Survey Time!

I'm having one of those days where I'm a little tired after a hard day of work...so I am just going to do one of the little surveys that's been circulating around blogland...

What is your current obsession? My upcoming wedding ... I just can't wait to have all our loved ones in one place and to say I DO to SB :)

What do you think your name says about you? It means "industrious," and my brother and sister thought I looked like an "Emily" ... fortunately my parents gave them only a few options, so I wasn't going to end up being "Smurfette," or "Jem" or anything like that. I love my name.
Who was the last person you hugged? SB

What’s your favorite dinner? Sushi (though I'm not a picky eater)

What was the last thing you bought? Light bulbs, soap, and frames for our wedding table #s (all from a delightful trip to Target last night)

What are you listening to right now? Just finished watching "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist." It is really cute....a great rental!

What is your favorite weather? I like it HOT and sunny (with a nice breeze.....sitting on the beach.....on vacation.....I could go on.....:)!!
What is your least favorite season? Probably winter (kinda funny given that I grew up in Wisconsin)

What's in your bathroom cabinet? Makeup, medicine, face wash, q-tips, the usual

What is your favorite tea flavor? I'm not a huge tea drinker....but I do love sweet tea, and an occasional skinny chai tea latte

What did you want to become as a child? I'm not totally sure....I thought about being a broadcaster, and a doctor....but I clearly went in another direction at some point along the way

What do you miss? My family and friends who are spread out all over

What's your favorite brand of jeans? Sevens and Citizens

What designer piece of clothing would you most like to own (new or vintage)? I'd love to try a DVF wrap dress

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Probably home to see my family

Who do you want to meet in person? This is a tough question, and I could go in many different directions .... but since I just love the Today Show, I'd be really excited to meet Matt, Meredith, Al and Ann

What is your most challenging goal right now? Getting everything ready for the wedding

What’s your 5 year plan? Get married....and most likely start a family.....

Why is today special? It's the last day of April....and 72 days till the BIG day :)
What is my favorite sport to watch? Ohh geez, how to choose one? I am a HUGE sports fan, and I love watching hockey, football, basketball, tennis and gymnastics
To play? Definitely tennis.
What is your favorite piece of jewelry that you own? Most obviously it's my engagement ring!!

Caps WIN!!

Nick Wass/Associated Press

The Caps won last night, to clinch the series over the Rangers. To be honest, it was a totally unbelievable feat. The Caps were down 3-1 in a best-of-7 series and managed to pull off 3 amazing wins in a row to take the series and move on to round 2 of the playoffs. The Verizon Center was the LOUDEST I have ever heard it (basically everyone in the crowd was screaming at the top of their lungs for the last 5 min of the game, after Federov scored the game winner). SB will be working like a maniac for at least another week....but it will be worth it. The Playoffs are a million times more exciting and gut-wrenching than the regular season, and the crowds have been amazing. Things were intense with the Rangers, but I have a feeling that the NHL's dream match-up of Ovie and "Sid the Kid" will crank things up a few more notches.

Metro Don'ts

Washington DC is a great tourist destination. It's the nation's capital, it's full of Smithsonian museums (which are amazing and free to the public), and it has a lot of great events that attract thousands and thousands (even millions...helloooo inauguration) of people.

For the millions of people who actually live in the metro-DC area, and who use public transportation when commuting to and from work......well, let's just say that huge groups of eighth graders, or people who have never ridden a metro before can get a touch annoying. As a public service to any would-be tourists of the lovely capital, I figured I'd share a few metro "don'ts" .... as in "don't even consider doing this while riding the metro at rush hour!" (though I must admit that not all offenders are tourists....there are plenty of DC citizens who don't have any metro manners)

• Don't stand on the left side of the elevator......walkers on the left, standers on the right. There are a lot of people who live here who will let you hear it if you're on standing on the left (and plenty more who will huff and puff and roll their eyes)
• Don't wrap your entire body around one of the poles. Please note that they are for multiple people to hold onto at one time, and let's be honest....body contact with strangers is not desirable.
• Don't let your children run up and down the aisles doing gymnastics on the poles ...
  
• Don't have a conversation about how you can't vote in the election b/c you're a convicted criminal....talk about uneasy ride after hearing that!!
  
• Don't take your shoes off and prop your bare feet against the poles that other people hold...with their hands! (I did see this, and the guy had blue toenail polish!! I actually saw this same guy twice and he did it both times. It made me wash my hands a million times afterwards both times)
• (this one happened tonight) If you encounter a moth on the train....don't pet it if it lands on the window next to you! I seriously saw the person next to me pet a freakin' moth.....and this was not a small moth, it was big and icky and made me switch seats!!!

Ok, well I can safely bet that the people reading a preppy blog aren't the same offenders for the above items......but I just had to share. :)

Sending Daisy to "Camp"

Puppy "parents" can agree that boarding their little pup(s) can be a really stressful experience for both owner and pet (just ask d.a.r. from "Just Another Day in Paradise" whose posting today made me realize I needed to think about this in preparation for our wedding). In Atlanta we had the BEST place a dog could ask for in terms of boarding: Wag-A-Lot!! If you live in the metro-Atlanta area, you simply must check it out! They "interview" your dog before allowing it to actually board there to be sure the pet's disposition works well with a group of dogs. While there, it has free play all day long (inside and out), and then the dogs conk out in "zen dens" at night -- they're basically little zones without full walls that bear zero resemblance to a crate or cage. Plus there was a web cam, and everyone there on staff was wonderful (and it was only $35/day....compared to twice that for similar places up here). PLUS their slogan is "why wag a little when you can wag-a-lot" -- which I just LOVE! AND they have t-shirts that say "Play hard, drool often" -- I gave one to my brother for Christmas - haha.

Anyways, the pricing in the DC area for this is same service is outrageous (like $60-70/night), and we've had REALLY, REALLY BAD experiences several times at the local PetSmart PetHotel (Daisy was attacked once by a german shepard during "supervised play time" and needed staples, and the second time she was only fed half of her food....even though the amount was written on the bag and I told them, 1.5 C in the morning and at night - they only fed her in the morning...hellllooo - it's not like she's a chihuahua here, she needs some food!! )

Since we'll be gone an extra long time for our wedding/honeymoon, I wanted to find somewhere fun for Daisy to stay. I think I may have found the place!! It's a farm out near the Shenandoah National Forest, and they board 14 pups at a time, and have a fenced in property where the dogs can play and explore. I already am breathing a little bit easier just knowing that this farm could be really fun for Daisy. Plus, they drive to your home to pick up your dog and bring her back (otherwise it'd be like a 1 hour, 20 min drive). I can't wait to hear back from the place....hopefully I'm not jinxing this by getting so excited about it already!!!

The Next Generation

Earth Day always makes me think a bit about how we're caring for the planet, and what will be left for future generations (yes, I do try to be as green as possible....and thinking about melting ice caps and rising temperatures can really cause me to start worrying). When I was home for a week last month, I was able to spend a lot of time with my little nieces and nephews. They are absolutely adorable, and they have so much energy it's hard to keep up with them! Here are a few of my fave pics from that week....

2 of our adorable flower girls....such sweet cousins :)


This little sweetie is such a squeezable little doll.....but he can get into SO much trouble in the blink of an eye!! He's tricky, I tell you!!


The ring bearer!!! We are going to have to really trick him into thinking that walking down the aisle with our rings is "cool" or he'll completely back out! I have no idea what he'll think about his VV bow tie, seersucker pants and navy blazer. We may have to tell him that Brett Favre would wear it b/c that gets him to do a lot of things (haha).

Yet another flower girl....

Please note that this little chunkster is 2 months old....but wearing 6 month old clothing!! Needless to say, he's eating pretty well!!

And I just had to include a pic of my "baby" - smiley Daisy :)

Allow me to introduce you...

...to Angela at Sweet Tea Diaries!!!

I found her blog this afternoon, and immediately knew I liked her style......she features tons of stuff, including preppy fashion finds, tasty recipes, and even some reminiscing about bbq, biscuits and zaxby's in Georgia (which means SB would be a big fan of hers too - haha!) At any rate, I decided to follow her blog and realized quickly that I became her 300th follower!

Kudos to Angela on reaching that milestone, and you might even recognize the featured blogger in her most recent post (*I blush....*)

Polar Bears Find Love

In the midst of a week with lots of horrifying news stories, my heart smiled a bit when I saw this on the Today Show (side note: I loooove the Today Show). Basically a zoo in Germany set up two polar bears with the hopes of producing some baby bears. By the looks of the photo, they clicked! While I certainly would prefer to keep animals in the wild, I do wish Lara and Bill (the polar bears....real names, strangely enough) many happy years together -- you can read about them here...

Bridal Shower Recap

At long last I have uploaded the pics from the bridal shower that took place last month, and I am happy to share them! The shower was hosted by my mom and sister in my hometown, with lots of my mom's friends in attendance. Two of my bridesmaids were also able to travel into town for it (with their moms too, which was so fun). My whole immediate family was staying at my parent's house, and since my brother and sister each have 3 little kids who basically tear the place apart -- my Mom thought it would be easier and less stressful to host the shower at a really neat restaurant in town. So it was at Sardine, and the menu was simply divine. We started with mimosas, and then ordered off of a slightly smaller menu for the occasion. I had an omelet with roasted tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese....with spring greens and a light vinaigrette, and tasty frites on the side. They also brought out a platter of their delicious pastries at the end, pre-present opening -- and they were just out of this world.

(Speaking of opening presents...is it just me, or is it the most awkward thing in the world these days to open all these gifts off my own registry in front of everyone? I feel like I need to comment on how much I like it, or how I don't have one and have always wanted one.... but the fact of the matter is I selected it...and they already knew I really wanted it! So strange....)

Anyways, here are a few snapshots from the bridal shower....

Me, my mom and my sister! They did a tremendous job at making the shower fun, and so special for me :)

My sis, my sis-in-law and my mom....cheers!

Two of my bridesmaids and their moms -- they're adorable!

Our super amazing family friends (LL was my first friend ever!!) My sweet niece is the little girl pictured...she'll be one of the 4 flower girls, and was super patient during the whole shower. I don't think she knew what she was in for!

Bridesmaid, and friend since the 6th grade! She lives in Chicago now, but I wish we lived much closer!!!!

For some reason my sister's facial expression makes me laugh ...

The ribbon color of the day: WHITE!! Just about everything was wrapped with a white bow....so now my rehearsal dinner "bouquet" is very white, but very beautiful :)

Me with the hostess with the mostess. I love my sis.

Spring's Sprung...

Have I mentioned lately how much I love the weekend? I mean really, really love? Well, I guess it's just human nature to love it - but this weekend was particularly fun. The weather here on Saturday was unbelievably beautiful -- we're talking sunny, 75, and simply gorgeous. I took Daisy to the dog park, went to the bootcamp class that I love/hate (it was outside this weekend), and then went to the Caps game. Unfortunately the Caps lost their second playoff game in a row to the dang Rangers (and there were tons of annoying Rangers fans behind us.....ugh -- and that #16 Sean Avery is totally under my skin, and I'm not even on the ice). Ok -- enough about that...after the game we went to Clydes with friends, and then just hung out at home for the rest of the night (I was pretty much zonked out after the bootcamp class and emotionally draining game!!)

Today was the clothing swap...and it was a great success! I came home with 2 J.Crew sweaters (1 pink wool turtleneck, and 1 aqua v-neck), 1 velvet Gap blazer, 2 great belts, and 2 necklaces. Plus, Erin was an amazing Martha-esque hostess -- quiches, mimosas, sangria, homemade muffins, fruit salad - it was delish!!

So now with spring on my mind, and after doing some online "browsing," here are a few fun finds from Garnet Hill and Boden that I like....

Just like new....

Have any of you ever been a part of a clothing swap before? I'll be experiencing my first one this Sunday, and I'm pretty excited about it! One of the girls with whom I ran the half-marathon is hosting it at her house....and there are like 10 fun girls who will be going, 3 of whom I know decently well (and whose wardrobes I definitely admire!!). Tonight I need to go through my closet to find some good stuff that I haven't worn in a few years. Unfortunately SB and I recently went through our closets and donated a bunch to Goodwilll....but there are still a few things that I seem to hold onto even though I don't wear them, or they don't totally fit perfectly.

I think that this is such a great way to a) get together with friends and b) clear out your closet, and bring home some fun new finds at the same time!! I'll report back if I end up with anything especially exciting :)

Wedding Ceremony Planning

We have selected an officiant, a couple of violinists, and the location......but we have not yet planned out our wedding ceremony. I am now realizing that it is a touch tricky to get in touch with our minister, and seeing how he lives where we're getting married, and we live, well, here -- chatting with him isn't the easiest thing to do.

SO - with that said, do you guys have any advice on how to plan the ceremony? Did you do anything particularly fun/romantic/poignant/etc. that you would share?

I'm also starting to look at programs for the ceremony.....since it will be outside, overlooking the beach in Florida in July -- fans seem like a nice touch! Here are a few examples that I like....


Last night I spent hours addressing our wedding invitations -- it was so fun! I went to Paper Source to buy a calligraphy pen, and I must say that I did a pretty good job :) (I'll have to take pics to share....though seeing how I still haven't posted pics from my bridal shower way back in March....don't hold your breath ;) I'm pleased with them, and I guess that's good since I can be my worst critic! (at least the last 80-90 were really good....the first 5 clearly show I was still a litle rusty -- eek! if only I had extra envelopes...)

88 days and counting (and yes, my heart beats a little faster as the big day gets closer and closer!)

Clutch Mania

Not to belabor the point that clutches are a hot accessory this season, and THE perfect bridesmaid gift....but I am happy to announce that my sentiments have been echoed by Daily Candy and Real Simple (not bad company!).

My new etsy friend, Hope, continues to work away on the ones for my bridesmaids, but here are a few sneak-peeks at the fabric selections (patterned fabrics = exterior of clutch, solid fabrics = interior):


And here are the pieces from Daily Candy and Real Simple (though I must note that while their clutches are adorable, I'm still proud that mine will be equally adorable and more than HALF the price!!!)
(PS - how exciting to open my inbox this morning to find a whole Daily Candy dedicated to WEDDINGS!!!!)
And click here to read the piece featured in Real Simple's bridal blog - Nearly Wed, "In a Clutch"

Ok - and now I swear that is the last clutch posting till I have my own in my pretty little hands :)

Happy Easter!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Easter. It truly is a blessed day.

Momentous Occasion!

So to give a little background, my family likes to plan things out. We're talking seriously planning everything: vacations (hour by hour, meal by meal), weekend activities when everyone's in town, holiday get-togethers, my nieces/nephews sleepovers at my parents'....you get the drift. For some reason (and I'm not even sure how exactly), these "plans" are called "6-squares" -- I think it refers to planning Morning/Afternoon/Evening for two days....but I'm not really sure (my Dad started doing it years and years ago). Anyways, after dating SB for some time, I realized that our affinity for planning was a bit of a shock to SB's system. He likes to go with the flow, make plans on the go, etc. (typical guy!) Usually this is just fine - we're both pretty flexible, so we just roll with things when we visit each of our families. But now he and my sister's husband like to chuckle to themselves when the 6-square planning gets carried away (which it sometimes does!).

BUT the most momentous thing just occurred!! This weekend we are hosting a couple of friends at our place -- SB's best man, and his lovely wife (they were just married this past January in Jackson Hole -- it was an awesome wedding, and they are a really fun couple)! Typically when we host SB's friends, I let him make the plans (which typically means no plans at all....) BUT this time around he wrote out a genuine 6-square! I was so proud I had to call my sister the second that he sent it to me. I'm really looking forward to a fun, low-key weekend here in the city (with SB not working a single game - hooray!) We have some fun meals planned out, and a little touring about the area (I think our friends are hoping to see cherry blossoms....but the peak time has definitely passed for that -- though I'm still in awe over some of the pics my friends took -- including the one below by Erin). I can't wait for the weekend to start......if only I was one of you luckies who has the day off today!! Yay for spring....

Turq Jewelry Spring Sale

I adore Turq Jewelry. Their necklaces and earrings are well crafted, and provide a fun burst of color for just about any outfit! They're having a BIG sale right now. Here are a few little things that caught my eye....and last but not least, this one isn't on sale, but it is my all-time favorite.....