So as promised, below is a little photo recap of the wedding. This will be the first of several post of photography. These are just a few of my favorite pre-wedding images. Trust me, there are lots more...so stay tuned. For now, I'll leave you with this:

"I've loved you since the day I first saw you. I love you now. I will love you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?" Yep, those are the exact words my now husband said to me the night we got engage. I've got a good one, wouldn't you agree?

Busy Busy

So I've been a very busy little bee recently. I know, I know. Same old song. I'm still traveling like a fiend. So to recap the past few weeks:

• Several trips to NC in November.
• One trip was over Thanksgiving. My Thanksgiving was very good. Time with almost all of my family - my second to oldest sister was in Florida. We'll be venturing to Michigan for Christmas to spend time with his parents. Who knows, maybe we'll have a white Christmas. Yes, I said Christmas, not holiday.
• My husband, one of my sisters and myself helped my parents around the house all weekend. They're getting a little older and it is just physically impossible for them to manage the upkeep of a house.
• My dear, dear husband spend 2.5 days in their yard cleaning things up and taking them to the trash dump. We're not done yet.
• My sister and I spend 2.5 days in their kitchen....painting everything in sight. Yes, you see, it's been 33 years since they updated their kitchen - excluding appliances. We painted the cabinets white, the moldings and pretty much everything else white. We're going to paint the wall a yellow - beige. We're also gifting a new floor to them for Christmas. We also organized all of their cabinets and helped them get rid of things they didn't need. Are anyone else's parents a little on the pack rat side? They do love their stuff. And again, we're not done. I'll be there next weekend helping to finish so they can walk through the kitchen without stepping on their cabinet doors.
• My husband and I went to Atlanta on another house hunting weekend. To our surprise, we actually found something we really like and are now under contract. It was the best house we've seen. And OK, so it's not in Atlanta. It's in Marietta. Which is a really great area to be in. Once we get a little further along and the inspection is over (it's tomorrow) I'll post some pics.

So there's a recap of the haps, peeps. Like I said, it's been busy. I am soooo happy though.

Have a good weekend bloggie friends.

xoxo

So Sad...Goodbye Metropolitan Home

Yes, another one bites the dust. So sad that another shelter/home decor magazine has shuttered. For me, I am obsessed with home decor magazines, as I am in marketing for three home decor brands. There is still nothing like a glossy pub to capture your attention and really showcase design of any kind. We will miss you Met Home.

Be sure to snatch up the December issue as it will be the last. It will most likely be just like the coveted last issues of Domino and Cottage Living (at least for me anyway). And yes, when I moved, my last issues/archives of issues moved with me. Even though my husband bawked at the idea...I know how valuable these are.

Back in Town...For the Weekend

So, it has been a crazy last few weeks. In my last post, I was on my way to Michigan for a football game and then I didn't recap. Well, here it is. We had a blast. I would show pictures, but I'm not sure my friends would be pleased to see their pictures on my blog with me asking. We arrived on Friday night and stayed with the hubby's parentals. It was nice to see them as I haven't since the wedding. We got a rocky nights sleep to say the least. The hubs still has the bed he had in high school - it's still in his old room. It's a full size bed and a little small for the two of us to say the least. It's also a little lumpy. So long story short, I tossed and turned all night. No worries though because Saturday morning came and all was right. It was rainy and a little cold when we headed out for East Lansing which is about an hour and a half from his parents. We set up at about 1pm for our tailgate - keep in mind this was a 7pm game. We had a great time. Drinks, food, fun. We had bloody mary's and hot chocolate with Bailey's. We know how to tailgate right. The game was a good one until we lost in the last two seconds of the game. It could have been worse, at least the rain stopped an hour before the game. All in all, I think it was a great first Michigan State football game for me. Maybe a new yearly tradition for the hubs and I.

When I got back, I had Monday to get ready for another trip. It was off to Dallas this time for a video shoot for web videos. That went well and I got back on Thursday night. Then it was off to Atlanta this past Tuesday for a marketing conference at our corporate office. I got back last night. Like I said, it's been a busy few weeks.

As for the weekend....tonight it's dinner and bowling with friends. Can't wait. I'm so excited. I love bowling and haven't been in awhile. Tomorrow...who knows. Maybe a walk, a little shopping and some thank you note writing. Yes, I admit, I'm one of those brides that waits six months to get the thank you's out. Shameful, I know. But at least I'm writing them.

I still have some wedding recapping to do, so maybe I can do that as well this weekend. Then it's off to NC on Monday.

I'll check in soon. Hope ya'll have had a good few weeks.

Medi/Mexi

Tonight I made a really good meal for me and the hubby. It was a cross between Mediterranean and Mexican or at least that's the way it seems to me. I haven't ever tried a combination like this before so I'm deeming it medi/mexi since it had both green olives (Mediterranean) and chipotle in adobo sauce (Mexican). I really liked it and we'll be having it again. Um, yum...can you say caramelized onions and garlic. It was a good recipe for chicken since it's really not my favorite meat - it tends to be too thick and too dry sometimes...and maybe a little chewy. But this was yummy and too good not to pass along. One caveat to though, it is a little spicy, so be careful with the peppers.

Here's the recipe from Kraft (my revisions are in bold)
Chicken with Chipotle Cream Sauce
What You Need!
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter - I used 1/4 stick so it reduced the calories and fat
4 bone-in chicken breast halves (2 lb.) - I used boneless, skinless thin sliced chicken, about six pieces
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6 large cloves garlic, minced - I used about eight
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream - Use light sour cream-it taste the same
1/4 cup canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (4 to 6 peppers)
1/2 cup small stuffed green olives
3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley - I skipped this as I don't really like parsley
Make It!
MELT butter in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 min. on each side or until golden brown on both sides.
ADD onions and garlic; cook 5 min. or until tender, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cover. Cook an additional 20 min. or until chicken is cooked through (180°F). Remove chicken to platter; cover to keep warm.
STIR sour cream, chipotle peppers and olives into skillet. Cook, uncovered, 10 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Pour sauce over chicken; sprinkle with the parsley.

Rainy With a Chance of Football

You heard that right. Rainy weekend, tailgating and football. The hubby and I are heading to his Alma mater....Michigan State. It's supposed to be in the mid 40's, which is pretty cold by this southern girl's standards. Oh well; at least I got a new North Face out of it. I'm actually really looking forward to it. I've never been to Michigan State and it is a much bigger school than UNCG -where we didn't even have a football team, unless you're using the European definition of football.

Tailgating - yay bloody mary's and hot chocolate with Baily's - good food - great friends - corn hole = one happy girl. This should be fun...except for the rain. Cold, no problem. Wet and cold could equal on unhappy girl. Oh well, you take it as it comes. Should be a great time.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Is Anyone Still Reading?

OK, so bad blogger is not the term for what I am. I knew when I started this blog, there would come a time when I would go on hiatus and not write anything for quite a while. I just didn't know it would be six months. Life has been absolutely crazy since April. In that time, I have gotten married, sold my house, moved to TN and learned to live with my husband. Oh, and might I add that I've moved twice so far - once to my husband's apartment in TN and then to our new apartment in TN.

I am now working from my home office (when I don't have to travel back to NC) with my same company. After returning from our honeymoon, the hubs and I decided that the best thing for both of us would be for me to move to TN - with or without a job. So, in June after the papers were signed and all complete with the sale of my house, I approached my boss to see if he would be willing to let me move to TN and work from home. It took him a while to decide...so long in fact, that during the time he was "evaluating" the situation, our parent corp. announced the office would be relocating to Atlanta, we had a new president and three new VP's - including my boss - which was one of the VP's that got replaced. So, the process began again. Luckily, my new VP didn't take so long in deciding and gave me the go ahead within in a week. So, at the end of July, this NC girl became a TN resident...but only for a short while. When offer letters came out at the end of August, guess who got one. That's right...this chick right here. Long story short, the opportunity is too good to pass up. Although I said I would never move there, we are going to pack up yet again and move. If you're keeping count, that three times in one year. So...Atlanta here we come. There have been some that say we will move again since we are a young couple and just got married. We say....if that happens....we're moving to the coast.

So friends, if anyone is still reading (and I hope you are) I plan to post more often. I have a lot to say and a wedding to recap. Below is a sneak peek at the wedding. I'll post more in the next few weeks.

xoxoxo for now.

Cute Shoes

Has anyone been trolling Piperlime.com lately? They have some really cute shoes that I haven't seen on other sites. I found these tres preppy Moschino Cheap & Chic Sea sandals. These would look so cute with a black sun dress or white shorts and a nautical red/white striped shirt.

I also found these Mystique 1641 sandals. These were a Rachel Zoe pick...rightfully so. How fabulous would these look with a white sun dress and gold accessories. Can you tell I'm ready for our honeymoon in Puerto Rico?

Getting Crafty

So as the wedding quickly approaches I am weeding out the ideas that will be making their final appearance at the kick-off party and the wedding.

For our kick-off party on Friday night (this is our rehearsal dinner, but with like 80 people) I want the vibe to be laid back. We're serving NC BBQ (with both sauces), sweet tea and local beer. We'll have corn hole boards set up and games for kids - including big kids - checkers and cards. Our color theme for this night will be green and white. Were saving the black for the "big dance" night - I think it adds that elegant touch that a 5pm wedding should have.

Anyway, back to the craft idea. I had picked up the strings of lights and the little paper lantern covers (Micheal's $1 bin), but have recently been rethinking this idea. I love that look, but I've seen it a lot, plus the little globes tear easily and they are hard to get adjusted so they hang right. So, being the crafty girl I am, I'm going to instead have these tissue paper pom poms hanging from the ceiling. I'm going to do green and white. I made one last night and it's really easy... and the bonus is that my fiance loved it.

You can find the how-to instructions here. They're Martha of course.

If I start to feel really crafty, I might try these crepe paper flowers. They're Martha too. You can find the how-to instructions here.

New Shoes!

Guess who got these fabulous Kate Spade shoes for her wedding. One of my best friends and bridesmaids gifted these to me. She is a complete shoe-aholic, so buying my wedding shoes was very important to her...and me. I opted out of Minolo's and Louboutin's for my preppy idol Kate.

I'm in love.

What's Your Style

So I was reading Etiquettely Correct and saw that she had gone to Ethan Allen and took a quiz to find her style. Here's what came out of my quiz.

My style is:

The verdict is in—your style is Villa. Villa is romance reinvented. A high-end “decorator” look. Refined without fuss. Serene yet strong. Pedigreed while also modern. Inspired by French and Scandinavian design. A mingling of carved woods. handcrafted artisanship, and the dressmaker detail.
This online portfolio shows your style. Brought to life in rooms. A subtle mix of furniture, accessories, and attitude. Different “looks.” Because every home should be unique.

They also offered up this as an alternative:

loft
So many beautiful looks, so little time. It’s normal to love more than one design style. Check out your first runner-up—Loft. Loft is energetic. Fashion-driven. Practical.

What's your style. Take the quiz here.

61 Days

Hi all. I hope you had a fab weekend. It was beautiful around here so I took full advantage of my weekend and did some much needed housework (both inside and out), spent some time outside and then celebrated a dear friends birthday.

I hope you have a fantastic start to your work week.

And p.s.......

61 days and counting until this Ms. becomes a Mrs. I can't wait!

Polos and Pearls

I think I missed the invitation when your blog went private. If you wouldn't mind, can I get an invite? I miss reading your blog.

Whew!

Wedding invitations done + in the mail = one very happy soon-to-be bride!

Don't you sometimes wish you lived in a J. Crew ad?

Invitation Sneak Peak

I've almost decided on the final design of the invitation...so I've decided to give you a sneak peak. These are the folders that allow you to put info into a pocket. The actual printed card is not glued down and looks a little off-center, but hey, they're not final. Do you like my design? Cute, eh?

Bridesmaid Update

So I haven't been giving the wedding updates like I wanted to. So here's info on the bridesmaids attire. Boy are they going to be walking J. Crew models. They are all wearing the same dress. I haven't decided on the shoes yet. I'll let them pick their style shoe, I just don't know what color - gold or black. The two bracelets below are their gifts (Holly if your reading, keep it a secret). I haven't decided who is getting what style, but I have a good idea. I will also be wearing one. I won't be able to decide which one until I try on my dress. Since my dress is a little plain, I wanted to spice it up with some cute jewelry.

RIP Domino Magazine

So I think I have noted before that I work in public relations. I'm not sure if I also noted that I work in advertising as well. I'm on the corporate side of marketing/communications. I love, love, love magazines and for the most part can't get enough. That said, this down economy is wreaking havoc on my favorite past time. In the past year I have seen some of my favorite pubs flounder in the slumping economy and close. First it started with Home magazine. A sad case, but not necessarily one of my favorites...so I could deal. Then came the closing of Cottage Living, O at Home and Country Home....now it was getting personal. As I was reading my most recent issue of Advertising Age this morning I stumbled onto something terrible...Domino is closing. Of all books to close....Domino. Yes friends, this quirky pub that was part fashion and home has bitten the proverbial dust.

Here is the statement that is listed on their site.

dear readers
It is with very heavy hearts that we say farewell. Over the last 4 years, in 28 issues, we have done our best to create a great magazine. We started with a real idea—that style is for everyone—and tried to carry it out with stories that provide inspiration and empower you to act on it. From your tremendous response, we know that we were onto something. In this tough economy, however, we simply weren't able to get the advertising support we needed.
As domino evolved, we never lost sight of our original democratic premise. Looking back at the manifesto we published in the premiere issue, the first tenet of domino is still the truest: Home should make you happy. We hope we have played a part in making this come true for you.
Love,All the editors of domino

March is the last issue that will be on stands. Goodbye old friend. We'll miss you.

Wishing for Warm Weather

Today it's rather mild outside and almost 60 degrees. BUT, I am still wishing for warmer weather so that I can wear flip flops and sun dresses. I guess I'm on a kick today, first with the bathing suits and now with this. I found some cute items to look at from Old Navy. This recessionista and soon-to-be bride might pick up a few pieces, but the major shopping will have to wait until after the wedding.

Bathing Beauty?

Hello all. In preparation for my honeymoon and the upcoming summer season, I have started my search for a bathing suit. I have always been a bikini girl and still have a few that I love. Although I still think I have a good figure (thank you very much yoga), I am beginning to consider the tankini option. I think they are super cute and possibly a little more appropriate for family gatherings around the pool or lake. These super cute options from LL Bean might just do the trick. Cute ehh?

I think my favorite combination is the striped top and the skirt. I love that they're a little sporty spice and that the cover-up is built-in.

Well Hello There!!

Hello to all my bloggie friends that still check back to see if I'm here. It has been a very full last few weeks...and by full, I mean stressful. I really didn't think I would be having nightmares about the wedding so far out. There are four months left until our wedding and the official countdown has begun. I know I have everything under control, but I think my subconscious mind and my "reality" need to hook-up. Oh well, there is only so much I can control. Did anyone else have nightmares before their wedding? Mine include trouble with the fiance (there are none in real life) and incomplete items at the wedding, such as: wedding dress not altered, no shoes, thank you gifts not finished, no center pieces, no minister, etc. I guess I really need to up my yoga routine and just get zen with the whole thing.

I'll provide a more detailed update on the wedding over the next few weeks, but for now, what do we think of this for the rehearsal dinner? I love this dress and wanted my bridesmaids to where it (in black), but the style didn't suit everyone. The rehearsal dinner is actually going to be a "welcome" party of sorts. We are having a southern style BBQ for around 80 people and I want to be comfortably chic (it is my rehearsal dinner after all). This cutie J Crew number is now a steal at $69.00. I think I might go for it.