Friday, May 27, 2011

Happy Birthday, Husband!!

Well, today is the day! The surprise breakfast for the birthday boy went off without a hitch! I woke up at the ungodly hour of 5:45AM and got crackin! (I'll post the recipe for you guys next week, promise!) I also took care of the pup so B could catch a few extra minutes of shut eye before his day started. He woke up and was all sorts of confused about why the kitchen smelled so good and where the dog was - it was cute.

Breakfast was scrumptious. We had time to delve into the slices of warm french toast and sip on hot coffee together before work for a change. And this change was one I wouldn't mind happening at least one morning per week. If I can peel myself out of bed in time.I treasure these quiet moments with nothing distracting us; sometimes I take them for granted!

B left for work by 7:15 and I proceeded to tidy up for our weekend visitors (my parents will be in town this weekend!) and bake a birthday cake for my guy! Who doesn't love funfetti cake?! Tonight we'll take B out for a nice dinner and then continue the celebration back at our place with some drinks and cake. Sounds like a pretty awesome night to me. 

The rest of the weekend will consist of family, friends, BBQs and, if the weatherman is right (which, let's face it, he rarely is!), lots of sunshine! How are you spending your MDW? If it's at the beach, can we come?!

(Obviously this post wouldn't be complete without a few pics of the handsome birthday boy!)




Have a wonderful and safe, holiday weekend friends!!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Wednesday Wish List: The Birthday Boy

It's that time again. Time for another edition of your favorite Wednesday Wish List! Before I jump into this weeks wish list, I just had to announce that one of my very best friends had her baby boy yesterday! Baby Boy R arrived about a week early and their little family is doing great!! I am absolutely DYING to get down there and see them, but since we live about an hour apart, and I work full time now, I won't be meeting the little one until tomorrow night. The anticipation is killing me, but I couldn't be happier for them!

In other news, B's birthday is Friday! He'll be turning 27, and finally catching up to my age (a few months late!) Since this is his first "married" birthday, I have been trying to come up with ideas for how I can make this year special for him. Here's what I've got so far:
  • I bought him a new driver to go with the new irons that he got earlier this year. Not only did I order it early, but he already used it over the weekend at the driving range and he loved it! Golf clubs = the way to my man's heart these days!
  • I'm a serious/lovey-dovey type of a card buyer. Yep, you read that right, whatever it means. I bought him a sweet card and will write him a letter to go in it. Letters are kind of a tradition for us. 
  • One of the new things that I want to do this year (now that we live in the same house and all) is wake up early and cook him a yummy breakfast. It would be a real treat if I could get up without him knowing, somehow manage to look cute, get the pup settled and have a meal ready for him in time for when he wakes up. Will I pull it off? I guess we'll have to wait and see!
  • Since neither of us have the luxury of taking the day off of work on Friday to celebrate, we'll have to hold off until Friday evening. My parents are actually coming into town on Friday afternoon, so the four of us will get to go out for dinner to celebrate together. It will be nice to spend the evening with great company. Hopefully the birthday boy has been thinking about where he wants to eat!
  • Speaking of golf, I was also thinking that it would be a nice treat for B and my Dad to play a round of golf together on Saturday morning. My Dad is going to bring his clubs, so I am hoping the weather holds out for them to spend a few hours doing that. And the ladies? I'm sure we can fill that time with something fun, err shopping?!
Now that I've take a look at my plan all written out, it doesn't look quite as extravagant as I had hoped, but it's the little things, right?  And, I guess extra hugs, kisses and squeezes goes without saying? I love that birthday boy.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Furbaby Friday

You asked for it! Well, not really, but I'll pretend you did. 

I hadn't posted about little Riley in a while, so I thought I'd show you just how much she's grown since we picked her out and brought her home with us. And, the scary part is? The "more recent" picture is from our beach trip a month ago! Someone has been a bad puppy Momma and is behind in her picture taking!




Our little furbaby is getting bigger! She's really looking less like a puppy, and more like a dog now. She's definitely black lab, but those ears? Not so much. We are still wondering what it is that she's mixed with, and think it must be something smaller than a lab. She's about 30 lbs. now, but her height isn't growing at the speed we thought it might. She is only five months old, so who knows how much bigger she'll get?

It's sort of comical to me that Riley was technically "my" Valentine's Day present from B. Truth be told, she was obviously for both of us, but I have a hard time remembering what B was like before we had her. He just adores her, and having a dog is a great lifestyle for him. Lord knows I wouldn't have been able to get through these last three months without him!

Happy Friday!!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Bullet Lists: 'Cause I'm Organized Like That ...

Another week is almost over; how is that even possible?! We are adjusting well to our new weekly schedule. Life has been nothing short of busy, so I've had a lot on my mind. I keep asking myself why it is that I pack my weekends so full all the time? I must thrive on the busyness! Unfortunately, my blog has been one piece of the puzzle that has suffered over the last couple of weeks since I started my new job. So, because my brain is so full at the moment, I thought I'd dump some of it off here.

  • Last Friday we had dinner with friends at a cute little place right on the water here in Annapolis. Neither B or I had ever been there, and they just so happened to be having half priced bottle of wine night. Win, win. 
  • Saturday and Sunday were a blur. I cleaned our rental property (joy.), and visited one of my besties who is getting ready to have her first baby, and just bought her first home. And, I thought MY life was busy?
  • A couple from our small group also just had their first baby last week. A sweet little girl they named Alexis. She is precious! Babies, everywhere.
  • Speaking of babies, it is weird/bad that seeing and holding all of these little bundles has had the wheels turning in my head about when it will be our turn? We just got married six months ago. Is it too early to have these thoughts? Does it even matter? We both definitely want a few kids, but I am stuck in this place where my mind is telling me I'm we're not ready, and my heart is telling me I we are. And I'm getting closer and closer to thirty every day. I digress.
  • I saw two movies in the theater over the weekend. That was a record for me. Bridesmaids was HILARIOUS, but I could have done without the food poisoning scene. EW. Water for Elephants was very well done, but sort of hard to watch. Overall, I was impressed with the portrayal of the book and definitely happy that I read it before seeing the movie. 
  • Like I mentioned, I have started my new job, and am already three weeks in! Things are going great. I'm adjusting and the people are awesome. I have also picked up some social media consulting projects on the side. Yay for some extra saving-for-a-house money! B is so proud.
  • Speaking of saving extra money, I have used some of that extra money to buy myself some new things lately. Just a few recent trips to the JCrew outlet, and the decision to order the Canon t2i in June are where most of those dollars are going. God bless B's heart for having the patience to be married to a girl with a shopping problem!
  • How many of you watched the RHONJ premier on Monday night? Wowza, it was a doozy! I'm not sure if I should be proud or ashamed that half of the women on the show live in Hometown, NJ. I will say that I am excited to see some new cast members, and I think they will definitely keep things interesting this season, to say the least!
  • In other, more exciting news, and because I know you were all on the edge of your seats with wonder, B and I did book our anniversary trip!! We are beyond excited, and want to thank each of you that left comments with your recommendations and experiences, they definitely helped with our decision!

 Where are we going, you ask? Drumroll please .....









OK, sorry, I know we're not really that big of a deal around here, but it was fun!


Our five night, six day stay will be at the Sandals La Toc Resort and Spa in St. Lucia!! We are BEYOND excited, and think that we made the absolute best decision for our first anniversary! I cannot wait for another few days away with my hubby. Our honeymoon was everything I could have hoped for and more, and I can only imagine that our first anniversary vacation will be exactly what this busy, newlywed couple needs! A few days away to reconnect sounds absolutely glorious.

Thanks again to everyone who recommended St. Lucia to us - now that we've made our choice, tell me about the fun things you did while you were there!!

    Wednesday, May 11, 2011

    Wednesday Wish List: Summer Must-Haves

    It's that time again, time for another edition of Wednesday wish list. I'm still feeling summery today, so I thought I'd show you a few of the things that I can't live without in the summer. Sound good? Great.

    Here in our little world, no summer would be even close to complete without many multiple trips to our favorite Ocean City, MD. My in-laws have a place in Fenwick Island, Delaware, just north of Ocean City, and it's a family tradition of theirs to spend "beach week" there every summer. And, now that they have the beach house, we make frequent weekend trips down there whenever we can get away. 

    Something you may not know about me is that I loathe packing. Hate it. But, I still manage to have a list of "must-pack" items for any scheduled or spontaneous trip. Let's call these the "staples," shall we? 

    What good would a day at the beach be without a book to read? This will be my first summer with my fancy new Kindle, and I can't wait to download some new books for it!!

    If you're anything like me, you can't read the entire time you're on the beach, so you bring some tunes to fill the sweet ocean air with your favorite Kenny Chesney and Black Eyed Peas numbers (I have a pretty vast taste in music, can you tell?)


    What wardrobe would be complete without the perfect beach tote? I bought the above JCrew tote a few years aback, and it still comes with us on every trip. It's a great size for just throwing you Kindle, iPod, towels, snacks and sandals in and heading out the door. Although, I will admit, it can get pretty heavy!

     And what good would the perfect beach accessory be without some sun safety essentials inside? B and I love this face lotion. It's not greasy, and really does a good job of protecting our skin on the days when we're in the sun for 8+ hours! I totally recommend grabbing a tube of this before you head to the beach this year.

    And, of course, what beach trip would be complete without some room for a summery cocktail of choice? My father-in-law just so happens to make the absolute tastiest pina coladas, and will typically whip up a batch for us to celebrate the "easy living" days of summer at the beach.



    Are you a beach person? What's your favorite beach for summer trips?!

    Tuesday, May 10, 2011

    Sweet Summertime and a Recipe

    I seem to be having trouble keeping track of the days since I started my new job. I'm not sure why, but they're all blending together lately! Despite this fact, I do love this time of year. Summer is just around the corner, one of my absolute besties is getting ready to have her first baby, and B's birthday will be here before I know it! And to top it off, the weather here in Maryland has been perfection this week. If I had my way, every day of the year would be mid-70s and sunny. I could definitely do without winter, but I guess I'd miss the fall. 

    So, in the spirit of this summery week, B and I will be having homemade burgers for dinner tomorrow night, and the wheels in my head are turning about a potential cookout in our near future. More on that later. Memorial Day is just around the corner, and many of you are probably preparing for BBQ's, beach trips and a long weekend, so I thought I'd pass on a sweet, summer recipe for you to share with your families and friends!

    And, in case you were wondering if this corner of the interwebs is turning into a recipe blog, the answer is "I don't think so." It seems that I've had lots of recipes up my sleeve lately, but I'll continue to use this blog for the every day ins-and-outs of our newlywed life!

    This recipe has been a summer favorite in our group of close family friends for many years. I remember eating it at many a summer BBQ at my aunt's house after a quick dip in the pool. It is sure to hit the spot!!

    Pretzel Jello Recipe

    Ingredients

    Crust:
    2 cups crushed pretzels
    3/4 cup melted butter
    3 Tbsp. sugar
    Filling:
    6oz. cream cheese
    3/4 cup sugar
    12oz. Cool Whip

    Topping:
    2 cups boiling water
    16oz. red Jello
    21oz. package of frozen berries

    Preheat oven to 350. Begin by mixing together crust ingredients and spread on bottom of 9x13 baking pan (I use a Pyrex). Place in the oven for 15 minutes; pull out and let cool. Next, beat cream cheese and sugar and fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture over cooled crust. Prepare Jello per package instructions (use 2 cups boiling water listed above). Add the berries to Jello and spread mixture on top of cream cheese layer.

    Refrigerate. Serve cold.

    What are your favorite summer BBQ recipes?

    Monday, May 9, 2011

    Recipe for a Happy Marriage

    Happy Monday, friends!! This may seem a bit corny to some of you, but I received this little "poem" of sorts along with my other recipes at one of my bridal showers, and just thought it was too sweet not to share it with all of you. I think it's the perfect little addition to a shower or wedding gift. Even typing it up and having it framed?! Enjoy!


    Recipe for a Happy Marriage

    Ingredients
    1 cup of consideration
    2 cupfuls praise
    1 reasonable budget (B must have been one of the authors of this here post!)
    2 cupfuls of flattery carefully concealed
    2 cupfuls milk of human kindness
    1 gallon faith in God & each other (in my opinion, this should be FIRST on the list!)
    A generous dash of cooperation
    3 tsp. of pure extract of "I am sorry."
    children (more or less to taste)
    1 cupful of confidence & encouragement
    1 large (or several small) hobbies
    1 cup of blindness to each others' faults
    1 cupful of courtesy
    A small pinch of in-laws
    1 cupful of contentment

    *Flavor with frequent portions of recreation & a dash of happy memories. Stir well & remove any speck of jealousy, temper or criticism. Sweeten well with generous portions of love & keep warm with a steady flame of devotion. Never serve with a cold shoulder or hot tongue.


    Hopefully, you're still reading at this point! Like I said, it may sound a tad corny, but it's oh so true. I may be a newlywed, but I know good advice when I hear it! And, if for nothing else, it's a sweet way to pass on advice or encouragement to a friend!

    Wednesday, May 4, 2011

    Wednesday Wish List: Tropical Vacay

    It's never too early to start planning a tropical vacation, right? Right?! The big one-year anniversary is coming up in about 6 months, and B and I can't help but gush with excitement over where we will go for our anniversary vacation! You may think it's a bit too early for me to be planning this vacation, but a girl's got to have something to look forward to, right? And, what better to look forward to than a tropical vacation for two?!

    B and I are huge fans of all-inclusive resorts. This is probably because we take full advantage of pool bars and mixed drinks during the daytime hours, and nobody wants to rack up an insane bar tab on vacation.  At least, not us. So, in typical newlywed fashion, we have decided that we're going to need to get a puppy sitter and take a nice, relaxing vacation in honor of our one-year!
    Where might we be going, you ask? Some beautiful, tropical, all-inclusive resort which will most likely be in one of the following three places:
    Beaches Resort: Turks and Caicos

    Turks is one of the places on our "to visit before we have kids" list, and the idea of being at an all-inclusive in Turks makes me giddy!!


    Sandals Resort: St. Lucia

    Sandals, although typical and slightly cliche, I know many couples that have gone to their St. Lucia resort for their honeymoon and LOVED it! The added bonus of the St. Lucia location is that there are three resorts and you can use all three while you're there!


    Excellence Resort: Punta Cana

    We went to the Excellence Club in Playa Mujeres for our honeymoon, and were blown away by it, so it was a natural inclination to want to try their other resorts ASAP. I have been to Punta Cana before, but B hasn't and it has the added bonus of being a short flight away!

    Have any of you been to any of these places or have any other awesome recommendations for us?? We will be traveling in early November, so we should be clear or hurricane season, and we will likely only be able to get one full week away from work for this. 
    If you're interested to know, I think my vote goes to Turks, which comes with the added bonus of being the most expensive of our choices (of course). Hey, this lady has high class taste, what can I say??
    Happy Hump Day!