanted to tell you all about a new purchase Lance and I made over the weekend. Its totally awesome, makes it so easy to prepare a HEALTHY meal when you're pressed for time, and I'm so glad we decided to get it...

As seen on TBL, it is the awesome Multi Tier Food and Whole Grain steamer. So far, we've prepared chicken breasts, pork chops, string beans, carrots, tomatoes, corn on the cob, and red skin potatoes. Everything comes out perfect and its all so healthy. When you steam food, it loses less of its nutrients and you don't have to worry about those added fats that are necessary when cooking some other ways (butter, oil, etc..). So now, instead of eating badly when we don't have time to spend in the kitchen, we can pop some of our favorites into the steamer and Voila!.. a healthy dinner! :)

Tonight, we're going to steam salmon, broccoli, carrots, and rice. I'm going to make the salmon glaze as seen here, and I may just mix it with the rice to be eaten with the salmon.

If you're looking for a healthy way to prepare meals on the fly, I HIGHLY recommend this steamer. We are both so glad we have it!

What are your on-the-go ways of preparing healthy foods at your house?

What's Happening Here...

2010-07-22T15:39:00.006-04:00

I took an overnight trip to Chicago with my sisters this past weekend. Our mission was to find an apartment for them to move into this September. Talk about bittersweet! I'm so excited for them to move to this awesome city, but sad that we'll be living more than an hour (5 hours!!) apart for the first time in our lives. I knew this day would come at some point, as Lance and I are planning to move away too, but its bittersweet!
When did our little puppy get so big? She's almost 40 pounds and going in for "the surgery" this Monday. Our house is getting smaller and smaller the bigger she gets. If we have a baby while living in this house, we'll officially be at maximum capacity!

A new book that I ordered arrived today. Its called "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer. Its all about the negative thinking patterns we get ourselves into and how to set ourselves free from them. I'm excited to read it!
Lance & I saw Dispicable Me last Thursday.. it was so cute! We like going to see the kid movies sometimes. Dreamworks always makes their movies very entertaining for adults though. It was a great date night, complete with 3-D glasses and popcorn!
I met up with two of my sorority sisters for dinner at Cheli's Chili Bar in Dearborn last night. We had a great time on the patio catching up and gushing over one of their new engagement rings :) Its so exciting when a good friend gets engaged. You can sort of relive your own engagement and wedding planning all over again!
I started a sort-of "extension" of my blog, strictly for all things cooking and kitchen! Check out Oh, Sweet September... In the Kitchen for all sorts of recipes and kitchen fun!
I'm truckin' along in my summer classes. Right now I'm taking a class called "Adolescence and Classroom Management" two nights per week. So far... its like high school health class all over again. And the professor is a little nutty. That makes it pretty entertaining though!
Lance and I filled FOUR large garbage bags with clothes to donate to the hospital's Psych department yesterday. FOUR! (Yes, 90% of the contents were mine) Needless to say, I'm a little disgusted that I've been sitting on that amount of unworn clothing for so long. It felt great to purge all of it.. and to know they're going to a good place for people who need them!
I'm excited for my husband to be off Friday-Sunday this weekend. We're hoping to get some things done around the house, go to our kickboxing class, take Tilly for a run at one of the state parks, see the movie Inception, and spend some time with friends :)

God Bless Our Troops

2010-07-10T06:25:00.006-04:00

To be honest, I have never had someone close to me go to war. I've never had to feel what its like to say "see ya soon" and send a loved one off to fight for our country overseas. I've always been there as a shoulder to lean on for those that have, but its safe to say it has never touched me personally.

Well, that has definitely changed. Today, my brother-in-law, a West Point graduate and 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army, will leave to head back to his Army base in Colorado to prepare for deployment to Afghanistan in 10 days. He will be there for at least one year and it could be a total of 18 months. This is what they have spent years preparing for. It seemed like the time would never come, but it has and its emotional for all of us. I'm sure everything will be okay, but sending a loved one off to a new and scary place is just a very difficult thing. The unknowns, the risks, it just weighs heavy on my heart.

He, like so many others, is risking his life for this country. He is stepping into this unknown, scary place so that we can live our wonderful, free lives here in the United States. We are so proud of him and appreciate what he is doing for us every day. We will pray for him all of the time and look forward to the day he gets to come back home!

If you all have a moment, please pray for his safe travels and his health, safety, and happiness in the upcoming year. Good bless our troops!

Our Funny Puppy

2010-07-08T12:22:00.010-04:00

Okay, so I know people do these little lists of things to remember what their kids were up to at a certain age. But, until we have our own little ones running around doing new and wonderful things, Tilly Mae is our child to gush about!

She's constantly cracking Lance and I up with her antics, so I thought I'd do a post about our silly Miss Tilly!

This one is a given: she LOVES to chew. Cardboard boxes, wood chairs, rocks, cement driveways, toilet paper, q-tips, carpet, boots, shoes, sunglasses, rugs, drawer handles.... you get the picture. However, she does a really good job of stopping when you say "Hey! No!"

(Photo from the cabin Up North when she was around 3 or 4 months old- this mess is what we woke up to!)

When you say "Hey! No!" she looks at you, then slyly leans back down and begins to lick whatever it was that she got in trouble for chewing. It is the funniest thing! Its like she knows she was caught and is trying to cover up her bad deed by giving it some love!

We have a few cardboard boxes sitting in our office that she attempts surgery on daily. At any given time we can walk out into our hallway and there will be a trail of cardboard pieces scattered about. We just let her do it, because it seems to help her teething and we don't need the boxes. It just requires a lot of cleanup all day long.

We've been taking her "Bucket Photos" every couple of weeks. She just doesn't fit in that bucket anymore, though! She'll sit in it for a moment, and as soon as you take your hand away, forget about it. Its still neat to see how big she has become in just weeks!

She loves eating ice cubes. She knows as soon as we open the freezer that she's getting one. We drop it on the floor for her, her tail starts wagging like mad, she picks it up, and takes it to her "ice eating place." She has a certain spot on the living room rug where she ALWAYS takes the ice to eat. Too funny!

Her "den" is in the dining room.. who am I kidding.. her den IS the dining room! We don't have a very big dining room and all that we had in it was a round dining room table with 4 chairs around it. That's about the extent of furniture placement in that room. Well, as soon as we brought Miss Tilly home, the dining room table and chairs were pushed into one corner to make room for her kennel, which is surrounded by a pen for extra confined space. It has worked out really well, but that room has definitely morphed from dining to doggy room. Its okay, though, because when we did our basement renovation, we created a dining room that we love!

Every morning when I come downstairs to let her out of her pen, she is so cuddly :) She waltzes over, puts her head in my lap and just snuggles with her sleepy little eyes. Its one of my favorite parts of the day.

She loves frozen sweet potatoes. We peel the skin off, freeze them, and they are the perfect treat/chewy for a teething puppy!

She loves the water. She's still a little hesitant about jumping into the lake for a swim, but anything that has to do with the beach, sprinkler, mini-pool, hose.. she's all for it. When I'm in our backyard watering the flowers, I'll put the hose setting on full and spray it at the ground in circles. She chases it, barking and trying to catch the spray. Cracks me up every time.

We call her "Bug" as a nickname because she used to make this funny noise when she whined that sounded like an insect. She still makes the noise sometimes. Its pretty funny.

She has a longer, slim face and big ears. Its one of the cutest things about her! When she looks down at you from the top of the stairs, her ears sort of fall into her face and its the most adorable thing!

She's pushing 35 pounds, but still thinks she's a lap dog. I don't see this changing any time soon. In the car, she somehow makes her way up to my lap and even Lance's when he's driving. (I know, doesn't sound like the safest thing, but she still manages to fit perfectly in his lap.) Pretty soon, though, its going to be impossible. I'll be a sad momma then!

She just makes us smile every single day! My eyes get a little misty when I think about the fact that she's going to be the trusty sidekick and best buddy to our future children, just like the Goldens Lance and I grew up with were. Makes my heart smile. She's our special little pup! :)

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life

2010-07-07T11:33:00.000-04:00

Today's post is all about what's in our cupboards. Lance and I haven't exactly started the summer off with the healthiest eating habits. Lately, because we've had some odd schedules, eating out has been happening WAY too much.

Yesterday, I headed to the grocery story and filled the basket to the brim! Lots of good, healthy stuff now fills our refrigerator and cupboards. Sure, we have some "not-so-healthy" stuff too, but its all about the balance!

If you looked through our kitchen, here are some of the healthy things you would find...

Fresh Peaches

Fresh Blackberries

One of my favorites, unsalted cashews!

Salmon for some yummy Salmon & steamed veggie dinners :)

Hummus.. mmmmm :)

For dipping in the hummus!

Okay, and this may not be deemed "healthy", but its better than some of the other desserts that sometimes sneak their way into our freezer...

Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches.. and only 140 calories!!

So, how do YOU balance out your cupboards? What is some of your favorite healthy summer fare?

Travel Plans

2010-07-06T12:31:00.000-04:00

Lance and I are getting very excited for some travel plans that we have in place in the next few months. We love to travel and getting to see new places is high on our list of things we love to do together. When we traveled to Florida in March, our airline had a few booking issues and we each received two free round trip vouchers to fly anywhere in the US within the next year :) We all know that plane tickets can get a bit pricy, so to have that expense already taken care of is definitely a good thing!

First up, Martha's Vineyard! We are heading to this beautiful island at the beginning of October. I am so very excited for this, not only because it is one of my most favorite places in the world, but because it will be Lance's first time there and I can't wait to show him all of the wonderful things that make the Vineyard such a fantastic place! My grandparents vacation for 6 weeks there each year in September-October and stay in a wonderful, old farmhouse in Chilmark. We will be staying with them, along with my Dad, step-mom, and youngest sister. We're going to have a blast at the beach, eating great seafood, riding bikes through the countryside, shopping, visiting each town, Lance will get to take part in his first MV fishing derby with my Dad and Grandpa, and we'll just spend the week enjoying all that MV has to offer.

The second trip is going to happen, but we just don't know the destination yet! That is where you all come in :) We have a few contenders, but can't decide on which one just yet. Here they are...

Sedona, Arizona

Aspen, Colorado

Las Vegas, Nevada

Somewhere in California

So, what do you all think? Which destination would YOU choose? Have you been to one of these places and recommend it? Tell us why! :)

Day of Blog Silence for Cohen

2010-07-01T08:13:00.001-04:00

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life

2010-06-23T20:11:00.001-04:00

It feels good to be back to blogging, and to therefore be back to Healthy Wife, Healthy Life Wednesdays! In the spirit of summer, today's HWHL will be all about taking care of your skin and hair in that hot sun.

First up, my new favorite sun block. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch sunscreen. I definitely burn easily, especially at the beginning of the summer when I don't have much of a base color yet. I'm not a big fan of feeling greasy when its already hot and humid outside so this stuff is perfect for me! It really does go on dry and clean. Not long after applied, you can't even tell you have any sunblock on. I highly recommend it!

Next up, the Aveda sun care line for hair. This is all good stuff. Sun, salt-water, and chlorine do a number on your hair in the summertime, and these products always help to leave my hair feeling clean, healthy, and moisturized. The hair veil is just a spray that you can put on your hair while its still wet or dry, and it protects your hair for up to 16 hours! And its waterproof too. The After-Sun hair masque is awesome too. It refreshes your hair after sun, salt, or chlorine and leaves it feeling amazing!

And, lastly.. WATER! Staying hydrated is super important during these hot months. I love the 365 Electrolyte Enhanced Water from Whole Foods. Its good stuff! Nothing is worse than feeling parched in the heat so I make sure to take one of these with me wherever I go!

Hope everyone is staying cool on these hot days. I know if its this hot in Michigan, it MUST be hot everywhere else!

Say Goodbye to Vineyard Vogue...

2010-06-21T21:37:00.003-04:00

...and "Hello" to the new look! Welcome to "Oh, Sweet September", fondly named after my favorite month of the year, for more reasons than the fact that I married my wonderful, loving husband and best friend that month. September just reminds me of all things wonderful.

Much has happened in the couple of months since I last posted. Some of the highlights include Tilly quadrupling in size, the school/work-year ending and summer arriving, making vacation and travel plans, and enjoying the Michigan summer. I'm excited to be back in blogging mode and of course looking forward to reconnecting with all of you!

I'll be back to real posting tomorrow. For now, I'll leave you with the dog who has taken over the body of my fluffy little puppy...

Bloggy-Break

2010-05-11T16:39:00.003-04:00

Hello readers! In case you haven't noticed, it has been a couple of weeks since I've posted. Every time that I've signed in to read all of your blogs (because I still have been!) I feel so guilty about not writing a post! The fact of the matter, though, is that I'm so busy lately and when I do have time to sit down and read blogs, I have nothing to write about, myself. I think I need to re-charge a little, so I'm going to take an official "break". It will probably just be a couple more weeks, maybe less if I have the sudden inspiration to jump back into my blog. In the meantime, I'll still be reading all of yours, because, well, my day just isn't complete without a little bit of you all!!

My Sweet Girl!

2010-04-26T17:28:00.002-04:00

We are so, so in love with our sweet little Tilly Mae! Lance and I are so happy to have a furry little addition at home. She's so sweet, cuddly, and well-mannered. Sure, she has daggers for teeth and LOVES to chew, but her temperament is very calm and she loves to snuggle.

The first week after we brought her home we were total pushovers. We knew we had to get her sleeping schedule in line right away, but it was HEARTBREAKING to hear her cry. We gave in pretty much every night that week. I know a lot of people crate train and swear by it, but even when we put her in a crate, next to our bed, she was so sad! However, when I went back to work the following Monday, and she had to stay in her pen (we have it set up in the dining room) I think she got the idea. That night she only cried for a couple of minutes and then went right to sleep! Success!

She gave us quite a scare last Thursday night, though! Lance got up around 1 AM to let her out to go to the bathroom and he noticed that her face was really swollen! He immediately woke me up and I was so worried when I saw her big swollen eye, lips, and paws! She was not a happy camper and we knew we had to take her to the Animal E.R. We went in and the Vet told us she must have been bitten by an insect and had an allergic reaction. Before it could affect her respiratory system, they gave her a steroid and some benedryl with instructions to keep an eye on her. Luckily, her swelling was almost completely gone by the following afternoon and we could breathe easy again. Scary!

We are so happy to have this little love to come home to everyday! Lance and I talked about how Miss Tilly is the Golden our future children will grow up with and it makes me smile so big to think about :o) She is and will continue to be a cherished member of our family for the next couple of decades!

You Ask, I Answer! Part III

2010-04-23T08:02:00.002-04:00

Here are some more fun Q & A's!

13. What do you love most about living in Michigan/the midwest?

I truly do love living in my state. Among other reasons: the 4 seasons- gorgeous Fall colors, beautiful snowy Christmases, the miles upon miles of beaches & coastline, the breathtaking North Woods,

14. Where would you recommend for a Michigan weekend-away?

There are so many great getaways in Michigan! The awesome thing about living here is that there are so many weekend or "long-weekend" away destinations that are all 5 hours or less away (unless you venture to the Upper Peninsula). We actually just took a little weekend getaway over Easter weekend to a Lake Michigan town called Grand Haven. It is home to the famous Grand Haven Lighthouse and has some of the best restaurants and shopping. Just south of GH is Holland, Michigan which is another getaway favorite of mine. I discovered this adorable town after I met one of my best friends in college who was from Holland. It is another town on Lake Michigan with GREAT shopping. So many home goods shops and that's one of my favorite things!

Some of places that you MUST visit: Traverse City, Sutton's Bay, Charlevoix, Mackinaw Island & City, Ann Arbor, South Haven, and the Au Sable river for a canoe trip. If you're even planning a little trip to/within Michigan, don't hesitate to e-mail me for some ideas! I love my state and would love to share it with you!

15. What are your favorite places to travel within the US?

In case you haven't noticed yet, traveling is one of my favorite things to do. From vacation destinations to road trips to discover and explore new places, I LOVE to travel. There are a few places that Lance and I have traveled to several times, though, just because we love it so much. Those places are Savannah, Georgia; Key West, Florida; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee (and surrounding mountain country). I know that list is only going to get longer as we visit new places in the years to come. And, the unknown of that list is very exciting to me! So many more places to discover and explore!

16. What is your favorite cookbook?

This is an almost impossible question for me to answer. My Grandmother who has a collection of at least 1,000 cookbooks has instilled a love for cooking and cookbooks in me. My collection is tiny compared to hers, but I am always adding to it. The ones that I use the most, though, are the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, Giada's Kitchen, The Joy of Cooking, and The Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook. I also like to look up recipes I've seen prepared by my favorite chefs on The Food Network and adding them to my own binder full of recipes that I keep in my kitchen.

New recipes and cookbooks are so exciting for me. I'm looking forward to adding to my collection over the years (I just order The Pioneer Woman Cooks yesterday!) and will cherish the cookbooks that my Grandmother passes down to me :o)

17. What is your idea of the perfect day?

Simple. Waking up next to my husband in a new place, with the whole day open to explore someplace we've never been before. Our little Tilly Mae would be by our sides and we'd spend the day exploring, eating at new places, taking photos, and meeting some new people. We would end it with a picnic in a beautiful spot, and an evening under the stars :o)

18. What was your favorite shower/wedding gift you received?

Oh, registering and receiving gifts at our shower and wedding was so much fun :o) We were so thankful for all of the wonderful things we received from our family and friends for our new life together. My favorite gift, though, was the Pottery Barn Emma China set and serving dishes. I was in love with the design the moment I saw it. Simple, yet elegant :o) I love pulling the serving dishes out when we have family or friends for dinner. Thankfully we received dinnerware sets from 4 people so we have plenty for when we have a full house of people!

19. What was your first car?

My first car was a red Le Baron convertible. I loved it. It only lasted about 2 years, but it was perfect for Junior & Senior year (and some of my college Freshman year). Yes, my friends and I were totally those girls cruising around with the top down and the music blaring.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Jess, Au Naturel!

2010-04-14T16:30:00.004-04:00

In case you haven't heard, Jessica Simpson is in the new issue of Marie Claire completely au naturel! No makeup, no airbrushing, just Jess! I give her so much credit for "putting it all out there" in a society where looking perfect (even when you aren't) is such a big deal. She has been the subject of much ridicule over the last year or so for her weight, style, etc.. and she's showing us that she is comfortable just being herself! Of course she's still absolutely beautiful, but good for her for letting women know that you can be real and beautiful at the same time!

You Ask, I Answer! Part II

2010-04-09T11:00:00.001-04:00

Here is another installment of You Ask, I Answer :o) I'm having lots of fun with this so feel free to keep the questions coming and I'll do answer posts every once in awhile!

4. Where is your favorite place to shop?

I don't necessarily confine myself to any particular stores, but I definitely have my favorites that I make sure to visit when I'm out shopping. I do like clothes shopping, but I love shopping for home goods even more! When its time for new clothes, I like stores like American Eagle, J. Crew, Target, Anthropologie, Forever 21 (sometimes!), and the Gap. When it comes to shopping for the home, I love browsing little boutiques as well as Pottery Barn, Home Goods, Williams-Sonoma, Restoration Hardware, Ikea (sometimes!), and any place else that draws me in. If I find a special treasure somewhere, I don't discriminate on the store!

5. What is your favorite dish to make?

I really love to cook and have so many favorites. But I'll have to say that I really enjoy cooking recipes from my grandmother the most. Not just because they are so delicious, but because there are memories and good feelings of my grandmother wrapped up into it. She is amazing in the kitchen and has the most impressive and huge cookbook collection. When I think of my grandma, I think of her in her big kitchen and anytime I get to help her cook, I cherish it. I have lots of recipes that I come home and make after she teaches me. One of my favorites is a very easy dish.. Baked sweet potatoes with Cranberry and Cinnamon. So yummy and reminds me of Grandma every single time :o)

6. What are some of your best memories from wedding planning? Worst? If you could go back, what would you have done that you didn't? Wouldn't have done that you did?

Ahhh, wedding planning. One of the best times of my life :o) Yes, it was stressful at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. Seeing all of your planning come together on your big day is one of the best feelings in the world. I loved every last detail of our wedding and will cherish my memories of that day forever.

Our wedding and reception were both held at my Grandparents home. Grandma & Grandpa's is my very favorite place on Earth and so some of my best memories of planning were being there, strolling around the property with Grandpa talking about what would go where, browsing books and magazines with Grandma for images and inspiration, visiting the flower markets early in the morning with Grandma. We had the best time! I also loved showing Lance the progress as it unfolded.. he pretty much left all of the detail planning up to me. He was a champ with running the necessary errands, giving me the thumbs up & thumbs down on ideas, food tastings, and logistical plans though :o)

Worst memories... hmm, there really weren't many of those but I will say that at times I felt a bit overwhelmed. I think this is a normal part of planning something so big. There were a couple of times when I just had to step back, take a deep breath, and put things off until I was more relaxed. When planning a wedding, you're working with lots of vendors, trying to juggle many different parts of planning at once, and praying that things are coming together the way you envision it! So, the moments when I worried, I would love to go back and tell myself to just relax, and that everything was going to come together beautifully :o)

If I could go back and do something that I didn't, I think maybe we would have hired a videographer to capture more of the day on video. Our photographer did an amazing job capturing the whole day, emotions and all, though so we're not too worried about the fact that its not on film. We have beautiful framed memories to look at :o)

What wouldn't I have done? Worried so much about how it would come together. It was perfect. Wouldn't change a thing, and if I could have gone back to tell myself that, I would have saved a little bit of stress.

7. If I had a table at the Golden Globes, what four celebs (and their dates!) would Mr. P and I like to be seated with?

Oooh, this is a fun question! For my two, I would definitely pick Reese Witherspoon (and ask her to bring Jake Gyllenhaal just to look at), and Sandra Bullock (with a date of her choice!). I would just love to hang out, chat, and laugh with Reese. I would then love to hear about Sandra's life and how she's feeling since the whole scandal with her husband went down. I remember in her pre-Oscar interviews, she was gushing about him being her rock and changing her. I was devastated for her when his affairs surfaced. I just wonder what her mind-frame is about all of it now.

For Lance, I think he would choose Dane Cook first.. without a date, haha. He would want him all to himself to laugh hysterically at everything he says. I think he'd also love to be seated with someone like Ben Affleck. He really likes "down to Earth" actors who he knows he'd get along with in real life. Ben could bring Jen, of course, and I would love to hang out with her too! It would be a great double date!

8. If you could ruin someones reputation, who would it be and how would you do it?

I would never want to intentionally ruin anybody's reputation. Usually people doing nasty things will ruin their reputation themselves. But, if I could, I would uncover as many puppy mills as possible to ruin their reputations and hopefully put them out of business. This would probably also mean ruining pet-store puppy sellers reputations too. If they all went out of business, the puppy mills would too. I did a speech on this topic in college.. its all very, very sad.

9. How did your husband propose?

See this post. :o)

10. Do you own your house or are you renting?

We own our home. Lance bought the house we live in right after graduating college. He put a TON of work into it and its a great little place :o) Its the perfect size for us and our little puppy (and a baby if we're still here when #1 comes along!), but we definitely have plans to move into a bigger home in the next year or two. The unfortunate thing is that the real estate market in Michigan is not so great right now, so we're hoping for it to turn around a bit before we try to sell.

(This blogger also asked for photos.. I am actually planning a home tour post very soon!)

11. What did you major in while in college?

I changed my major a few times in college (business, education, journalism) but settled on Psychology and Interior Design. I ended up with a Bachelors in Psychology and a minor in Interior Design. Since graduation in 2008, though, I decided I really did want to be a teacher and am back in school getting my Secondary Education certification.

12. From another Michigan blogger- What is your favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor and why?

I LOVE Ann Arbor! I have many favorite restaurants and hang outs there, but I especially love Zingerman's Roadhouse, The Real Seafood, Co., and Carillon Chocolates. The ideal day would be lunch at Zingerman's, dinner at The Real Seafood, Co., dessert at Carillon Chocolates (chocolate covered rice crispy treat!), and a glass of wine at Vinology, a really cool wine bar downtown. If any of you are ever in Michigan, it is definitely worth it to head to Ann Arbor for a day, night, weekend. There is so much to do. Its a college town (University of Michigan) but its really a town for everyone to enjoy. Michigan's campus is beautiful and the area surrounding Ann Arbor is gorgeous as well.

Stay tuned for more Q & A in another post!

Introducing...

2010-04-06T12:55:00.002-04:00

The newest member of our family.. TILLY MAE!

The little golden girl we've been waiting for! We just love her :o) More pics to come!

B-L-E-S-S-E-D

2010-03-28T16:43:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to take a moment to think about and be thankful for the blessings in my life. We are all so blessed everyday and I think its important to take the time to thank God for all that he provides for us in our lives! I thought of a fun little way to share some of these things on my blog and invite you to do the same :o)

B - being able to come home everyday to a warm house!

L - loving my husband so completely and deeply!

E - everyone in my family being healthy!

S - sisters who I love so very much!

S - somebody to love me, take care of me, and grow old with me!

E - eating dinners made with recipes passed down from my grandmother!

D - days full of rewarding moments at my job!

How about you? Why are you feeling BLESSED today?

You Ask, I Answer! Part 1

2010-03-28T14:50:00.003-04:00

A few weeks back, I asked you all to send me some material to write about in the form on You Ask, I Answer! I think these are so much fun and they give me something to write about when I otherwise have bloggers block! I'm just going to answer a few at a time when as I get time to sit down and blog.. so, here it goes! Please feel free to send me some more!

1. How did you and your husband meet?

My husband and I met during my freshman year in high school. We grew up in the same town (for the most part- he moved to Michigan from Connecticut in 2nd grade), and I knew his youngest brother in elementary school, but never had the chance to meet him until just before starting 9th grade. Honestly, the first time I saw him I had the hugest crush on him. He was adorable with his blonde hair and big, blue eyes. To top it off, he had (and still has) the best personality. We were friends that entire year and had so much fun laughing and being silly with friends together. Both of us had "significant others" during that year, but at the very end of the year we were both single and things sort of just fell into place. We each told the other how much we really liked one another but had been too afraid to say anything all year because we thought the other one just wanted to be friends. I can't even explain the happiness I felt when he confessed this to me. Sure, we were "young and in love", but our love grew into a beautiful grown up love as the years went on. He is my best friend, my rock, and the love of my life, still :o)

2. If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would it be?

If I could go anywhere, I would want to go to Europe for an entire month and just travel. I would want to see the big cities but also spend time in the countryside seeing things from the "small-town" side. I've always wanted to spend a week in a farmhouse in Ireland, or a villa in Tuscany. Lance and I really want to plan a trip there sometime in the future.. maybe next summer? ;o)

3. I love the recipes you post. What is your favorite go-to recipe when you're attending a pot-luck party?

Thank you! I love, love, love to cook and try new recipes. For potlucks, I have 2 recipes that I have used often. One is super easy, one takes a little more preparation. The first is baked brie with dried cherries. So good I could eat the whole thing myself! All you have to do is buy a wheel of brie, cut off the top layer of "skin", sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, cover in foil and bake on 350 for about 20-30 minutes (keep an eye on it). Mid way through baking, add dried cherries to the top of it and let it continue to bake. Serve with crackers and watch everyone enjoy!

The second is Lemon Fusilli with Arugula. You can find the recipe on my sidebar. I add less lemon than the recipe calls for and it is delicious! All of my friends and family who have tried it have LOVED it. Its great reheated as well in case you have to warm it up when you get to the potluck.

Back in Town!

2010-03-17T15:17:00.005-04:00

We're back from our wonderful, fun, and relaxing vacation in Florida. The weather wasn't the greatest the whole time we were there but I had a blast..

...hanging out with my handsome hubby!

(he's being silly doing the GQ pose here, lol)

..and these lovely ladies!

..celebrating at a beautiful wedding of great friends overlooking St. Pete's Beach!

...and just having an all-around great time! Like all vacations, it went by much too fast, but Lance and I are looking forward to doing a lot more traveling in the near future especially since we each were given 2 vouchers for round-trip airline tickets because they overbooked our plane on the way down and we volunteered to take another flight. We only had to wait an hour for the next flight too.. what a steal! We're already planning those next two trips that we'll be taking this year! :o)

Hope everyone has had a wonderful week! It is so beautiful in Michigan right now. The sun is shining and its about 63 degrees today.. Spring has arrived in the mitten!

Here for the week...

2010-03-09T17:45:00.000-05:00

and

We're headed to Orlando and St. Pete's Beach early tomorrow morning. I'm as excited as a little kid to go to Disney World for the first time in my life! I'm also very excited for the wedding of a good friend on St. Pete's beach over the weekend. Here's to relaxation, sun, and lots of fun! Will catch up with you all when we return! Have a great week & weekend everyone!

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life

2010-03-03T19:35:00.002-05:00

Happy Wednesday everyone! I am still being very neglectful of my dear ol' blog. I'm planning to get back into the swing of things soon but right now I'm busy, busy!

I wanted to be sure to share something good though for Healthy Wife, Healthy Life Wednesday, though! Its a recipe I came across today while on my lunch break at work. It looks and sounds soooo so good, and its healthy too! Here it is:

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

Makes 11 cups

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 red pepper, seeds removed and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups cubed sweet potato

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes

4 cans (15 oz) black beans

1 jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 lime, cut into wedges

1 cup chopped cilantro leaves, washed and dried

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Directions:

Warm the oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the onion, red pepper, garlic, and salt. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add sweet potato, lime zest and juice. Cook for 12 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the remaining ingredients, except for the lime wedges and cilantro. Stir well, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Serve with cornbread or over brown rice. Top with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.

Zee Perfect Baby Gift.. Zeebabee!

2010-02-25T16:26:00.002-05:00

For those of you who have been following my blog for awhile, you may have seen my posts about my Aunt's fabulous company, Zeebabee Designs! Read one of my biggest posts about her here. Zeebabee has a GREAT sale happening right now that you should take advantage of! Zeebabee Designs has some of the cutest, stylish baby & mommy items that are not only fashionable but are aiding in the development of baby's mind at the same time! Can't get any better than that :o)

20% off your total purchase!

Just use coupon code BURPSEE

at checkout!

www.zeebabee.com

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life

2010-02-24T16:00:00.001-05:00

After a two week hiatus, Healthy Wife, Healthy Life is back! :o)

I really didn't mean to drop off the radar so much the last two weeks, but life has been sort of hectic as I'm trying to adjust to a new job and new schedule. I'm loving my new job, but just trying to balance work, school, and home life! As I was thinking about what to write about for today's HWHL, I thought it would be perfect to talk about the ways that I unwind and de-stress. I think its very appropriate given the fact that my own stress level has risen a little bit as I've been getting into the swing of a new job!

As we all know, there is good stress and bad stress. Either way, it is STRESS! We all need a way to relieve it; to relax, unwind, and give ourselves a chance to take a breather. From experience, I know that stress can really take a toll on a person. I remember how stressed out I always was at my last job and it had effects on me that I didn't even realize until I was no longer working there. I was not in my best frame of mind- I had a shorter temper, was tired a lot, and even had some negative health effects which, to me, is the scariest part.

Stress relief is really important for my mind, body, and soul. Here is how I unwind...

Kickboxing. Ever have a terrible day at work or have had it up to "here" with someone? Go to a kickboxing class. Not only does it clear your mind, you get to punch, kick, and sweat the stress away! My kickboxing class is such therapy for me. The endorphins get pumping and I come away from class with a clear mind and a healthier body! I feel the effects long after class too! I overall have more energy each day to deal with whatever stress may come my way!

Cooking & Baking. This is a huge stress reliever for me. When I can bury myself in a cookbook or recipe and go through the step-by-step instructions to preparing something, its therapeutic for me. I love gathering up ingredients, setting them all out, then following the steps to creating something wonderful. I truly prefer making things from scratch over "boxed recipes". I love the process. What's even better, I love the outcomes :o)

Walking & Hiking. Nothing feels better than a long walk in the woods. Unfortunately, we don't live too close to any. But any time we can make it to a somewhat nearby reserve, are Up North, or are visiting my Dad or Grandparents, a nice long hike in the woods is always on the agenda. There is something so calming and refreshing about being in the middle of nature with only the sounds and smells of the woods around you. In the summer, Lance and I love taking walks in the evening around our neighborhood too. Its such a great time to hang out together, talk, and get some fresh air!

Being able to relax and lose myself in something I enjoy is an important part of keeping myself healthy. It brings my mind and body back to its happy medium and better prepares me to tackle any stress that may come my way! Its a big component to a healthy life and healthy home!

How about you? How do you unwind and de-stress?

The Cure for Bloggers Block

2010-02-22T14:09:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone. So, it is quite obvious that my bad blogging streak has continued. I really do have a case of bloggers block that has been exacerbated by starting a new job last week! I've been super busy and when I have time to sit down and surf through blogs, my mind is blank for blogging material! So, I've thought of the perfect solution: YOU all give me the topics to write about in the form of....

ASK ME ANYTHING!

(photo via galadarling.com)

Several bloggers have done this, as well as myself last year. I think its tons of fun and it gives me some material to talk about when I'm otherwise in a blogging funk.

So, starting now... Ask me anything! Leave your questions on this post or send me an e-mail! I'll give it a few days and then get started on my answers. Looking forward to answering your questions! :o)

Monday Mix-Up

2010-02-15T13:04:00.005-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! Here is a little Monday-Mix of what is happening in my life!

Chessie is home from the breeder! My Dad picked her up yesterday after two weeks at a Golden Retriever breeder in Mid-Michigan. Now we wait "patiently" for signs that she has puppies on the way. I'm so excited.. we're are closer to our first little addition to our family :o
I accepted an offer on a new job on Friday! It happened really fast. I had my screening interview in the morning and the HR director immediately passed my resume along to the principal at the hiring school. He called me 15 minutes later, I met with him and a group of administrators and they offered me the position! I am so, so excited! Sure, unemployment has its perks when you're a full time grad student. But I was definitely getting a little stir-crazy and this position is going to be such great experience for my field! I'll be working in a school so close to home and the staff is just awesome. After the pertinent paperwork has been completed and processed, I'll be starting. Could be as early as tomorrow, but probably a little later in the week.
I'm excited for a little getaway this weekend. Lance has a hockey tournament Up North so we're going to be out of town for the weekend. My best friend and his best friend are also a couple and he plays on the same hockey team so it will be a great weekend spent with friends, too!
We're closer to being finished with our side-entry project. I thought we might be able to finish last week, but I think I got a little ahead of myself. The painting is finished, the flooring has been selected, and I've already hung a little bit of the new wall decor. When we're all set, I'll post some photos of the change!
I'm on a mission to find some new bathing suits this week! We're going to Florida in less than a month and I'm finding myself in the same position I am every year- sick of "last summer's" bathing suits. I'm really picky too, so this should be fun.

That's all I've got for today! Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day :o)

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T09:33:00.003-05:00

Good morning, everyone and Happy Valentines Day! My Valentine is working all day today so I'm spending it with my other Valentines! My family :o) We're at my favorite place in all of the world- my Grandparents'. This morning is a lazy morning. Everyone is still in their PJ's sipping coffee. My sisters will be here soon and we'll exchange our Valentines. We always make it a fun day if we're all together, and my Dad always gives us the sweetest gifts. He is all of our original Valentine after all!

Hope everyone is sharing their Valentine's Day with their Valentines, whomever they may be!

My Apologies...

2010-02-11T09:35:00.002-05:00

I am a horrible blogger lately. I've been so busy with school and home improvement projects that I just haven't had much time. When I have had a little time, I've been in some kind of blogging funk and felt like I haven't had much to write about. As you can see, Healthy Wife, Healthy Life took a little break this week too. I promise my blogging will go back to normal after this week, and you can look forward to a great Healthy Wife, Healthy Life post next Wednesday to make up for this week!

Hope everyone is having a great week and enjoying all of the snow! I'm not sure who else has a ton like we do, but we had the biggest snowfall of the year yesterday and this Grad student had a Snow Day :o) How much snow do you have?

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life

2010-02-03T17:15:00.001-05:00

Happy Wednesday again, everyone!

Today's Healthy Wife, Healthy Life is going to be all about one of the biggest threats to staying healthy (for me at least). That is the, dun dun dunnnn... SWEET TOOTH! Mine is big. My husbands is gigantic! He may or may not want me to disclose the fact that he has been known to put back a whole package of oreo's within 48 hours. (Lucky for him he has a lightning fast metabolism!) My sweet tooth can be a major enemy in my fight to eat healthy everyday, but the key for me has been to make the right choices when it comes to sweets. Its ridiculous to think you can cut sweets out of your diet completely. We all need a little sugar in our day! :o) Control, moderation, and making right choices is the answer!

If you looked in our cupboards and freezer before, you would have seen the following:

Now don't get me wrong. I still LOVE each one of these things. In fact, I still eat them.... EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE! Having any of these around when the sweet tooth sneaks up though is a recipe for disaster! Instead, we've been stocking up on these better alternatives:

All of these do the trick when I need a little sugar in my life. If you keep your cool-whip in the freezer, it will have an ice cream consistency and you can add fruit, a little chocolate syrup or nuts to it for a sundae-like dessert. The chocolate covered pretzel packs are perfect for a little mid-afternoon snack or a light dessert. The mousse.. well that is self-explanatory. This girl HAS TO HAVE HER CHOCOLATE, and this rich chocolate mousse has been a life saver when the chocolate attacks kick in :o)

You'll never see me cutting out sweets. No way, no how. But making better choices and not over-indulging makes giving myself a treat worthwhile. Not only am I keeping my sugar intake controlled (which is beneficial to your health), I'm also not letting those pesky refined sugars and fats get the best of my healthy diet!

*For those that asked about the supplements last week, shoot me an e-mail and I can send you all of the info for them!*

Playing Catch-Up

2010-02-01T11:50:00.001-05:00

Yikes! I so did not mean to go the rest of last week and weekend without doing a post. Things just got really busy and blogging got away from me! I was so exhausted by yesterday that I fell asleep in the middle of the Grammy's! Thank goodness for my DVR. I've been catching up this morning while working on grad-school work.

The Michael Jackson tribute by Celine, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Usher, and Smokey Robinson was so beautiful. I had chills the entire time! If you didn't see it, you must watch the clip below. Just awesome.

Speaking of the Grammy's, I love this award show. As a huge lover of music, its really wonderful to see artists from all genres come together to just celebrate music. As a big fan of country music, it always warms my heart to see my favorite country artists perform with other big name performers from mainstream music.

Zac Brown Band

Lady Antebellum

Taylor Swift

Keith Urban

And, of course, Carrie Underwood. My favorite!

All in all, another great show and another great year of music! :o)

Healthy Wife, Healthy Life

2010-01-27T17:34:00.003-05:00

Happy Wednesday, everyone! The week is half-way over and its time for Healthy Wife, Healthy Life again!

First, I'd like to say that I'm loving the feedback I'm hearing from all of you regarding HWHL! I know how inspiring and motivational we can all be for each other and its great that we have a place like blog-land to share our lives, including our quests to achieve goals in our lives!

Now for some Healthy Wife updates! Today I'm going to talk about a few things that are making me feel good. Getting in shape and making ourselves healthier always feels good, but there are some little things in my everyday regimen that I am attributing to my higher energy level, better concentration, and just overall feeling of well-being!

1. Water, water, and more water! I know I've said it before, but staying really hydrated will do and has done wonders! Really, I feel much more energetic, clear-minded, and I've found that I have a lot more energy while exercising. I also discovered Electrolyte Enhanced Water at our local Whole Foods store. Great for during and after exercise!

2. Daily Multi-Vitamins. Lance and I have a great collection of individually packaged packets of 3 very important daily vitamins. Its called Super-trio. The first pill is a multi-vitamin. This little guy is packed with all of the necessary vitamins and nutrients our bodies are craving during the day. You may have seen multi's such as A to Zinc, or Women's One-A-Days. That's essentially what this is. The second pill is a Super Omega 3 pill. This is full of the great Omega 3 fatty acids our body needs. The third pill is called Super ORAC and contains tons of antioxidants that get into our bodies and wipe of the free radicals that can/will cause disease. Having all three of these in little packs that we can grab and take with us makes it sooo easy to remember to do! And if your husbands are anything like mine, making vitamin-taking as easy and fool-proof as possible is a must!

3. The ~~Good~~ Green Stuff. Yep, the color green doesn't always scream "Yummy!", now does it? But as with most green foods, it is the "good stuff" that our bodies so desperately need. Lance and I are totally guilty of pulling the "too busy to eat healthy" card. Eating unhealthy is strangely easier than eating healthy when you're pressed for time. Well, luckily we also have a full stock of Ultimate Green Zone which is an awesome (but I'll admit, not delicious..) daily supplement that gives you the full dose of grains and nutrient-rich greens that contribute to your overall health.

We mix it with water actually, plug our noses, chug it, and boom! A boost of natural energy and we've given our bodies some major nutrients that we need. It really does boost your energy too! You probably think we're crazy for just mixing it with water :o) You can also mix it into a smoothie, with juice or with vitamin-water. In fact, in a recent post, the wonderful GRITS posted a shake recipe she makes with something similar that sounds delicious! We just go the water route because its quicker and easier. No excuses that way either.. you can't run out of water!

So, there you have it! Three little things that are making such a difference! If you're interested in learning more about the supplements, visit the Nature's Sunshine website or shoot me an e-mail and I can tell you more.

What is/are your little things that make a big difference in your quest to be healthy?!