cHriStMaS mEmOrIeS

It's 5:09am and the fiance and I are up early, wide awake!! Guess we were both too anxious to see what Santa left us =]

We celebrate OUR little Christmas every year on Christmas Eve, we spend the day with one another, have a special dinner and open gifts. We then finish the night off with Christmas movies.

Last year we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas & Home for the Holidays, this year we watched Legends of the Fall & Home Alone.  I am trying to find a movie that would be perfect for just Christmas Eve. The Charlie Brown movie I had never seen before and too my surprise was a bit too GOD related so not the movie for me. Home for the Holidays is one of my favorites that I would always watch with my mom around the holidays but, the fiance does not care for it too much =( Legends of the Fall is another amazing movie I could basically watch two or three times a month, it was the first viewing for the fiance and he said, "I liked it, but I didn't love it" basically once was enough for him. Sigh... Home Alone is a classic, and who doesn't love that movie around the holidays, but I catch myself watching it all year long. Any suggestions from my pals out there for a Christmas movie that the fiance and I will both L.O.V.E and only want to watch on Christmas Eve?? and...by Christmas movie I am talking any movie but we watch it specifically on Christmas Eve.

On another note, I wanted to share a Christmas song I have been enjoying lately:

White Christmas
by Otis Redding

I, I'm dreaming, dreaming of a white, white Christmas, y'all
Just like the one that I used to know, oh
Honey, it's where the treetop, treetop listen
Little bitty, litle bitty, little bitty children should
They try to listen
To hear, before the sleebells that are ringing
through the snow
I wanna tell you one more time what I'm thinking about
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, yeah
With every Christmas, call that I write you, oh now
I want you to know
May all your days, May all your days
Be so very merry, merry and bright
Darling I wished all of them
One more thing
And may all, all of your Christmasses
And be all, and be all of your Christmasses
Baby may your days, may your days
Be so merry, merry, merry and bright
Lord have mercy, I wished all of them honey
And may all your Christmasses
Be so wide
Dreaming of a white, dreaming of a white Christmas
Dreaming, dreaming of a white, white Christmas
Baby, baby, oh I'm dreaming, dreaming of a white Christmas...

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas today, hope it is safe and lovely =]

I'm me, nice to meet ya!

Yesterday, I took my car to Toyota to be serviced. I joined a very quiet room, TV off with one older married couple, in their 60s I imagine. Two other older women were in the room as well quietly reading to themselves. I sat down and was enjoying the silence while I sipped on a refreshment. I love observing people while I am out and about, although this group did seem pretty dull, giggles.

A few moments passed and a man entered the room to let the older couple know what needed to be done to their vehicle and the cost, the husband gave him the go ahead and the man headed out of the room back into the garage. The husband looked over to his wife calm and politely asked her, "Do you want me to ask about the fog lights?" No response from the wife, who stared out the window. The husband asked again, "Do you want me to ask about the fog lights? They could order the parts now." Again, no response from his wife. The husband went on to explain that the weather was getting bad, that is was foggy out and that she needed new fog lights. The wife seemed to not care in the slightest and it looked as if she was not even acknowledging that her husband was speaking. The poor husband asked once more, "they could order the parts now and get fixed by next week for $400 and I wouldn't need to fool around with it myself" The wife turned to him and said so sternly and rudely, "I DON'T CARE!!" The husband stayed quiet for a few moments probably taken back with the rude response and politely asked again, "Are you sure? It needs to get done." once more the wife responded with, "I DON'T CARE!!"

I felt so bad for the husband and I just didn't even understand what the wife's issue was??

Then I started thinking about myself and how I too sometimes act like that to my fiance. For absolutely no reason at all I will be rude, snippy, BITCHY, cold and unpleasant. =( I am not sure why it is that this occurs, but I not only admit that I do it, but I witness many women I know do the same thing.

Sigh...

I am going to try something new starting today:

1) Tell my fiance one something NICE, either about him or maybe something he has done for me.
2) Hold hands walking about
3) Give a kiss first
4) Be RESPECTFUL and CONSIDERATE to him, after all he is a human being, not my slave
5) Say, I love you not only first but more often

and.... to remember that tomorrow is not GUARANTEED, and do I really want the last moment with someone I love to be a cold, mean bitter one?

hAiR fReNzY

Trying to pick a hair style for your wedding day is brutal! I constantly change my mind as I do for many other things involving the wedding.

I am leaning toward a side bun right now.... thoughts friends ? ? ?

http://www.stylebistro.com/lookbook/Lauren+Conrad/txTvyUs1IEv/Hair

 

musingonbeauty.blogspot.com

emilyhudspeth.blogspot.com

730 & some odd days

WOWZA!
Last weekend, December 3 the fiance and I celebrated our two year anniversary of being together. It was a very special weekend away and much needed.

A few months back at work I won a $250 gift card during a safety drawing to a McMenamin's Hotel (fancy hotels here in Oregon that use to be other things like schools, mental institutions and so on) I decided to go to The Kennedy School McMenamins Hotel, and it was built back in the World War era & it used to be a school. It was AWESOME!!

We arrived at the hotel a bit early before check in so we went to The Boiler Room to enjoy an appetizer and some drinks! The room was beautifully dark with red dim lighting, it made the atmosphere super romantic. We sat, talked & sipped on yummy drinks for about 2 hours and it felt like we were on a first date again getting to know one another =]

We then checked into our room and played with the chalkboards that surrounded us on the walls. We headed to dinner about 530ish and had the most scrumptious food. After that we relaxed in the room for a bit and played some Seinfeld trivia that had us laughing & laughing. The hotel offered movie show times and since we were guests all night we were able to watch 50/50 & it was really good! On the sad side, but good. The theaters seating was all sofas and love seats, loved that!! Oh! and breakfast in the morning was even more scrumptious, best food Will and I have had in a very long time.

It was a truly wonderful night escape that made me feel super refreshed. The last two years have been pretty special with my fiance and now we are only 92 days away from our BIG DAY! Can't wait!!

musical appreciation

Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music

The definition above is a bit too literal for me so here is how I feel about Music I FUCKING love it! There are oh so many songs that get my emotions going in whirlwinds.  Although I have a super hard shell, I am actually a huge softy- a lot of songs can make me cry in an instant and I kinda love that :] It's amazing how a song can bring me back to a special memory, a cool ass event, a sad not so pleasant time and most of all give me goose bumps all over.

You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' by The Righteous Brothers, TOP GUN baby!!! It's just un-American to not enjoy this song when it comes on the radio & it is from a pretty classic movie.

Then He Kissed Me by The Crystals, holy hell this song is from back in the day and I am guessing surprising that it made my list of songs I love. Any time I hear this song I am instantly remind of the movie Goodfellas when Ray Liotta's character takes his love interest to dinner where it is completely booked but he manages to get a table taken to the front of the room where the two can enjoy entertainment and food ;] GREAT MOVIE

INGRID MICHAELSON .... my oh my, I LOVE this woman and her musical genius. Can't Stop Falling in Love (the song I will walk down the aisle to), You And I, which is ironically the theme song to my employer Lowe's latest commercial on the tele. Once Was Love, a feel good song!

Sexy and I Know It by LMAFO, I mean the title is self explanatory. This song makes me want to WORK OUT, dance in my room naked, belt out the lyrics in the car when I am on the move and the video c'mon, hilarious!!

Cherry Waves by Deftones .... there is a lot going on in this song for me & I will always love it till my dying days. I believe I got my fiance to love it as well, and he does not listen to this type of music.

Wild Horses by The Sundays -There are so many versions of this classic song but this is my favorite version because it is played during the roller coaster scene of the movie Fear. This scene is awesome, nuff said!

If I had the opportunity to switch lives with a song artist it would definitely be Zooey Deschanel ;] oh, you didn't realize that this vintage, unique beauty is not only an actress but sings as well??  LOVE her!

show times and popcorn

When I was a little girl my mom took my brother and me too the movies often, maybe once a week. I grew up loving movies at home and in the theater. I was lucky enough to meet a boy who also shared a love for movies and going to the theater, I am thankful for that! I love the experience of the loud, dark room with those little twinkle lights on the ceiling ;] As I always look forward to new movies I am a sucker for the movies from the past that I can watch over and over again.

Empire Records This movie reminds me of one of my close friends and the many times we shared watching it together.

Home for the Holidays I typically watch this movie a few times during the months of October through December, its a hilarious nutty family sharing Thanksgiving together. I am reminded of the times I watched it with my mom.

Office Space I hadn't seen this movie up until my first Valentines Day with my fiance in 2010, I had been recommended this movie at work of course and the fiance surprised me with it as a gift. This movie is simply a good time and reminds me of the office I work in.

The Little Mermaid Definitely my favorite Disney movie, and I love acting like a little girl when I watch it. I can't wait to see the new ride at Disneyland all about The Little Mermaid

Great Expectations  Ethan Hawk & Gwyneth Paltrow play theirs parts well and the romance between the two engage me every single time I watch it. I love love LOVE the soundtrack as well.

Sleepers This is a pretty intense movie about four childhood friends that play a prank and it goes completely wrong and they are sent to a detention center where they are abused in many ways, 10 years later they get their revenge. I absolutely love this movie.

A few months back the fiance and I discovered an intimate theater in downtown Salem, Oregon. This theater shows mainly foreign and independent films and has a romantic feel inside. A small, quaint and charming first date! If you are my friends in Oregon please visit this theater once with a lover, she or he will love the intimacy.

http://www.salemcinema.com/nowshowing.html

Enjoy the show!

dreaming during Civil War 2011

As I sit at home with my fiance watching the Civil War football game today I am utterly bored...I decided to turn to my trusty friend the internet :] I love looking through World Market, Pier 1 Imports, Ruche and other unique shoping sites to fill my head with ideas for my apartment, our future first home, presents for myself and others and lots of holiday gifts!

Recently my fiance has become a fan of Banksy Prints - Graffiti Canvas Art, although I do not admire much of this artists work I found one piece worthwhile

http://www.icanvasart.com/banksy-girl-with-a-balloon-print.html

When you all have a free moment check out Banksy, I would love to hear everyones thoughts on his artwork, out of 172 pieces I only found one that I enjoyed. =/

dream house

After years of living in apartments I am finally ready for all the responsibilities of owning a home.

My wedding is a short 4 months away finally and all my extra pennies for the last year and half have been going towards it; decorations, food, cupcakes, flowers and my honeymoon. Although I am very excited to get married I am also very happy to get it over with and start saving all our combined extra pennies towards OUR home. 

I dream of a four bedroom and thee bath home somewhere in the country with very few neighbors to annoy me with their life. I would love to raise chicks to have farm fresh eggs and a goat for milk, no cow products for me. I fantasize working in my vegetable garden and tending to the flowers as well. I dream of decorating the inside almost daily and here are a few things I would love to have in the first home with my soon to be husband:

fun and bright tools to help me work in my gardens =)

perfect wine holder for my kitchen

loving the soft shades of these combined vases for my living room with fresh flowers =)

just absolutely adore this pink basket hanger for mail, magazines or a love note

the bright colors of this table cover would look amazing on a dark wood table

 All of these lovely things were found at Ruche, my go to shopping website =)

chocolate chocolate chip cookies

These are by far the most amazing home made cookie I have ever had, once you have made them I am sure you will agree. I was given this recipe from a co-worker and I hope to never lose it.

2 1/4 cups flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs

1/2 package white chocolate chips
1/2 package chocolate chips
1/2 package chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Add chips and stir with spoon. Drop by well rounded teaspoon onto non greased cookie sheet.

Bake for about 8 minutes and cool on wax paper.

Not only are these a delicious treat for your family and friends, but you could easily place these yummies in a decorative tin and hand out as gifts for Christmas!

Enjoy!

Ruche

Today I wanted to share the most divine vintage shop online that I refer to daily for inspiration on clothing, decorating and for reading the most heart-warming blogs.

Here are a few somethings I found today

perfect for my rainy months in Oregon ( :

in love with these cork coasters

dreaming of a suit cover for my honeymoon in Hawaii

I have been wanting this suit for a few months now, love the colors and floral print

If you love vintage inspired clothing and decor check this site out, it never fails to let me down.
http://shopruche.com/

thankful from A-Z

A- animated movies, shows like Charlie Brown and books that I get to watch and read with my niece and nephew when I go visit. Good, wholesome quality time that brings me back down from adult life to the simple things like singing along with The Little Mermaid or Tangled. =)

B- BEER! Although I pretty much hate all beer, I do always look forward to watching the fiance drink a beer. He always makes this bitter tasting face like he doesn't like it at all, but every time I ask him do you like that?? he always says yes. lol it's definitely the little things that make my day.

C- cat naps...I love a mid-day nap on my days off...I do hate myself later though when I can't sleep come Sunday night for my early morning rise on Monday morning. =/

D- DAD, I love my dad so much there is really no word to even describe the love to it's fullest. Daddy's girl all the way, always.

E- elephants, I secretly love elephants and learning about them. How they talk to each other and even how the mourn together...Elephants are amazing if you didn't know. If one day I could have a baby elephant, her name would be Ellie, short for Eleanore. =)

F- friends, thankful for all my friends that make me feel at home again when I have had an emotional tragedy in my own little world.

G- Good Eats, the show on Food Network. Although, Alton Brown kind of annoys the $hit out of me, his shows are very informative and I learn a lot about food...all different tid bits on food, and food makes me a happy girl!

H- hankies, vintage hankies at that! They are so cute, dainty and you can do so many darn things with them. L.O.V.E

I- INSPIRATION, I am thankful for this act. Other inspires me so much in so many ways and I really like that.

J- jogging, I am oh so happy that I can jog for a littler over 10 minutes now with out feeling like I may die!

K- kittens, kittens make me feel warm and fuzzy, they are my favorite animal and always will be.

L- lullaby music =)

M- money, it buys me cool things. lol

N- nudity, I feel my prettiest surprisingly when I am naked. Clothes pinch and become too tight; ultimately making certain areas of the body not look as nice as they do while in the nude. =)

O- Otis Redding music, 'Try a Little Tenderness". This song makes me very happy, so thank you Otis!

P- pj's, oh so comfy...thank you pj's for letting me be free.

Q- quinoa rice, healthy and delicious

R- Ricky Ricardo lol- he puts up with Lucy's crap on I Love Lucy and that show makes me laugh- so thank you!

S- socks, all kinds of crazy socks. A best friend thing = Dominique.

T- tablecloths, these make holidays special and decorative and create memories at times.

U- umbrellas, vintage parasol umbrellas.

V- vision, 20/20 perfect vision. Thank you!

W- William Pettner. nuff said

X- X-rated things, to spice it up!

Z- zoos, to learn and see animals, maybe I will go to one soon and be thankful for them even more

a blustery month

I am not feeling life at the moment and have been in no mood to post, hopefully next month will turn a brighter leaf....until then =/

my little world

its been a whirlwind of a week or two for me and my little life =/

Lots of different unexpected changes, lots of emotional ups and downs and most of all it had to all start once the rain began again here in wonderful Oregon just to add that little touch of dark depression.

I had a loooooong work week last week being that I offered to do two days of OT at work to help out my fellow support team, six days of getting up at 4:45a.m. is kind of tiring added with emotional upsets. I skipped the gym last weekend because I was just too pooped after my OT days to try and hit up the gym. I basically slept, some what ate and went to work for six days straight while day dreaming most the day of fix's to my little worlds problems.

Luckily, on Thursday night after work I had a wonderful evening with two close friends, Matt & Kelsey. Kelsey invited me to stay for dinner and her food was scrumptious and I ate way too much! We all talked, I was given solid out side the situation advice and ended the night with lots of laughter =) I was on the road to feeling better. Saturday came, and I spent a much needed evening with the fiance and we talked and came to some positive agreements to our little worlds problems.

If you know me you know that I am NOT a believer when it comes to FAITH and if there is a hire being for this world, however I read a story last week that I kind of fell in love with and I wanted to share it with you all for a reminder of when your little world feels like it is falling apart. Take from it what you want, I know I did.

What Happens In Heaven - Author Unknown

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels.

My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ‘This Is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are Received.’
...
I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, ‘This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.’

I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the Door of a very small section. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. ‘This is the Acknowledgment Section,’

My angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

‘How Is it that there is no work going on here?’ I asked.

‘So sad,’ the angel sighed. ‘After people receive the blessings that they asked For, very few send back acknowledgments.’

‘How does one acknowledge God’s blessings?’ I asked.

‘Simple,’ the angel answered. Just say, ‘Thank you, Lord.’

‘What blessings should they acknowledge?’ I asked.

‘If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world.If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy .’

‘And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.’

Also ……

‘ If you woke up this morning with more health than illness … You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day .’

‘If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation .. You are ahead of 700 million people in the world.’

‘If you can attend a ceremony without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people In the world’

‘If your parents are still alive and still married …you are very rare .’

‘If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you’re unique to all those in doubt and despair.’

OK, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

‘Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with.’

a new me

Today was the first day of my exercise regime! I awoke bright and early at 630a.m. to get my bottom to the gym early enough for, 1) hoping there would be no one there so I could work out privately, and 2) so I would be able to still have my entire Friday afterward to do my normal things like cleaning, baking and running errands.

Oh my gosh this was a horrid workout and I definitely discovered I am way more out of shape than I had already knew =( so... I stretched and decided to test out the stair master, I originally set the time for 20 minutes but after five and being completely out of breath and feeling as if I were going to keel over I made a decision to stop at the five minute mark and consider that my warm up! I headed over to the elliptical machine which seemed pretty easy at first with my music in my ears but after 10 minutes a girl was becoming extremely tired so I endured 10 more minutes for a full 20 minute elliptical ambush on my body. I finished off my work out with a 40 minute walk on the wild side at 3.5 m.p.h followed by my cool down and a few stretches.  I told my self I wouldn't push too hard the first week or two so I could build up strength to eventually have harder workouts in a short time. I am extremely proud of myself  however for sticking it out a full hour at something I wanted to end after the first five minutes.

If you are a close friend or my fiance you know that I definitely have a hard core outer shell,  a bitchy attitude that would lead anyone to believe I am cold blooded and could give two flying doves about what anyone may think of me, however deep down inside I am a super sensitive and have a very low confidence level when it comes to my looks. The purpose of starting the gym is to raise my confidence level so that I FEEL pretty and finally get that body I always admire on other ladies.

With all that said, I am thinking about purchasing a 'goal outfit' that I wouldn't normally purchase based on my body flaws and feeling uncomfortable in to motivate me that much more to continue on with my goals, I will purchase a size smaller then I am to encourage myself to get in it and feel amazing!

Ruche.com

I picked this dress because it is cream colored, has polka dots, is sleeveless and has a belt! I tend to stay away from white because it shows everything about your body, I also tend to stay away from anything BELT related because I have luscious child bearing hips that I desperately try to hide and setting a belt above them in my eyes probably wouldn't help! I absolutely adore this dress, for an evening dinner or for the executive job I might have one day...DREAM BIG RIGHT?

Ruche.com

I paired the dress with these teal blue strappy sandals that would add some color to my plain oriented dress. I love them, they have a little sass and I love the short heel so they should be easy to walk in.

I'll be working out again in the a.m. and I am looking forward to it and for my future results!

life goes on

Oh my goodness, I feel like I haven't blogged in ages! So much has been going on...

In my small town of Lebanon we are getting a new fast food eatery =) since we don't have much to choose from the whole town is pretty excited. Jack in the Box is coming....and oh how I do love their greasy very bad for you tacos at the unbelievable price of 2 for $1. WHOOO HOOOO

and...just a little over two weeks ago my handsome fiance was hired on to join the Jack in the box team as the Store Manager. =) I am very proud of him! With his new position he is now required to work very long hours at six days a week, so our three day weekends have been cut down to a very short one day visit on Sundays =( ohhhhh....what to do with all my extra time??

I have decided to join a gym and work on my fitness after all I am Axelicious! My goal is to lose 15 to 20lbs before my honeymoon in Hawaii! Another goal is to learn to enjoy working out so that it does not feel like a chore, but more of a daily routine just like brushing my teeth or showering =)

local gym in my town, leaning towards this very much!

I am also concentrating on crafting more cute details for my upcoming wedding and decorating my apartment one wall at a time. Currently, I am focusing on a picture wall full of my engagement photos and other cute finds like my huge wall clock found at World Market. I want the wall to look something similar to this photo below but with my clock and other item infused with it. =)

flats

I am on a hunt for adorable flats for my wedding. I am planning on going barefoot at my ceremony just because I LOVE being barefoot =) My wedding is inside so there is absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be comfy cozy. I have never been the kinda girl who was glam, who wore dresses and high heels and I don't feel the need to change who I am for my ceremony. I want to be the me I always am, natural and low maintenance. However, since I live in Oregon and my wedding is taking place during the rainy season it wouldn't hurt to have a sweet pair of flats just in case =P

Here are some shoes I am thinking about all found at the wonderful modern with vintage flare site- Ruche.com

l.o.v.e the deep purple of these to go perfect with my purple inspired wedding

love the simple design and the open toe

lace!!! LOVE lace and the sweet bow for a touch of innocence

Vintage inspired wedding guest book

One day when I was scouring an antique shop in downtown Albany, I stumbled across a very old, black leather photograph book. I knew instantly what I was going to use it for and I was ecstatic that I found this treasure that fit so perfectly with my vision for my DIY vintage inspired wedding guest book. =) I love how it turned out with my recently developed engagement photos!!!

Enjoy!

sneak peek wedding details 2~

eahh! A very short 6 months and 3 weeks away from the wedding and I am still changing my mind on things and putting ideas together =) Our wedding is focused around being vintage and DIY details. We have decided to have cupcakes at our wedding instead of the traditional cake. I am not a huge fan of frosting, fillings and custards so a cupcake is all I can really stand to eat to celebrate our special day. I have been working on some very sweet cupcake sticks to add a vintage detail hope you like!

For our centerpieces we have decided on small mason jars for the vintage vibe. Purple roses will be the flower of choice, I bought pink roses to test my idea yesterday and it turned out just how I envisioned in my mind =)

I may put baby's breath in the jar as well and I may kick down the number of roses, I very much want the look to be almost empty, fullness is just too much in my book. I am still undecided as to what I will put in the bottom of the jar...right now I am thinking lilac colored crystals or lilac colored water.

wedding planning is kind of a nuisance, but I am excited to see it all put together on March 11, 2012.

dream bigger...

last week was probably the worst week I have experienced in a long while... I must say that I am definitely half empty glass kinda gal, and I don't for see that changing because that's me, nice to meet ya!

however, I do try to mask my negativeness with uplifting thoughts through out the day to make myself and the people I love feel better, some days are harder than others but I try to keep in mind the people that are much less fortunate then myself...so tonight after I ate about a half dozen Oreo cookies =( I decided to focus on the bigger picture and to keep dreaming bigger because I deserve it and so do they people I love and care for.

here are a few things that I hope keep motivating me to become more positive and keep focusing on that bigger picture...

march 11, 2012 is a short 7 months away and I will finally become Mrs. Pettner to my amazing fiance.

after my wedding I will start working on my dream to go to baking school and open my own bakery =)

also we will be working on saving money for a place to call home...to start a family.

things are pretty hard right now in my little world, and I think I am allowed a few days to feel down and release some tears, however I hope to pick myself up and focus on my dreams and plans with my soon to be hubby.

do any of you have any suggestions of what to do to pick yourself up when you feel pretty down in the dumps??

Garden Zucchini Bread

Summer has finally arrived and I do enjoy some delicious garden treats, especially zucchini!!! I wanted to share this amazingly delicious recipe for zucchini bread with you all =) I am not a huge fan of a super chunky veggie zucchini bread, so this recipe calls for shredded zucchini and no other veggies. It comes out perfect and oh so yummy and simple.

4 whole eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. grated zucchini, peeled (garden fresh if available)
3 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, beat eggs until very light. Add the sugar, vegetable oil, zucchini and vanilla.

Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add to the zucchini mixture.

When the mixture is well combined, add the chopped walnuts, and pour into two 9x5-inch loaf pans that have been well buttered or a bundt pan also well buttered.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 50 minutes or until done.

yummy with lots of butter =)

Albus

When I was a young girl I was a whole hearted animal lover of all kinds =) I wanted to be a vet for the longest time. One very unfortunate day I was bitten by our family dog in the mouth and needless to say it scarred me terribly and I have an awful time getting close emotionally with dogs... I do however feel that if I were to have a puppy and he grew with us into his adult life that I would be less likely to feel scared towards him and have a very good loving emotional bond with him. =)

My love and I have been discussing becoming parents to a border collie puppy (male) for some time now who we will name Albus. I have been against getting a dog for two reasons, I currently live in an apartment and feel it might be a little unfair for a dog to live within such small quarters and without a back yard. Also, my love and I live separately for now until our marriage and I am unsure about having soon to be Albus solo in this house with his PAPA visiting on the weekends.

Oh what to do, what to do. We are both so very eager to get a puppy to love and care for....

bordercolliecolors.com

petforums.co.uk

sneak peek wedding details~

Currently I am working on putting my DIY vintage wedding together =) I am loving every minute of this and am so excited to see the finished product with all my ideas. Hoping the image in my head comes to life fully on my wedding day =)

I have finished some vintage style clothespins that will be used as decor at my wedding to hold photos of my love and me around the room and on centerpieces.

Stained, fabric pasted on...done!

Love how they turned out =)

Used similar to this look

I have also finished some cards that will be placed on the tables for guests to leave insightful advice on that will encourage our marriage to be long, healthy and full of love =)

Too stinkin cute!

I also fell absolutely in love with some Mrs. and Mr. pillows I found at an antique store over the weekend- another lovely prop for my wedding =)

Oh, March 11, 2012 why are you so far away???

Dreaming

I absolutely love the era of 1940's-1950's =) I hope in my next life that is the time period I am given to live in. In my late 20's I have discovered I love anything and everything antique and vintage. As a young girl my mom would always take me and my brother to old antique stores and I dreaded it every time, it is so funny as you get older the things you start to enjoy, appreciate, accept and understand. It makes me wish I would have enjoyed those adventures with my mom...

Yesterday I spent the day with my fiance and we visited one of my favorite antique stores in downtown Albany. This store is huge with two levels and has lots of neat stuff to scour through =) There is a clothing portion of the store up stairs where I fell in love with an old nightgown for only 15 bucks!! This night gown was a peachy-orange color and looked ravishing against my skin tone. It swayed back and forth with movement and made me feel so delicate and feminine! Love

I am a huge fan of the old show, I Love Lucy. I own every season of that show, and watch it nightly before bed with my fiance as we both dose off to it playing in the back ground. I love every dress Lucy owned and wore in each episode.  I love this show so much, I even named my beta fish after Ricky Ricardo...R.I.P Ricky 7.1.2011

One of my favorite gowns on Lucy

I need this game! Oh, where can I find you Lucy Monopoly?

I hope to one day own my very first home with my soon to be husband, and do a 50's inspired kitchen, with an old sink, stove, fridge etc. I plan to use light pinks, light blues and light yellows. =)

All inspiration photos borrowed from- http://shopruche.blogspot.com/2011/07/in-kitchen.html

cAkE pOpS

So, first off I want to give a shout out to 'ello lovelies! Mrs. Orr, this girl is such an inspiration to me in so many ways, she brings out the positive creative side in me that I never knew. Funny, we have never actually hung out but we talk frequently at the job site and via the internet. She is a beautiful, smart and super creative gal and I am glad to know and learn from her =)

Cake pops seem to be the new hip trend nowa days and I never paid too much attention to them nor have I tried one myself. Last week, Mrs. Orr brought some sweet turquoise cake pops into work and they really inspired me to try and make some in my own style, so here we go!

I used my favorite cake mix found at Trader Joes accompanied with rainbow chip frosting! All I did was cook my cake according to package direction, allowed to cool, crumbled the cake into a bowl and then added almost 3/4 of the frosting and mixed together thoroughly.

I then rolled this mixture into 1" balls, inserted a lollipop stick and put in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.

I then melted my colored chocolate per package directions and gently dipped my cake pops in the melted mixture and stuck inside strafoam. Placed in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool and harden!

I love how these came out, and they are just perfect for a special occasion or an everyday treat!