Day 18 Blog Challenge

Day 18: Wedding...past/present/future

Well, I was just married in May, and I think my wedding was pretty spectacular, so I'm going to AW. Above is us and our bridal party on the top deck of the rental house overlooking the Pamlico Sound in the Outer Banks.

I made sure our wedding was about 3 things: us, our people and details. Above is just one of the awesome details. My embroidered bouquet ribbon made by an etsy.com seller. It's a C & E intertwined in Navy thread (1 of our wedding colors).

Below is our amazing church. Oh it is sooo beautiful. This is my father walking me down the aisle with the bagpipes playing in the background (another awesome detail). The windows behind the altar look out over the Pamlico Sound.

Again with the details! Above is the place cards... They were navy and white tags with green ribbon tied to starfish and sandollars.

Below is a picture of one of the tables. All the menus, place cards, table names etc were used with the same paper I made our invitations with. Very cohesive (and detail oriented). Each table was named after either one of our current dogs (Foley & Casey) or one of our foster dogs. Our favors were little truffle boxes that said "Sweet Bliss begins with a hug, a kiss and a promise" and in side was a Hershey hug, Kiss and a Dove Promise.

I loved our wedding, I love the details, the location, our friends, our family, the food, the drink, the weather, the sunset, everything.. it was perfect. And looking back at our pictures I fall in love with it more every day.

Day 17 - Blog Challenge!

Today is....an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)

Oooh! I can share my current obsession/love. Ron Schmidt!

http://www.looseleashes.com/

Seriously?!?! How cute is this!

I will own the one above...someday.

And hello?!?!

If only I had an endless flow of cash, my entire house would be covered in this cute pup pictures.

Blog Challenge - Day 16ish

Day 16… A song that makes you cry..or nearly.

I have fallen off the Bloggerwagon. But I’m hoisting myself back up! In my time off the wagon, I’ve been thinking about Day 16’s topic: A song that makes you cry or nearly. Off the top of my head I can think of a few, and I can think of songs or moments listening to songs that make me teary or upset.

The National Anthem always gives me goosebumps. And there are moments when I’ve heard it and teared. There is nothing like being at a NASCAR race with the jets flying over, the Anthem playing and it just evokes a sense of America.

There are songs that were written about 9/11 or songs that came to represent something after 9/11. These songs make me cry. I can still remember driving home from VT a week or so after 9/11 and hearing the “American” themed songs and bawling my eyes out because of what they now stood for.

Of course sappy love songs or songs about fathers and daughters always get to me.

I think for the purpose of this post, I will go with:

Then… by Brad Paisley. This was one of my friends wedding songs, and over a year later I still get teary when I hear it.

CUPCAKES!!!!!!

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be in the vicinity of Georgetown Cupcake. Thank you to tips from friends, I knew to order in advance so that I would not have to wait in line. The store was a hop skip and a jump from the hotel I was staying at in Arlington, so I placed my order to be ready on Sunday morning and picked them on my way out of town.

There was a line a mile long! So I am glad that I pre-0rdered. I simply told the girl at the door I had pre-ordered, walked in, gave them my name, out came my bag with this fabulous box in it and off I went. Pre-paid! WOOHOO! The store was bustling, the energy was sugary and one of the owners was even there!

I had to drive in the car with these babies for over 6 hours. SIX HOURS. SIX LONGGGG HOURS. I was thinking crazy thoughts... ie: if i got pulled over I'd offer the officer a cupcake. I also picked up our newest addition to the family that day in Philly (Gutter our kitten). Oh, the temptation.

Don't they look amazing!!!!



Okay Here is the run down of what we got:
Above: on the top right: Cherry Cheesecake Cupcake, PB Fudge below, Coconut Chocolate on the bottom right. On the top left: Chocolate 2, Red Velvet, Milk Chocolate Birthday.

Above: to the right: Carrot, Vanilla & Chocolate, Lava Fudge. To the left: Coconut, Strawberry, Cherry Cheesecake Cupcake.

I was able to bring them home and refrigerate them. When ready to eat, bring to room temp. YUM. You can also freeze them.

My favorite: Cherry Cheesecake.

I almost ordered a whole dozen of them after my first bite.

Dau 15 - Blog Challenge

Day 15 - My Dream House.....

http://p.rdcpix.com/v01/lf728be42-c4x.jpg

This house is located in Scituate, MA on The Glades... I would love to live in this very spot...

Day 14 - Blog Challenge

Day 14 - Non-Fictional Book

I love to read. My house is full of books. I will read anything and everything. Can't say I love everything I read, but I read it none the less.

Here is my choice for a non-fiction(more of an autobiography) book...

I love Jimmy and I love this book. It's a very inspiring, funny, sad, yet captivating tail of his life. And really, makes me want to just throw it all in and go to the carribean.

1st Apple Crisp of the Season

I love Apple Crisp. I first made this recipe back in college after recieving the Joy of Cooking as a gift from my mom. This recipe is tried and true.

I'm dreaming about having some now...

Oh and with fresh, homemade whipped cream... TO DIE FOR.
Apple Crisp
(From The Joy of Cooking)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready an unbuttered 2-inch-deep 2 quart baking dish. Peel, core, and cut apples into 1-inch chunks:
8 medium apples (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Spread evenly in the baking dish.Combine in a bowl:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour3/4 cup white sugar 1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp grated or ground nutmeg
Add:
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. (this may also be done with a mixer or in a food processor, taking care not to blend the butter too thoroughly.) Scatter the topping evenly over the fruit. Bake until the topping is golden brown, the juices are bubbling, and the apples are tender, 50 - 55 minutes.

NOTES: This is my go to Apple Crisp recipe. Easy, tasty and always have the makings on hand during apple season. We hit pay dirt at the farmer’s market with apples, so I whipped up the first crisp of the season.

I only used 5 apples, as the ones we got were LARGE. I also sprinkled some cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples before putting the crisp topping over it to give the apples some more flavor. YUM.

Day 13 - Blog Challenge

Lucky #13...

A fictional book....

If you haven't read any of Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" novels... make the time. They are funny, fast moving and easy reads. And they take place in NJ. You will laugh and laugh and laugh.

Day 11 & 12 Blog Challenge!

Today is day 12...something I'm OCD about. I don't really think I'm OCD about anything, but I came up with one thing...

SHOES!!!

These shoes are my wedding shoes... photo credits: www.likeadreamphotography.com

Day 11 is a recent photo of you...

Thankfully I have all these amazing pictures I can use from my wedding...LOL. I'm not going to tell you why there is a picture of me in a pose that sort of makes me look like I'm running away. And yes, that's my dad in the background laughing at me!

Day 10 - Blog Challenge

WOOHOOOO! It's Friday, it's day 10, it's a holiday weekend... Let's PARTY!

Day 10 - A photo of you from over 10 years ago

This is a picture of my older brother and I... in SNOW. Boy I could go for sitting in a big pile of snow right now. This picture is probably circa 1980...

Day 9 - Blog Challenge

Todays challenge is "A Photo You Took". Well I've taken a million pictures. Picking one is the hardest part! I hope you enjoy the picture I chose.This is a picture I took last August in Scituate, MA. Friend's of ours got married on "The Spit" and it was only fitting that the lobster boats bring some of the guests to the beach.

Day 8 - Blog Challenege

*Patting myself on the back for making it to day 8*

Day 8: A photo that makes you sad/angry

This photo makes me sad and angry. It upsets me to no end that dogs have to live in conditions like this at an Animal Control facility while people go out and buy their dogs. There are millions of dog in rescue, in shelters, in high kill facilities that would make wonderful, AMAZING pets. We have 3 rescue dogs of our own and have fostered some amazing dogs.

These dogs are not broken, sick, but merely unwanted for numerous reasons. There is no reason to support a back yard breeder, a pet store or any other insane avenue that people go to to PURCHASE a dog when there are plenty of dogs, young, old, pure bred, mutt, special needs, puppy on petfinder.com that are in need of love and a home.