Granted, I am late, but really is anyone surprised? This last week has been a tough one, a week that I generally dread every year, and get through slowly with lots of tears.
Just like most other Americans, Brian and I spent some time on September 11th remembering where we were and what we were doing when we heard about the attacks on our country seven years ago. He was getting ready to go to class at JCC, and I was walking into a computer lab in high school. It always surprises me to share these stories with people who were not in a closer area to the attack, the way my family and I were. Brian, and other friends who were not as close to DC as I was were all of course devastated, but looking back, I can really remember an all out fear. After the attack on the Pentagon, and watching reactions of students in my school whose parents worked there, followed by my frantic phone calls to find where my dad was, and the evacuation of all major buildings near me, I look back and remember being down right scared. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families whose hearts remain heavy this year as they remember their lost loved ones.
As for my own particularly heavy heart this week, that comes mainly from the anniversary of the loss of my sorority sister, and good friend Mary Elizabeth Brooks. This September 13th was the second anniversary of losing MEB to leukemia. I was honored to know such an amazing human being, and while I doubt that I will ever understand why such a strong, and beautiful human being was taken from us so soon, I try to continue to remember how blessed I was to have her in my life, if only for a short while.
So I apologize for my lack of posting, and I promise I will write again soon. Hopefully with a better outlook and maybe even a wedding update (because yes, I am becoming obsessed!!) With that being said, I would like to send our love to all of you (maybe only two or three of you! Ha!) who read this. We love you all and after such a week we are definitely counting our blessings and realizing our wonderful friends and families top that list!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Not much new..
Well it’s been busy here at our house recently. I am still running around like a chicken with my head cut off between school and work, and Brian is still waiting (very impatiently at this point) to start work. We still have our fingers crossed, and hopefully everything will be settled by the end of the week.
I have also seemed to throw myself into wedding planning full force. I’m not sure what kicked in, but it’s almost like I woke up one morning and decided I needed to get to it! So I have been scouring the internet and pouring over all the magazines again for ideas and inspiration, and as a designer at heart I have decided to do this all myself, and make our big day as unique and fabulous as possible. Brian has been hanging in there with me, listening to my ideas and thoughts and at least pretending to be interested!! Also, today I got the phone call that my wedding dress has come in!! Obviously they will be holding it until I need to get alterations and things done, but they did say I could go visit it if I would like! As always, if anyone in interested in more wedding details, our wedding website can be found here, and will be updated as more details become available. :]
I have also seemed to throw myself into wedding planning full force. I’m not sure what kicked in, but it’s almost like I woke up one morning and decided I needed to get to it! So I have been scouring the internet and pouring over all the magazines again for ideas and inspiration, and as a designer at heart I have decided to do this all myself, and make our big day as unique and fabulous as possible. Brian has been hanging in there with me, listening to my ideas and thoughts and at least pretending to be interested!! Also, today I got the phone call that my wedding dress has come in!! Obviously they will be holding it until I need to get alterations and things done, but they did say I could go visit it if I would like! As always, if anyone in interested in more wedding details, our wedding website can be found here, and will be updated as more details become available. :]
Friday, August 29, 2008
Recipe: Monkey Munch!!
Unfortunately I have spent the last few days at home sick with an upper respiratory infection, and to be quite honest, after three days I am definitely over it and ready to be back to work and normal life! This little sickness has worked out very well for Brian though, not only have I been home so he has gotten to enjoy my company (ha! We all know how pleasant I can be when I’m feeling sick) but I am also starting to go stir crazy and have been looking for ways to entertain myself. So what else would I do? Cook!! So after my trip to the Doctor today, I ran over to the grocery store and got all the ingredients for Monkey Much!
Any fan of TLC’s ‘Jon and Kate plus 8’ has heard of this fabulous treat. It is a wonderful chocolatey take on Chex mix. It is incredibly addicting and delicious so I thought I would share the recipe.
Monkey Munch
Ingredients
9 cups Chex cereal (any variety)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions
1. Put Chex in a large bowl and put aside.
2. Place chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter into a quart-sized microwavable bowl.
3. Stir the ingredients together.
4. Microwave the mixture uncovered for a minute on high. Stir the mix again and continue to zap in thirty second intervals until it mixes smoothly.
5. Add the vanilla and stir.
6. Put combination into a 2-gallon, Ziploc freezer bag.
7. Add powdered sugar, seal the bag and shake until distributed.
8. Spread Monkey Munch out on wax paper to cool and dry.
9. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for storage.
recipe courtesy of RecipeZaar.
I hope everyone enjoys this as much as we do! With Brian being such a picky eater, I tend to have to search for interesting things to cook for us, not just deserts but dinners as well. I am going to start putting up some of our better recipes to share with everyone. I figure if Brian likes it, someone else might as well!!
Enjoy!
Any fan of TLC’s ‘Jon and Kate plus 8’ has heard of this fabulous treat. It is a wonderful chocolatey take on Chex mix. It is incredibly addicting and delicious so I thought I would share the recipe.
Monkey Munch
Ingredients
9 cups Chex cereal (any variety)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions
1. Put Chex in a large bowl and put aside.
2. Place chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter into a quart-sized microwavable bowl.
3. Stir the ingredients together.
4. Microwave the mixture uncovered for a minute on high. Stir the mix again and continue to zap in thirty second intervals until it mixes smoothly.
5. Add the vanilla and stir.
6. Put combination into a 2-gallon, Ziploc freezer bag.
7. Add powdered sugar, seal the bag and shake until distributed.
8. Spread Monkey Munch out on wax paper to cool and dry.
9. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for storage.
recipe courtesy of RecipeZaar.
I hope everyone enjoys this as much as we do! With Brian being such a picky eater, I tend to have to search for interesting things to cook for us, not just deserts but dinners as well. I am going to start putting up some of our better recipes to share with everyone. I figure if Brian likes it, someone else might as well!!
Enjoy!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
vacation's over :[
I know it has been WAY too long since we updated but at least I have nothing but good news for this post! First and foremost, Bella is doing fabulously! She got quite the haircut after the stitches came out, and despite the fact that we thought she was very naked looking at first, the short ‘do is growing on us every day.
In the past few weeks we have been a very busy little family! Brian’s hunt for a new job will hopefully be coming to an end soon (not to jinx anything of course, so I will post more details as we get them), and despite the interviews we even got a vacation in!
I spent the weekend of the 16th down in Cape Charles to see Erin and Rick get married. I drove down with Rachel and Meredith and stayed with them and Shannon in a gorgeous suit for the weekend and got to see one of the prettiest ceremonies I have ever witnessed. The newlyweds said their “I dos” at sunset on the beach and I seriously doubt their was a dry eye anywhere on the beach. We spent the night at their reception dancing away like we were freshman all over again! They couldn’t have had better weather or a more perfect day and the bride was stunning, in her Oakley shades of course!
The last SINGLE 3/4 picture!
Meredith, Rachel, and I..
Perfect!!
After a weekend with the girls Brian, Bella, and I all got in the car and drove to visit Mum and Dad in Massachusetts (finally!!) and what a trip it was! Even though we hit more traffic then we have ever seen before, both ways, it was definitely worth it. The first day we helped Mum unpack and organize the basement, and then headed to Weymouth to visit Nana and everyone there. Courtney (the best Junior Bridesmaid EVER) came back to Scituate to spend a few nights with us, and we got the chance to hang out on the beach, which was by far my favorite part of the trip!
Bella in her car seat on the way up!
Mum and Courtney (& her fabulous straight hair!!) at dinner.
The Beach!!
The water was cold for Bri!
Hands down Brian’s favorite part of the whole week was probably our drive up to New Hampshire. He has been talking about going to the arcade, Fun Spot, for practically ever now, so we took the drive up for the afternoon. Fun Spot is the largest arcade in the world and was featured in the movie "The King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters", basically if you want to set a world record for video games, this is the place you HAVE to do it. Brian played every game he could get his hands on, but I stuck with Tetris, and walked out with not one, but THREE high scores. And yes, I am very proud of myself!!
Welcome to Fun Spot! Yes, it is THREE floors..
Tetris Champ!!
Bri and the famous Donkey Kong machine!!
We regretfully did have to end our vacation, but we did get to spend our last day at a cookout with almost my entire family! Good food, good drinks, and a GREAT family are definitely the BEST way to end a wonderful vacation.
Backyard view..
View from the deck.
One of my beautiful bridesmaids!!
Wonderful fam :)
Now though, it’s back to the real world. School is starting back for me, so my summer is definitely over. I will try to update more, and please keep your fingers crossed for Brian’s new job!!
In the past few weeks we have been a very busy little family! Brian’s hunt for a new job will hopefully be coming to an end soon (not to jinx anything of course, so I will post more details as we get them), and despite the interviews we even got a vacation in!
I spent the weekend of the 16th down in Cape Charles to see Erin and Rick get married. I drove down with Rachel and Meredith and stayed with them and Shannon in a gorgeous suit for the weekend and got to see one of the prettiest ceremonies I have ever witnessed. The newlyweds said their “I dos” at sunset on the beach and I seriously doubt their was a dry eye anywhere on the beach. We spent the night at their reception dancing away like we were freshman all over again! They couldn’t have had better weather or a more perfect day and the bride was stunning, in her Oakley shades of course!
The last SINGLE 3/4 picture!
Meredith, Rachel, and I..
Perfect!!
After a weekend with the girls Brian, Bella, and I all got in the car and drove to visit Mum and Dad in Massachusetts (finally!!) and what a trip it was! Even though we hit more traffic then we have ever seen before, both ways, it was definitely worth it. The first day we helped Mum unpack and organize the basement, and then headed to Weymouth to visit Nana and everyone there. Courtney (the best Junior Bridesmaid EVER) came back to Scituate to spend a few nights with us, and we got the chance to hang out on the beach, which was by far my favorite part of the trip!
Bella in her car seat on the way up!
Mum and Courtney (& her fabulous straight hair!!) at dinner.
The Beach!!
The water was cold for Bri!
Hands down Brian’s favorite part of the whole week was probably our drive up to New Hampshire. He has been talking about going to the arcade, Fun Spot, for practically ever now, so we took the drive up for the afternoon. Fun Spot is the largest arcade in the world and was featured in the movie "The King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters", basically if you want to set a world record for video games, this is the place you HAVE to do it. Brian played every game he could get his hands on, but I stuck with Tetris, and walked out with not one, but THREE high scores. And yes, I am very proud of myself!!
Welcome to Fun Spot! Yes, it is THREE floors..
Tetris Champ!!
Bri and the famous Donkey Kong machine!!
We regretfully did have to end our vacation, but we did get to spend our last day at a cookout with almost my entire family! Good food, good drinks, and a GREAT family are definitely the BEST way to end a wonderful vacation.
Backyard view..
View from the deck.
One of my beautiful bridesmaids!!
Wonderful fam :)
Now though, it’s back to the real world. School is starting back for me, so my summer is definitely over. I will try to update more, and please keep your fingers crossed for Brian’s new job!!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
We Are Radar Free!!
That’s right! Our pup is no longer running around with a satellite dish around her head! We got the ok to take the crazy hood off at her vet visit yesterday. She also had all of her stitches taken out, and the Doctor was very impressed with how well she was recovering. Every time we are there they tell us how impressed they are that she has recovered so well, and so quickly! Now it’s just a matter of getting her to her grooming appointment tomorrow morning. She was originally scheduled for her regular appointment the weekend after her original accident over a month ago, so you can only imagine how long and matted her hair is now! She is a downright mess! I will post pictures tomorrow of her makeover, it should be amusing since I am sure she will have to be shaved pretty short!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM!!
Don't let her fool you! Even though she looks slightly miserable, she is really just waiting for a treat! Normally she does very well with photo shoots, but it must be her satellite dish that makes her a little less interested in the camera these days.
But regardless, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MUMMY!! I am feeling a little sad today, I think this is the first time I was not about to spend the day with her or at least see her around the time of her big day. But Mum, you are in our thoughts today and Bella can't wait to come see Gemma at her new house next month!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!
In other news, I am enjoying a weekend off! We went and saw the new Batman movie, Dark Night, yesterday. Brian has been itching to go, even refusing to watch the previews when they came on tv since he wanted to be completely suprised. I have to admit though, I think I enjoyed it just as much as he did! We highly reccomend everyone go see it!! I also got lucky enough to have tomorrow off so I will get to go with Brian and Bella to have her stitches taken out. Then I am planning on going out to visit my friend Kristy and her new daughter Olivia at their new home, followed by my normal Monday night class. So it will be a busy day but I have had some time to relax already before starting my week back to work on Tuesday.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week, I will update tomorrow after Bella's vet visit. We are hoping today will be the last day with Bella as a satellite dish!!
Pics from Brian!
So, I know katie has been the only person blogging on "our blog", and she will be the first to tell you it is all my fault! So I decided to upload some pictures as my first "official post." Enjoy!
Katie and I at Barry & Amber's wedding in NY
From left to right:
Me, Nick, Katie, Jon
This was when Bella was not doing so good. Very sad
Bella hates her radar dish, but she makes the most of it!
Katie having no-hood cuddle time
Katie's birthday present from her parents. A great gift indeed! I love these chairs
I apologize for poor picture quality as most of these were taken with the blackberry.
Katie and I at Barry & Amber's wedding in NY
From left to right:
Me, Nick, Katie, Jon
This was when Bella was not doing so good. Very sad
Bella hates her radar dish, but she makes the most of it!
Katie having no-hood cuddle time
Katie's birthday present from her parents. A great gift indeed! I love these chairs
I apologize for poor picture quality as most of these were taken with the blackberry.
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