Life of a Listmaker

2007-10-02T13:36:00.000-05:00

Hello....I have moved my Blog to a new Platform - Wordpress.

Visit me at: http://listmaker.wordpress.com/

25 Things You Might Not Know About Me

2007-09-25T18:46:00.001-05:00

_ I am left handed.

__I cannot sew. Not even a button.

__I am terrified of snakes. And bears. I don't like horses that much either.

__I have never seen a James Bond movie.

__I prefer cake over ice cream.__If I do have ice cream, my favorite flavor ice cream is vanilla.

__I am a morning person. I can barely stay up past 11:00 pm anymore.

__My favorite food is anything made out of a potato.

__My favorite season is fall.

__My favorite holiday is Christmas.

__I dread Sunday's and I can't wait for Friday's.

__My favorite fruit is Pineapple. I don't like Coconut, Papaya or Bananas (yuck!)

__I love anything with peanut butter.

__I can barely use chopsticks. Even after tons of practice, it's embarrassing.

__My biggest pet peeves are: tailgaters; people who get onto an elevator when your trying to get off of it; people talk on their cells phones in a restaurant; and clerks to talk on the phone when they are checking you out

__I hate the words: moist and nipple.

__I love paper and have enormous amounts of stationary and will probably never use any of it

__A bad hair day can really piss me off. I think this goes for a lot of women too.

__I am addicted to celebrity gossip.

__I am obsessed with makeup and beauty products.

__My favorite show was Soprano's, but now I only watch Scrubs and 30 Rock. I don't care for any of the other stuff out there.

__My favorite stations are Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, and History Channel

__Baseball is my favorite sport. I hate basketball. I don't watch sports so I am usually the last person to know if there was a game and who won.

__I hate country or beach/shag music. Well, not all country, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson and the like are okay.

__The Beatles will always be my favorite.

New Years

2007-09-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

We booked our New Years Mountain House!

We tried to find a house big enough so we could invite some other friends, but you’d be surprised how hard it is to find one big enough for everyone to have their own room and not spend a fortune!

The 3 level house is located in Piney Creek, NC (near the VA border). It has 5 bedrooms (3 Kings, 2 Doubles, 1 Queen Sleeper Sofa), 4.5 baths, Hot Tub for 6 people, Pool Table and Satellite TV on each floor.

Weddings....now babies..

2007-09-19T09:19:00.000-05:00

Last year it was weddings galore, this year it is babies. Here's some photos of some of our friends new additions.

Kellyn (Proud Parents, Matt and Erin)

Dylan (Proud Parents, Dawn and Chris)

Porter (Proud Parents, Matt and Jenna)

Caden (Proud Parents, Danika and Adam)

Crazy Weekend

2007-09-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

Well, weekends are sometimes crazy, but this past one needs a DO-OVER. Since I was gone the entire first week of September I couldn’t take any more time off – specially Friday, 9/14/07. Lee had his annual Construction Conference and this year it was at Isle of Palms near Charleston, South Carolina. Lee drove down Thursday night and I drove down Friday night after work. I made good time but once on the Island, I had no idea where to go – the lighting and directions on the Island leave a lot to be desired.

Our Villa was decent - I was expecting a little more but I didn't realize the Villa's are owned by individuals so the decor and furniture was pretty cheesy. It was 1 bed/1 bath on 2 levels. The bathroom was upstairs with the bedroom. The TV did not work upstairs nor did the DVD player work downstairs. The bed was a double (that was hard to get comfortable) too. The best part of the trip was that apparently the front desk checked Lee out of his room and re-booked our room to a fraternity (we think). At 1:00 am, we hear someone in our suite and low and behold, we were right. They proceeded to come into the suite and up the stairs -- good thing we were dressed! It was such a mess and to top it off, the resort did nothing to compensate us. A few "sorry about that" was all we got.

We were ready to come home -- we need to have a do over on that trip.

New Porch

2007-09-09T17:05:00.000-05:00

We finally finished our porch! We had to rent a U-Haul and Ben and Amanda were nice enough to come over and help us move the 100lb bags of dirt and then take them to the dump.

All that is left now to do is to pressure wash the concrete. Next up, we're installing a new door, new kitchen sink and new faucets throughout. We're hoping all of this will help us sell the condo.

Family

2007-09-07T12:42:00.000-05:00

My grandmother had a massive stroke last Sunday/Monday and I flew down to Florida on Tuesday to see her and essentially say goodbye. She is in Hospice. I've never experienced losing someone so close to me and it has been emotionally draining. The stoke caused her to loose her ability to speak, swallow and eat; her entire right side of her body is paralyzed and she lost all of her bodily functions. She could open her eyes and see you and that was it. On Wednesday she opened her eyes a few times and you could tell that she knew you were there - she would try to smile and then sometimes she would look at you and she was not there at all.

I am so grateful that I was able to see her and I think she did know that I was there. Leaving Hospice and driving to the airport was so painful and sad. She died at 7:00 pm on September 7, 2007.

(Picture of Grama and Grampa on their Wedding Day in 1948;
Grampa died of lung cancer in 1993)

(Picture of Grama and Grampa on a trip to Hawaii sometime in 1990)

Random Pics

2007-09-03T17:49:00.000-05:00

A picture of me and my Grandmother several months ago.

Our last beach trip before we were married.

New Meaning to "Labor Day"

2007-09-03T17:25:00.000-05:00

Well, the Husband and I were going to travel to New Bern over Labor Day to see our very good friends but we decided not go as Lee was in a trial the entire week leading up to he was just too exhausted. I was really looking forward to spending some time with them, but we kept ourselves busy anyway. (J&L, we're coming up soon, I promioe!)

After a long night sleep, we got up Saturday and decided to re-landscape our patio! It is something we have been needing to do for a while and it seemed to be a perfect weekend. We decided to get rid of the natural area (aka, where all those weeds grow) and replace it with a brick patio.

It took us about 20 hours total and we're still not done. First, we had to dig out the old weeds and roots from a tree that the previous owner cut down. Then we had to dig out 2" of soil. Next, we rented a truck at Lowe's to bring all the bricks and filler home - the weight was too much for both of our cars.

After the gruelling task of unloading the truck, we placed the filler on the top of the soil to make it level - that was the HARDEST part. Next, we put the pavers down one by one and then spread sand on top and viola.

We hope the pavers will "settle" as it rains and over time so it doesn't look like a roller coaster! We're no professionals, but we're proud of our hard work and we only got into one little argument (hahaha!).

Next weekend, we'll have to rent a truck from Lowe's to carry all the bags of dirt (about 15 of them weighing around 200 lbs each!) to the dump. Then, maybe we will have a patio that is liveable.

Lee hard at work!

The finished product - yep, those are bags of dirt!

Arrested Development

2007-08-20T18:31:00.001-05:00

This is one of my FAVORITE TV shows. It's off the air now - didn't make the cut. Here's a recap of one of the characters, GOB. It's TOO Funny!

Movie Review

2007-08-17T15:55:00.001-05:00

I've finally been able to catch up on some movies and I thought I'd share some of the ones I've seen lately and my ratings out of 5 stars:

> "The Shooter" (3 stars). Staring Mark Walberg; good action, cheesy plot and dialogue.
> "Pan's Labyrinth" (5 stars). Absolutely wonderful.
> "Hot Fuzz" (3 stars) - Lee like this better than I did. It was good, but not great.
>"The Dead Girl" (3.5 stars). Staring Brittany Murphy. It was good, but not great.
>"Quills" (3.5 stars). About the Marquis de Sade.
>"The Painted Veil" (4 stars). Starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton. Long, but good.
>"Little Children" (5 stars). Starring Kate Winslet. I loved this movie. Very intense.
>"Babel" (5 stars). Loved it.

Celebrate

2007-08-17T15:29:00.000-05:00

I'm offically celebrating tonight ~ I finished all my Wedding Thank You Notes (well, except for the parents, of course). Whoo hoo!! You don't realize just how much time it takes to write them until you are knee deep in them.

Lee wrote 2 Thank You Notes. Don't blame him he offered, but I never was good at delegating.

Our Busy Weekend

2007-08-13T10:15:00.000-05:00

Our weekend started off with a trip on Saturday morning to Meadows of Dan, Virginia for the
Black Dog Wine and Jazz Festival. Only about 2 hours 50 mins from Charlotte – the drive was easy and the weather MUCH cooler than it has been in Charlotte. It was only about 85 degrees!

The Wine & Jazz Festival was from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Tickets were $12.50 in advance; $20.00 at the gate. The price of the ticket gets you in the gate; free wine tastings and a free tour of their winery and discounts on wine by the glass and by the bottle. We bought and drank 1 ½ bottles while we were there. Honestly, we didn’t think much of their wine, I’ve had better – but it was a good time nevertheless. They had crafts and food vendors as well. We’ll definitely go back.

Between the sun and wine, we did smarten up and get a hotel room and not drive back to Charlotte. Nothing great – just a Hampton Inn. It was nice to do something off the cuff.

We did manage to see the movie Bourne Ultimatum on Sunday night – what a great movie! Much better than the second one.

So nice to be able to be normal again since the Wedding is over :)

Wedding Rehearsal Pictures

2007-08-10T17:49:00.001-05:00

I thought I'd share a few of my favorites...

Sunset

2007-08-10T17:45:00.000-05:00

This was taken from our suite on our honeymoon in St. Lucia.

MBT

2007-08-10T11:22:00.000-05:00

I am a sucker for trying anything once - well, almost anything. I’ve been wanting to try the famous MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology) shoes forever, and I finally broke down and bought some. They aren’t visually appealing and have a hefty price ($245.00!), but I’ve read too many reviews over the last year that they really can make a difference. Bliss World Spa, a famous spa in NYC sells them and can’t keep them on the shelves.

So, how do they work? Well, they change the way you walk to strengthen and engage every muscle in your body. The MBT sneaker is designed to tone muscles, better your balance, perk up your posture, diminish the appearance of cellulite, stimulating circulation and drainage, and reducing water and toxin retention. Need I say more! I don’t expect miracles, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

More pics

2007-08-01T16:15:00.000-05:00

More Dancing...

2007-08-01T15:45:00.000-05:00

First Dance!

2007-08-01T10:47:00.000-05:00

Pictures taken from guests at our wedding!

BM Luncheon & Rehearsal Dinner Pictures

2007-08-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Click Here for BM Luncheon & Rehearsal Pictures!

Honeymoon Pictures

2007-08-01T09:19:00.000-05:00

Here's our Honeymoon Pictures at Ladera Resort in St. Lucia (http://www.ladera.com/). We had a wonderful time. It rained a few days, but it was great all the same.

Click Here for the Honeymoon Pics!!

We're Married!

2007-08-01T08:39:00.001-05:00

We are offically married!

Engagement Photo Pic

2007-01-02T19:57:00.000-05:00

Here is one (and only) decent picture from our Engagement Party in August at my parents house.

Cute Couple

2006-10-26T13:40:00.000-05:00

I sent a picture of us and Dimple Art made this ~ cute.

Ring Bearer

2006-10-25T19:40:00.000-05:00

Here's my handsome nephew, Carter. He'll be the ring bearer in the Wedding.

~fasinated with the ice cream cake~

Flower Girl

2006-10-25T19:37:00.000-05:00

Here's my adorable niece, Chloe. She'll be the flower girl in the wedding.

More pictures of the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens

2006-10-18T16:02:00.000-05:00

Oh joy!!!

2006-10-11T19:10:00.000-05:00

My shoes came in today!! OMG ~ they are fabulous! Not only do they fit, the color and the bow on the front is exactly the same as my dress! I just cannot believe it!!

I figured for $40 if they weren't perfect, I could at least were them with other stuff - but they are perfect!

Here's some pics.

Color me

2006-10-10T15:44:00.000-05:00

I found this great website that will let you look a ton of color swatches. Here are the colors of our wedding.

*BM dress are pale blue with a chocolate sash
*The dress is off white with champage accents
*flowers --- blue, cream and yellow ~ still a work in progess!

All decorations and other "stuff" will be a combo of these colors

Pale Blue & Cream

Chocolate & Champagne

and Pale Yellow

A perfect pair

2006-10-03T17:01:00.000-05:00

I just bought these shoes on a this website I found. They were on sale for $39.99! Check it out - they have some really beautiful stuff.

Material Girl

2006-10-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

I am a sucker for Coach. The quality of a designer bag is just amazing. They can last forever (if you take care of them).

Every few years I will pick out a new handbag and "save up" for it. Here are the ones I am looking at now.

Legacy Stripe ~ $158.00

Hobo - Large ~ $298.00

Hobo - Small ~ $178.00
(I actually have this one in a solid cream - I love it but I think it is too small).

Legacy - Wristlet ~ $58.00
(This is great for just putting a few items in ~ like lipstick, credit cards and ID)

My New Love Potion

2006-09-30T16:03:00.000-05:00

I posted some of my favorite products a few days ago and I was reluant to post about the Urban Decay Primer Lotion that I just bought (well, actually it had not arrived yet) and I needed to try it out first.

I saw the Primer Lotion on Kenzie Kate's Blog and thought I'd try it. Well, let me just say ~ OMG, OMG, OMG! This stuff rocks! It really DOES exactly what it says. I am highly impressed.

You can buy it at Sephora for $14.00

Primer Potion Packaged in a precious, genie-like bottle, Eyeshadow Primer Potion is an ultra-sheer, totally nude eye base that glides on with the wave of a wand and then disappears instantly. It's the ultimate eye prep for smoother, longer-lasting, crease-proof eyeshadow.
To use: Apply and let dry before putting on your favorite eyeshadow shades.

More pups

2006-09-28T18:00:00.000-05:00

Why do owners insist on dressing up their dogs?? I'll NEVER understand it!

Daily Beauty

2006-09-26T20:08:00.000-05:00

While I lay in bed the other night watching the hilaroius “anal probe” episode of Southpark it occurred to me that I need to order some more lip primer from MAC. Not sure why at that particular moment it popped into my head, perhaps it was my daily mental download before counting sheep. So, of course, I had to jump out of bed and log on and purchase it ~ no need to wait another 24 hours before they deliver it (wink!).

Although it does make sense to just stop by the mall and pick some up, but who are we kidding ~ one trip in there turns into $500 later.

As most of my girlfriends know I am a product junkie (I especially have a weak spot for lipsticks and lip gloss). As much money as I have spent over the years on products there are a few that are tried and true and I’ll never give them up. I thought I’d share them with you...

Maybe you already use them, or maybe you will try them now. One thing is for sure, I love, love, love ‘em:

MAC Lip Primer ~ $14.00

I love MAC products. This is a colour-free base to wear under lipstick. It adds light moisture, smoothes and refines the lips and it improves the appearance of applied lip products. Note: This is NOT a moisturizer – it’s a base. Let it dry for about 30 sec and apply lipstick. I swear it will stay on forever (or at least a long time). I haven’t found any other lip primer (even some name brands that I have used) that compare.

MAC Prep & Prime ~ $20.00

Another MAC product that I love. It’s an ultra-fluid lotion formulated with special-effect silicones. Calms and soothes the skin, blots away excess oil, and evens out skin redness. Improves the laydown and application of foundation or powder. It’s great alone or with some powder or foundation over it. It’s super light.

Aveeno Positively Smooth Lotion ~ $7.99

I love this lotion. It helps you shave less often and it really works. I just wish it came in a bigger bottle. In the summertime I use it on my bikini area, yeah baby ~ it works.

Aveeno Lip Protectant ~ $2.99

This stuff is great. I use it all the time.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve 0.8 oz ~ $5.50

This lip balm was created in 1892. It’s hard to find. I mix it with some of my other lipsticks to create a “new” color. It’s so moisturizing you can put it on your cuticles and burns too. Love it, love it, love it!

Neutrogena Ultrasheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, SPF45 ~ $9.99

I can’t say enough great stuff about this product. I have super sensitive skin and I always make sure I get sun screen products that say “PABA FREE” (that’s the stuff that makes your skin hate you). The ultrasheer is so amazing. I use it as a primer before I put on any makeup. I wear it year round.

Bliss Hot Salt Scrub with Rosemary + Eucalyptus ~ $36.00

It’s a little pricey, but it will last a long time. I bought some and I used it every day it lasted 6 months. It’s just fabulous. I haven’t found a “generic” product yet that compares.

GoSMILE Advanced Formula B1 ~ 20 capsules ~ $89.00

Yeah it’s steep, but these suckers work! If you use them twice a day you will see major improvement – seriously. They are also great to just give you a boost if you need it (after a meal, maybe). It takes all of 10 seconds to apply and it does NOT hurt one bit. I have exposed nerves on some of my gums and almost anything hurts my teeth - not these though.

Philosophy Amazing Grace Firming Body Lotion 16 fl oz ~ $34.00

How can you not love Philosophy products. The Amazing Grace collection just smells incredible - so light and fresh and feminine. The s hower gel is wonderful too ~ $22.00.

Philosophy Hope In a Jar ~ $35.00

This is a therapeutic moisturizer for dry sensitive skin. This stuff is a miracle. It was originally intended for skin after surgery. Go buy some. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum 1.7 fl oz ~ $18.99

Love this stuff. It really does make your skin smoother and softer. No need to wait until I am past my prime to start taking care of my skin.

Creative Nail Design Solar Oil Conditioner ~ $8.99

Don’t laugh ~ this stuff is great especially when we’re on a road trip. My nails can get very dry and I always keep this stuff with me. They have a "mini" version too which is great to put in your handbag.

Johnson’s Baby Bedtime Cream ~ $4.99

Nothing like the smell of a baby. This stuff is great. I use it on my feet too ~ it’s not too greasy so when you put on your pumps, sling back, etc. you feet won’t slide around but they will be moisturized.

Now when my feet are in real bad shape or just tired, before bed I will slather t h is (for $3.89) on and put on some socks and when I wake in the morning ~ Tada and instant pedicure. Well, that might be a little much, but you get the point!

Weddings 101:The Basics

2006-09-25T19:39:00.000-05:00

Yes, you have to feed the vendors.

Cakes should be made of cake. Not fountains, ladders, staircases, or Barbie dolls dressed up as the bridal party.

It doesn’t matter if your dress is ivory and the table linens are white.

It doesn’t matter if your dress is ivory and your fiancé’s shirt is white.

Yes, you should put a stamp on the response envelope/postcard.

Yes, your MOH and BMs are doing you a favor. They are not your personal assistants, laborers, babysitters, psychologists, or personal shoppers.

Yes, it is possible to plan a wedding without reading a single bridal magazine.

No, we do not know why your FI/FMIL/FFIL/MOH said that. We don’t know if they were trying “to ruin your special day”. If you want to know why they said it, ASK them!

No, you don’t have to have favors. But yes, it’s okay to do favors.

Inviting guests to the ceremony and reception is okay. Inviting extra guests to the reception only is okay. Inviting guests to the ceremony and NOT the reception is NOT okay.

Guests should not have to pay for their meal at the reception. EVER.

Guests do not have to give you a gift. If they do give you a gift, consider yourself lucky. Do not tally up the cost of the gift against what you’ve spent per guest—they don’t have to reimburse you for the cost of your wedding!

Shower guests must also be wedding guests. ALWAYS!

No, you may not DEMAND that your MOB/MOG wear a particular outfit. You chose your dress—let them choose theirs.

Yes, you should send a Thank You note if you have received a gift. No matter when you got the gift. No matter what kind of gift. No matter where they gave you the gift.

Yes, you are being a selfish wench in demanding that your friend change her wedding date because it is “too close” to yours.

Yes, you may put registry information in shower invites.

No, you may not put registry information in invitations.

No, you may NOT automatically assume that you are going to have a bridal shower and/or a bachelorette party. Under no circumstance is it appropriate to ask someone to throw one for you.

No, your wedding is not more important than your family.

No, your MOH is not jealous that you are getting married. She probably just wishes you’d shut up about it for 5 minutes and talk to her like you used to.

Yes, your parents have the right to have some say-so in your wedding plans if they’re footing the bill.

You know that guy who gave you the ring? Yeah, he’s your Fiance. He’s allowed to make decisions, too.

No, there should not be any pictures of children on your invites – EVER!

Yes, budgeting arguments are easily avoided. Decide on your budget before you buy anything. Don’t add it up as you go along!

If you think you’re pregnant, take a pregnancy test.

[courtesy of the knot]

Paper Lanterns

2006-09-24T17:41:00.000-05:00

We had a few of these hanging in the trees at our Engagement Party. Here are a few that I found which were used for wedding receptions. I just loooove these!

Lighting Director?

2006-09-24T17:34:00.000-05:00

I never realized there was such a thing as a "Lighting Director" until I came across these beautiful pictures.

Fortunately, we won't need a "lighting director" in our venue, as I'm sure this would cost a pretty penny!

Money Matters

2006-09-21T20:51:00.000-05:00

Are you sitting? You should…it’s been said that cost of a wedding in this day and age makes a year at Harvard and Yale look affordable. No joke!

The statistics show that on average the cost of a wedding in the US is currently $27,490.00! Whoa (as Joey says). Well, that is not exactly what my folks said though!

But wait ~ it’s get better, the average wedding cost for Charlotte, NC ~ $34,912.00. YIKES! Now whether this info is “accurate” is anyone’s guess but one thing is for sure, if you’ve never been involved in any wedding planning ~ this could be a REAL shocker for some folk!

Here is the breakdown:

CEREMONY $2,587
Wedding attire for Groom & Bride
Accessories Hair/Makeup
Marriage License
Ceremony Accessories
Ceremony Location Fee
Ceremony Site Decorations
Officiate
Rehearsal Dinner

GIFTS $1,438
Attendant Gifts
Wedding Favors

FLOWERS $1,480
Wedding Flowers
Boutonnieres
Bride Bouquet
Bridesmaid Bouquets
Flower Girl Flowers
Corsages

JEWELRY $2,266
His Ring
Her Ring

MUSIC $1,201
Wedding Music & DJ

PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER $3,463
Photographer & Videographer

RECEPTION $20,690
Wedding Reception
Bride & Groom Hotel
Beverages/Liquor
Decorations
Caterer
Rentals
Wedding Cake
Bartender
Centerpieces

STATIONARY $1,054
Wedding Invitations
Reply Cards
Thank You Stationery
Bridal Shower Invitations

TRANSPORTATION $733
Limo Service
Car Rental

HOLD UP NOW ~ it must be noted that we are NOT doing wedding favors, jewelry (I’ll borrow it), or a videographer AND we are doing our own wedding programs and calligraphy ~ that should save us some dough.

Engagement Party Pic

2006-09-17T20:51:00.000-05:00

Well, here is our only picture from the Engagement Party ~ yep, we forgot to make sure that pictures were taken!!

It is definitely NOT the best picture.

We were so happy at how beautiful the party turned out and how many people came. It was a perfect night ~ good thing we are hiring a professional photograher for the wedding!!

Happy Couple

2006-09-16T22:56:00.000-05:00

Here's a really ridiculous cariature of us last year at the Renaissance Festival. I forgot I had this!

What she really means

2006-09-14T17:19:00.000-05:00

This is a funny post I found from my favorite website ~ it was posted by a male on what women say and what they really mean:

~I hope my HTB reads this~

FINE - This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

FIVE MINUTES - If she is getting dressed, this is half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given 5 more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

NOTHING - This is the calm before the storm. This means “something,” and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with ‘Nothing’ usually end in “Fine.”

GO AHEAD - This is a dare, not permission. Don’t do it.

LOUD SIGH - This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A “Loud Sigh” means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing."

THAT’S OKAY - This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. “That’s Okay” means that she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

THANKS - A woman is thanking you. Do not question it, just say you’re welcome.

WHATEVER - It’s a woman’s way of saying *!#@ YOU!

Cute overload

2006-09-14T12:27:00.000-05:00

To see more, go to this website. It makes me want to get a pup.

Stamp It!

2006-09-13T21:27:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to tap into my crafty side lately ~ I like to send out thank you notes and cards (for all occasions) and decorate them myself with a neat stamp and some pretty ink. I've been very successful so far, thanks to these guys ~ who have the neatest and coolest stuff for very reasonable prices.

I got the ink at Michaels - same stuff that these guys sell. My only prob so far - finding ink that doesn't smear and doesn't take an eternity to dry :(

Here's Where the Wedding Will Be...

2006-09-13T20:19:00.000-05:00

Ah, the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, NC. Lee and both wanted an "outside/garden" theme wedding and Daniel Stowe was just perfect.

The grounds are absolutely amazing and very vast. The entire property is on 450 acres. You can walk what seems to be for hours ~ the gardens and fountains just keep going and going and going.

The picture above is from the website

---> click here for more pics

Yoga Toes

2006-09-13T19:27:00.000-05:00

I almost did not post this, but thought it was too funny not to.

About a month ago, Lee (always concered for my well-being) decided to buy me some Yoga Toes. It's a weird toe separator made of a jelly-like material that stretch your toes out to help cramping. And, as some of you know, I have some funky feet! You can't really walk around in them, so sitting is best. Believe it or not, they really DO work! My toes and especially the bone under my big toe immediately feels much better when I put them on.

Just for an added laugh ~ here's a picture

Pimp My Bride

2006-09-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

You've seen Pimp my Ride -- now see Pimp my Bride!

Old pics I found of a trip to DC

2006-09-12T19:24:00.000-05:00

Lookie what I found - old pics from our trip to DC. I forgot I had them.

Sweets for the calorie counter

2006-09-12T19:04:00.000-05:00

Almond Ricotta Cream [South Beach diet]

Ingredients
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta chhese
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 small packets of Splenda
1 teaspoon of slivered toasted almonds
(mix all together in a dessert bowl [except the almonds]; chill and serve w/almonds)

192 Calories
11 total fas (6 g sat)
38 mg cholesterol
8 g carbs
15 g protein
0 g fiber
155 mg sodium

Chocolate Ricotta Cream [South Beach diet]

Ingredients
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta chhese
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 small packets of Splenda
5 mini chocolate chips (optional)
(mix all together in a dessert bowl [except the chips]; chill and serve w/chips)

261 Calories
14 total fas (6 g sat)
42 mg cholesterol
17 g carbs
15 g protein
0 g fiber
177 mg sodium

hint ~ add or substitute vanilla extract for different flavors

I eat both of these all the time and they are YUMMY!

Sweet Tooth

2006-09-12T18:51:00.000-05:00

I love cupcakes ~it's no secret. I just wish I could make them look this pretty!

Courtesy of flickr

Funny stuff

2006-09-12T09:49:00.000-05:00

Special Announcement from the President

Photographer

2006-09-11T21:44:00.000-05:00

Here's our photographer. Our Engagement photos are 2 in weeks. I can't wait to post the pictures once they come back.

www.katielangley.com

Open Question

2006-09-11T21:17:00.000-05:00

We can't decide if we should register at a major department store ~ mainly for china. We just don't see the point. We've gone over and over and over it. I know, I know, it's the thing to do but everyone that we have asked has said both yea and nay.

Your thoughts?

Neato

2006-09-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

How neat is this....

Dream on...

2006-09-11T19:55:00.000-05:00

We finally got our new "King" size bed on Saturday! WhooHoo! We're like 2 kids on Christmas morning. It's so big~the picture does not do it justice. We moved our Queen size bed to the spare bdrm ~ now we can actually have guests.

Greetings!

2006-09-10T20:28:00.000-05:00

This is my FIRST official post ~ aren't you excited?? I am a little. I thought I'd check this out to see if it can be useful for my friends and family in lieu of my constant e-mail bombardment.

Happy blogging....until next time...