Why I (heart) the new house

I thought I would try to share a few photos of the new house this week. Of course, I'll be sure to try not to get any half-empty boxes in the shots or the rooms where nothing has been unpacked!

Some of the details in this home really stood out to us, like the built in cutting boards in the kitchen. Not only one, but four cutting boards are located throughout.

So, this morning, when preparing to slice strawberries for my cereal, it was a breeze.

I just realized that this photo doesn't really do it justice, but the cutting boards are actually built in like a drawer, so all you do is slide it out to use.

Runnin' and Whinin'

I started training tonight for another half-marathon and I can honestly say, I sucked. I have been doing a run-walk training schedule called the Galloway method. Typically, I run for 10 minutes, then walk 2, run 8 and alternate between running & walking the rest of the way. It helps your knees, provides much needed mini-breaks and when you aren't an extremely fast runner (like myself), you don't really lose much time.

Tonight, it went like this:
Ran 10 minutes
Wheezed for about 3 minutes and decided to run again.
Ran for 1 minute
Walked for about 9 minutes.
Ran for 2 minutes and wheezed some more.
Walked for another 6 minutes.
Finally ran for another 3 and walked the rest.

Sucky. Tonight, I only had to do 35 minutes and I ended up going 44, due to where I had parked my car at the park, but still. It's sad that I finished Boot Camp not that long ago and I feel this out of shape.

What I've learned in the past 4 days...

Closing wasn't as bad as I expected... other than handing over a large sum of money and lots of signing, it was fine. I'm sure I should have been reading every line with extreme concentration, but that's why we have a good lawyer.

Professional packers and movers are the way to go. I think we've reached the age that we can no longer buy beer and pizza and expect a few friends to move us. The actual move was pretty stress free.

Until we realized that our queen box spring was not going to make it up our new flight of stairs. They are rather steep. So, Hubby & I have set up camp in a downstairs bedroom for now & lucky for us, we found out that queen box springs are available in a split option.

Zeus does not like the stairs either. After coming back from a few days of "doggie daycare", we were walking them around the house - letting them sniff and get accustomed to it - and we decided to take them upstairs. Zoe, the dog that has no fear quickly bounded up the stairs so she could continue her sniffing. Zeus, not so much. He would get about 2 steps up and freeze and revert to the landing. The steps do have a runner, so I thought he would have enough traction, but apparently not enough for his liking.

And, I never realized how much CRAP we have accumulated. Word of caution - when two independent thirty-somethings marry, they come with lots o' crap. I've been unpacking and quickly separating items into a keep, throw, or yard sale pile.

Moving Announcements

It just wouldn't feel right if I didn't get excited about finding cute moving announcements to send to friends and family to let them know about our new address. I wanted something simple, cute, and let's face it, inexpensive. At this point, if I were to plop down several hundred for the adorable Kate Spade moving announcements, Hubby would kill me. Love, love, love these. But for $439 for 50 cards, it was just a tad too steep for our 3-days before closing budget.

So, for around $40, I found these online today.

So, it's not Kate, and it's not Crane, but honestly, don't these just get thrown in the trash after a couple of days? Sad, but true.

Countdown..

I will be out of commission for the next several days. We are counting down to closing and our move. And, in the meantime, we are:

• having our current house inspected (just so we're aware of anything that may need to be fixed)
• dealing with turning on utilities (Hubby is still bitter that we had to get a new phone number and I will note for the record that cable was 1st on the list)
• still packing a few boxes of items that I don't trust the movers to take
• picking up a washer, dryer, microwave, and I'm sure several boxes from my former landlord's house that he was nice enough to let me store for almost 2 years.
• dealing with last minute things with the mortgage, insurance, ordering a house survey, etc.
• being super busy with both of our jobs

It is so exciting even with all of the little details - we saw our new house yesterday for the re-inspection & everything turned out great. Can't wait to get there - it just feels like we have so much to do before that can happen! I'll try to post next week with exciting packing & moving pictures!

It's a small world

I spent the day attending this seminar with three of my co-workers. While I appreciate the fact that they had volunteers directing us into the parking lot with their "two-fingered or full-handed" pointing gestures, mouse head-shaped balloons to make sure that we knew we were in the right place, and Disney music that played to cue us when it was time to take our seats, I'm still a little perplexed by the fact that the average family (all 3.3 of them) save for 2-3 YEARS to take a trip to Disney. Isn't that incredible? I bet that same family could travel to a wondrous place like Yellowstone National Park, or take in all the history, art, and culture they could want in D.C. for a lot longer and still come away with life-long memories and scrapbooks full of photos that they will enjoy for many years.

Why I (heart) my job

Yesterday afternoon, my editor and I went to meet the guy who started this movement in NC. We met at Carolina Brewery to enjoy a cold beverage and find out more about his plans, a little beer history, and discussion of beer and food pairing. It was so interesting and who wouldn't enjoy having this kind of meeting on a Friday afternoon? From there we hopped over to the welcome reception of this meeting. We really just went for a little networking, and what a fabulous opportunity. These people were all remarkable, knew their food, and have a passion for it. Lots of food writers and chefs were in attendance. We left with lots of great ideas and some great contacts.

Looking for Nashville-area voters

A good friend of mine from college is running for city council - District 11. Now, I won't air any skeletons or dirty laundry on him and I do wish I could give him my vote. Darren was such an inspiration to me on so many levels and he would hate me for saying that about him. He's humble, funny, smart, charming, has a great music selection, and was my best formal date ever. He was a great mentor to me as I tried to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Studying with Darren always revolved around Seinfeld episodes on Thursday nights and making sure that we had enough time to play our favorite CD's and participate in some crazy game that included trying to one-up the other person by picking a more obscure, even better tune.

Good luck, Darren and I hope the voters rally for you on the 11th! Now, when you run for President, don't forget about me and I'll serve on your campaign!

Happy Anniversary

If Hubby reads this title, he may be confused. It is actually just a few days past my one-year blogging anniversary. Wow. I just looked back at my first post and it's amazing how some things have changed, but some are pretty much the same.

For the changed part:

• I now have a job that I really love. Then, I was at a job that I wanted to love, but didn't.
• I was training for my 1st half marathon. I've now done that one, plus another, and am currently contemplating another one for December.
• While we are still living the bachelor pad, we are about 3 weeks away from buying and living in a home that we found together that gives us plenty of room to hopefully have and raise a family, entertain, and enjoy our "own" space without feeling like we are right on top of each other.

For the hasn't changed that much part:

• Our 2 black labs are still a huge part of our life. One is currently snoring at my feet while I type this.
• I'm still heavily involved in the Junior League, currently serving my 2nd year on our Executive Board.
• I still hope that I can continue to keep blogging and use this as a journal of sorts in the future.

So here's to one year at Love, Life, and Labs. Hooray!

My updates have been a bit sporadic and this week, frankly has been a bit "off". My parents left on Sunday, so it's been nice for it just to be Hubby, myself, and the big black dogs. The dogs seem to have settled down, even though we are still in a bit of pack/clean/move/declutter mode. We have to make time to call realtors and list this house, but it just seems like the week has gotten away from us. I think I'm just anxious to list this house, knowing that in about 3 weeks, we are going to be the owners of a new house. While I'd like to think that one day, we may possibly have the luxury to own two homes, I didn't want them to be 10 minutes away from each other!

I was on one of our local morning news stations this morning to talk about the magazine. My editor and I went, while it's always nerve wracking, it's also kind of fun. They loved the latest issue, so it made it really easy. I felt like all we said was "thank you". I'm fairly used to being interviewed, but I had never been interviewed at the TV station set, so seeing the teleprompter, talking to the anchor (and noticing that he has a helluva lot of make up on), is just kind of surreal. We left, immediately called the office and husband's to make sure that we didn't sound or look like idiots, hit Starbucks for a much needed caffeine boost and headed back to work.

Hubby and I also thought that I might be expecting this week. From my calculations, I was about 3 days late, which is pretty late in my book. I bought my first EPT 3-pack ever, tested twice (both negative), and then had a visitor later that day. It's OK. I will admit, we were disappointed, but would have been shocked if we really were. But, as some of my friends have said, it only takes one time.

Not sure what Labor Day holds for us. I have a short day at work tomorrow and we may head to the lake, but we feel like we need to work on the house. Possibly a compromise, and we'll go up for a day.

Plug it in, plug it in...

This is also a must have for the new home office. In black, I think. We can finally have the mobile phones, iPods, Garmin, and digital camera all in one place without cords plugged in everywhere. This make me so happy! From Pottery Barn, of course.

Cake & such

After nearly two weeks of close quarters, we said goodbye to my parents this morning. They have done so much work that we could never begin to repay them. I should preface this by saying that my parents are 75 and 65, and are probably the hardest workers I have ever known. I wish I had their know-how and talent. They were at our current house, painting, cleaning, packing, sanding, giving Zeus and Zoe way more attention than they needed, and getting our house ready to go on the market. I hope we didn't guilt them, but now Hubby's dad is visiting on Tuesday to help us with a little landscaping and yard work. Hubby's dad owns several rental properties, so he's also a great guy to have around.

Since we were up early today, we made a 2nd pot of coffee and attacked our storage building in the back yard, emptied it, cleaned it, and reorganized it. Our plan is to call in three realtors this week and hopefully have it listed by the end of the week.

So, Hubby and I needed a little reward today, so we set off to our favorite bakery for a little yummy goodness. Red velvet cake for hubby and raspberry lady for me (vanilla cake with raspberry jam and cream cheese frosting). Yum. I couldn't even finish my piece, so I'm now debating if the rest can count as my dinner.

My "new" 1939 kitchen

In the new house, the kitchen has a cute, built-in plate rack. To go along with the year the house was built, I'm trying to find coordinating dishes. I'm considering Fiesta Ware, since it has been around since the 30's. I was also introduced to this wonderful site today by a co-worker. I am now so in love with the pantone plates. Apparently, these were used by salespeople in the 40's to show the pantone colors. I'm thinking that these could be really cute in the new kitchen. Our regular dishes are Emma by Pottery Barn in white, so I would want to use something that could possibly coordinate.



Of course, this part of the kitchen is actually new, but I still think it could work. I would love any retro ideas that may fit in.

Also, we have this cute little phone cubby. Hmmm, to use as a resting place for flowers in a vase, or this? Decisions, decisions...
I promise to post more photos soon, but probably not until we move in. I feel strange about showing photos while it's not yet our home.

Almost two years ago...

Since we are getting ready to move (in a month!), we have been packing, de-cluttering, and taking boxes to our storage unit. In doing so, I ran across the CD of photos from our wedding. Since I started my blog after I was married, I decided to take a walk down memory lane. This is also my downside when packing, because I want to stop and read or look at everything. This post should probably come with a warning to skip if you aren't interested.. it's probably like seeing your Aunt Sally's vacation photos! Photos taken by Kellie Kano Photography.

The day of our wedding... enjoying a glass (or two) of Dom Perignon, a surprise from sweet hubby while having my hair done. I promise, my hair wasn't this big when I walked down the aisle.

The flowers for my bridesmaid and my own bouquet - mine included white hydrangea, berries, and jasmine. My bridesmaids had pink roses and berries, wrapped in black material to match their dresses.

Our wedding programs. Love these - ecru, with a satin bow on the side and our monogram. The square shaped matched our wedding invitations and wedding cake.

My gown... pre getting dressed and getting it dirty before I went down the aisle!

During the ceremony, I remember being so nervous, but so excited for the future.A little posing with our wedding party, after the ceremony.

Leaving the church... I was so excited, I blocked Hubby's face with my bouquet!
After our ceremony, enjoying a little alone time before going to the reception.

Our wedding cake - four layers of yummy goodness: red velvet, peanut butter and chocolate, raspberry lady (white cake with raspberries) and a layer of chocolate and raspberries. It had our monogrammed and we had my Great Aunt Lucy and Uncle Horace's cake topper displayed that was used at their wedding in the 1920's.

Our first dance... we have no formal training, but had a blast. We danced to "It had to be you".

A great group shot.. I love this picture. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

A busy week...

It really has been a crazy week... On Sunday/Monday, I had a little breakdown about one of my volunteer positions and if I'm truly in the "right chair", so to speak. I had a talk with our president who assured me that I am and all Hubby could say is "sucker" now that I've decided it's OK.

Also for my volunteer position, I had the chance to work here to drive a golf cart for this golfer. (sigh). He's my latest addition to my "list" ... too bad he's probably 10 years younger than me. Such a cutie and he's doing quite well in the tournament.

My parents have been here since Tuesday.. they have been a huge help, but the house is feeling a wee cramped. Hubby has been absent a little more than usual and I think I understand why. Not to sound ungrateful, but it is a little hard to manage.

The new house is going well - the sellers have verbally agreed to our inspection list, but we are still waiting for that in writing. Closing is in one month. We are hoping to have our house listed in the next two weeks.

A little togetherness

I spent the weekend with 20 of my fellow board members with this great organization. Again, I am always blown away at how many remarkable women we have that volunteer, have full-time jobs, children, and many other time commitments as well. We stayed overnight for our retreat in a camp-like atmosphere. Now, these are primarily women who are always dressed in their pearls, wearing great outfits with coordinating sandals and clutches. It was great to see that we (myself included) were able to "rough it" in our accommodations that included 4 bunk beds to a room, a 5-minute shower rule, and not freak out when we were outside of our comfort zones (whether it was almost getting attacked by huge bugs, doing the ropes course, or staying a weekend with 20 other women). Luckily, there was wine!

And, speaking of comfort zones, my parents are traveling here tomorrow for an "extended" vacation. We aren't sure of the end date of the trip & Hubby and I became a little concerned when my mom is asking about the Baker sale, that takes place in MID September! My parents are great - they are mostly retired (my dad still works a part-time job for fun), so they are coming to help us get our current house ready to put on the market. Hubby did paint our dining room this weekend to a great neutral shade (parchment) that I highly recommend.. it took him 4 hours to prime and cover the previous red that it was painted. He was a trooper - it looks great, but still needs a few touch-ups. Luckily, mom is detail-oriented and will be a great toucher-upper.

Leaky pipes

The inspection was this morning, which is kind of crazy because you are just hanging out in someone else's house. It just feels kind of surreal. Waiting around, checking out the cabinets, measuring to see if furniture will fit where we want, watching TV, eating popcorn.. no, just kidding about the popcorn part! It was great to be there again and take another look... again, we are both still sold on the house and I can't wait to be living there and enjoying it.

At any rate, the inspection came back relatively clean, especially for a home of this age. There is one rather major issue - the downstairs bath has leaked and there is damage to the sub-flooring under the house. I'm thinking a new bathroom floor, perhaps? We are in the process of writing up what we would like to have fixed and submitting that to the sellers, so it's a little nerve wracking. I hope all goes well.

In other news, it is incredibly hot and humid here in NC, as it is almost everywhere else across the US. My car thermostat was always 100-106 all day. Last night at 8PM, it was 100 degrees. All I want to do is eat smoothies for lunch and ice cream for dinner!

Inspection Day

We head over to the new (should I say new just yet?) home this morning for the inspection. I've never done this before, so I have no idea what to expect. The home is older (built in '39), but there have been recent additions to the house with updates to the important stuff-- wiring, pipes, etc. Wish us luck! Will post later with details.

Chatty-cathies

I try not to always use my blog as a place to vent, or gripe, but today I feel the need. My new job is great with the exception of one small item. We recently rearranged our cubes. Mine stayed the same - I do have a window and it used to be relatively quiet. I can even see a lake, well, if you look past parking lot and cars, but anyway.

There used to be 5 of us who sat in our area. Last month, they have moved another group of about 8 folks who are the most talkative employees in our company and all they do is run their mouths. All day. Non-stop. And they typically aren't talking about work, or making work related calls, they're just talking to one another about whatever. Let's see, today it was about local painters and their pricing (has nothing to do with any of our jobs), a recent wedding, lunch, pottery, stationery, and a few work related items that typically just come out sounding like they needed to place the blame on someone.

It's not that I'm immediately involved in all of these conversations and I'm time starved, but actually I feel like I can no longer concentrate with all of the t-a-l-k-i-n-g! Does anyone have any solutions, like using a fan to block out noise, or staying plugged into iTunes with headphones? Or yelling "shut the f**k up" at some point in the afternoon!?

I have a little secret

And it involves inspections, a closing date, and a big move! Today, we sign the contract for the purchase of our new home! I feel like it's been a long time in the making, but I feel safe in announcing the news! I've been a little paranoid to even discuss it, for fear of jinxing it.

It's a great traditional-style, brick home in a wonderful neighborhood, with a secluded back yard. The current owner is a builder, so we are fortunate to be moving into a home full of updates and renovations, including the kitchen, master bath, den, patio, and office. I also love the fact that the charm and character of the house have remained, even with the new modern conveniences. We have a mail slot & a phone cubby, two quirky features that I love. Even the dogs will have their own area and will no longer have their kennels in our dining room. The move scares me a bit, as we have the contents of our current home, a storage unit, items at my old apartment, because my former landlord is a doll, and also a few items at another friend's house. Either we have too much stuff, or it was simply time for something bigger.

Of course, we still have the inspection to get through and a few more details, such as selling our house! Ack. Now, I'm sure that process will be good for a few more stories in the near future.

Oops wine update

According to a very scientific test peformed by our panel of wine tasters last evening, the Oops wine was judged OK. Some considered it strong, others said it had no finish. I say, put your $10 towards a bottle of Bogle instead.

Because I can..

I keep seeing this meme on several blogs lately and also because I just can't think of anything to say, so I thought I would play along. So tonight, the 8 Bizarre/Random/Habits meme:

1. I can pinch with my toes. I really hope that this isn't really as repulsive as it sounds, but I can use my toes in a crab-like manner to pinch. It comes in very useful during snoring sessions with Hubby.

2. I sing made up songs to the dogs, especially in the mornings, when I'm getting ready for work. They typically don't make any sense and are often renderings of other songs. For instance, from the Fergelicious song, it becomes, "I'm Zoelicious, just running in the yard, just working on my fitness. Zeus is my witness."

3. If I don't have to get up at a certain time, I can still practically sleep like a teenager. OK, not quite as bad, but I can easily sleep until 9 or 10am. Then, I usually feel very guilty about wasting my morning, but often, it is truly a guilty pleasure.

4. Thanks to great genetics, I should really shave my legs every day. It's a pain and a chore that I hate, but I guess I've gotten used to it over the years.

5. I have my Certified Marketing Director designation as recognized by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

6. When I was in Elementary and Middle schools, I won or placed in several art contests. My Mona Lisa rendering hung in my French class, even after I graduated from High School.

7. In my family, they never openly talk about problems, discuss how they feel, or show much affection on a regular basis. I know that I'm loved and have a good relationship with my family, but I have had a hard time in relationships, really openly discussing how I felt, simply because I wasn't used to it.

8. Growing up, I would only drink Orange Juice. Obsessive amounts. Now, I maybe drink it once a year, if that.

Round the house this weekend...

I'm loading pictures onto Shutterfly and it's taking forever, so I decided that I'd post. It was a relatively quiet weekend. On Friday, I stopped by a local consignment store to make an appointment to consign some of my clothes. I had some great things from Etcetera that I just don't wear anymore, so I figured it would be best to make a few dollars off of them. This is a great boutique - tons of designers like Lilly, Trina Turk, Etcetera, Kate Spade (Shoes mostly). They had several darling pairs of Kate Spade shoes, but only in 5.5 and 8! Boo. I did manage to find a cute Lilly skirt, a new Banana Republic top and another skirt by Tibi. Very cute. I probably spent more than I'll make, so it could have been a lost cause!

Hubby & I stopped by a downtown Friday night music shin-dig, grabbed some Thai food, said hello to a few friends at a martini bar, and ducked out and called it a night before it got too late.

Yesterday, after some housework, errand running & Hubby making a Starbucks run, we went to see "No Reservations". Very cute & such a feel-good movie. We had a quiet evening - I started reading Harry Potter 6, because I need to read it before HP7! Today, we finally made it back to church, went to lunch, met our realtor to see a house. I'm going now to review my cooking light magazine to see if I can find something tasty for dinner.

On my mind...

A few things on my mind lately...

For the dog lovers out there, check out Bark Magazine. I picked it up the other day & it's really great. Not a cheesy pet fancy kind of magazine, but a real-life one, packed with both enlightening and humorous articles.

Today was our last day of Boot Camp. We endured a grueling 45 minutes of running at a local high school track, backwards running, lunges (front & back), a sprint suicide drill, running stairs, hopping on stairs, bear crawls on stairs and lunges on stairs. Whew. I am happy to report that I won the "most improved push ups" award, achieving a +19 increase from our 1st class. Go, me!

I'm thinking of a new do... For the past few years, after growing out a pixie haircut, I have worn an all one length bob, varying in length between chin to below shoulders. I'm really thinking of doing the inverted bob, ala Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, last year's Nicole Richie.. not quite as short as theirs, but the angled look, shorter in the back. Anyone out there with a similar do & their experience?

Between work for Hubby and myself, working on the house, volunteer activities and a visit from my parents, we may not get a vacation in this summer. So, that may be my new goal - fitting in a mini vacation at some point before September, when I don't think I will see Hubby due to a new product launch.

Our computer is now home & up and running. Hallelujah! Even though I'm happy, I think part of my secretly wanted to take advantage of NC's tax free holiday and purchase something new.

I think I really want a pair of Stephen Bonanno's sandals. I have read about them over & over, played around with color combos on the website, and still can't make up my mind. Any recommendations to color, style, etc?

Oh, and how can Michael Vick plead not guilty? Argh. Hopefully, justice will be served at his court date in November.

Broken computer makes for cranky blogger

Hubby was taking an online test for work on Sunday, when the computer froze and died. After a phone conference with our resident geek friend, it was determined that the computer needed to come in for a more thorough check up. After a little poking, prodding, and frantically hitting F8, we were then told that the computer must stay overnight. This is hard on a girl who, every morning, religiously checks email and reads blogs, after shower, but before hair drying time. And, let 's not even talk about my lack of checking this site for new houses on the market. Good news came via a text message today - our little PC is ready for pickup.. hopefully back up and running with no lost files. Will be back up & blogging soon!

I'm a sucker for creative packaging...

And that's why I came home with this bottle of red wine tonight...

Cute, isn't it? It is described as a cheeky little red and something about that just sounded good.

A longer description on the bottle includes, "Following the migration of the Old World vineyards to the New World in the 1800s the Carmenere grape was taken to and successfully grown in Chile. As Chilean Merlot became successful as a New World wine, it was discovered that he Carmenere grape had become mixed with the Merlot grape. The grapes were finally correctly identified, "the big mistake" rectified and "the lost grape of Bordeaux" rediscovered."

I'll let you know!

There's a toilet on my porch...

dear Liza, dear Liza. There's a toilet on my porch*, dear liza, a toilet! Ack! Last night, I came home to Hubby and friend, B, working like fiends in our bathroom. They had to patch a bad spot in the floor, before the flooring guys come tomorrow to do the installation.

* And just so everyone knows, it is on the side porch, not on the front or in viewing pleasure of our neighbors. And, even though Hubby made a snide comment about me being from Tennessee and that I should be used to that type of thing, please let the record state that I did not grow up in an area of Tennessee that had toilets on porches. And, by the end of day tomorrow, we should have new flooring and the new vanities installed. Whoo-hoo!

** Toilet update. As of yesterday, all toilets were repositioned back to their appropriate spaces. New flooring and one bathroom vanity are complete.

My new hangout

Hubby and I ventured out to a new ice cream place that recently opened in our city. I know all of the Bostonians will appreciate our new find. I enjoyed the raspberry truffle, while Hubby had the Chocolate Moose. A lot of frenzied ice-cream licking was had by all.

Why I heart Target

Because they have cute Fieldcrest shower curtains like this one...
There are also coordinating bathmat and towels available, but I can't find them online. I did buy the bathmat, but not the towels - picked some up that match the blue instead. It looks great with our taupe colored bathroom walls. We are also installing new vanities next week that are very cottage-y in design. I think it will all be too, too cute!

Getting back on the horse

Well, it's official to what we thought. We didn't get the house. I was very sad last night, I cried as soon as I left the office, but I am just trying to remember, when it's meant to be, it will happen. I've thought the same about jobs, boyfriends, cars, and of course, the perfect pair of shoes. We're a little frustrated - we feel like we were the pawn in a game to get the numbers high, and in essence, we really were. So be it - I'm glad we stood our ground and didn't fall into the hype.

Life could be a lot worse - we have a house that while, we may not love it, it covers our heads and keeps us safe, I have a wonderful hubby who loves me for who I am, two big dogs who show me unconditional love (especially when I feed them) and hey, we're doing OK on most fronts. We have an exciting future ahead of us and I'm sure this won't be the only bump in the road, but also, I guess it's the bumps that make life interesting.

Oh, and I promise not to drive by the house and throw rocks or stick out my tongue or flip a bird. Well, maybe to all but the last one, but only under my window, not stuck up in the air!

Woes of a house hunter

How can it go downhill so fast? Just last night, we thought we were on easy street. We had the counter offer from the seller of the home, but I needed to talk to hubby, who is at a conference. We finally talked this morning, he called the realtor to ask a question and then, just as we were ACCEPTING their offer, the seller received 2 additional offers and rejected the acceptance of the offer. So, now we just went through a memo to buyers, asking for our full and best offer, along with their stipulations to closing, etc. It just sucks. I am mentally exhausted and just feel like we were so close to coming to an agreement and now we will probably lose the house, because one of these buyers may come in at full asking price, or over what we have offered. Buyer's market, my ass. Excuse my overall grumpiness. Just frustrated, because I just don't have a good feeling about it and it just means that we'll have to start all over for this potentially to happen again.

Everyone keeps telling me, if it's meant to be, it's meant to be, but it's just hard to take at this point.

Making life bear-able

I just started Week 2 on Weight Watchers and I think the two things that have made it bearable are... fresh peaches in season (1 point) and these little 100 calorie lovelies (2 points). I guess starting a diet AND negotiating the hell out of a house were not the smartest things to do in a single week!

House update: We received their counter offer today and now Hubby and I have to talk. He's away on business, so I'm sure this will be a great conversation via mobile phone! I'm ready to just go for it & I think he is too. It would mean a few thousand over what we really hoped to pay, but really, what's a few thousand over the term of a mortgage. (Don't you love the way that sounds very haughty, like I'm just throwing around thousands of dollars every day). Plus, it is one of those homes that I can envision kids learning to ride their bicycles on the very long driveway, lazy autumn mornings to enjoy breakfast on the patio, the perfect Christmas tree location, and fun gatherings with our friends for cookouts or game nights. No, I'm not emotionally attached or anything!!

Negotiations, Day #2

We are currently in negotiations with the owners and are going back to see the house again tomorrow. They have agreed to give us all that we have requested, but haven't budged much from their initial price. I've never been through this before, so it's nerve wracking & exciting, all at the same time. Probably is the reason why I've had wine for dinner (not with) the past 2 nights!! Why is it that after going to see the home twice and staying for a long time, over-analyzing and taking pictures that I can't remember a damn thing!?! We just wish we knew the magic number that the home-owners want so we can cut to the chase & make the deal.

Holy crap

We put in an offer on "our" house this evening. No word yet from the realtor. Trying to rid ourselves of nervous energy by repeatedly crossing fingers and picking up telephone receiver every five minutes, to make sure it's working.

A look inside..

My medicine cabinet... Lately, it's begun to fill up on some of my new & old favorite supplies.

Yonka toner. I found this at my latest facial. It feels and smells great - adds moisture and is just plain refreshing.

Cetaphil cleanser and Cetaphil Daily Facial moisturizer with SPF - I have used both for years and I think they are the two products I cannot live without.

Philosophy's Eye Believe eye cream - a great under eye treatment.

My Sonicare toothbrush - as an obsessive toothbrusher, this one rocks.

Bare Minerals makeup - I have the starter kit & am loving the swirl, tap, and buff!

What's your favorite product in the ol' medicine cabinet?

Quick and Easy...

This super easy crowd pleaser is a recipe from my Mother-in-Law. She calls this casserole Kellogg Potatoes, which I think is a more upscale way to say tater tot casserole! Hubby was the chef on Friday and made this for a cookout with friends. It was also good as leftovers yesterday!

You will need:

One bag of Tater Tots, onion flavored. Allow to thaw.
16 oz. Sour Cream
Cream of Chicken soup
Corn Flakes

Once thawed, crumble tater tots into a large bowl. Add sour cream and soup to the tater tots. Mix well and place in a 13x9 baking dish. Crush corn flakes to cover the top. Spray a little spray butter or margarine on top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Just putting it out there...

I took my last birth control pill today. (Not forever, but for a while, so you know, possibly that whole reproduction thing.... )

Labs R Us

Over the years, we have collected quite a few things "labby". Some cuter than others, but here are a few of my favorites.

My LL Bean "cottage dog" flip flops.

Southern Proper has a new line of Belle Bands, and are oh-so-cute with a black lab print. They also have a very cute lab, named appropriately, Beau.

We received this great Steven Huneck hand hooked rug for our wedding. The motto of "Love is give and take" is a perfect daily reminder.

Zeus and Zoe love their lab printed, and personalized bed from Orvis.

And of course, your car wouldn't be complete without a couple of these...

Bad Mom

I took Zoe to the vet yesterday - she had developed a nasty ear infection and it was beyond our cleaning. Poor girl. We had to wait an hour (with an appointment), just to be seen by the vet. Of course, she loved all of the attention in the lobby. We found out, it was a double whammy - a bacteria and yeast infection. Yes, it really is as gross and smelly as it sounds. They cleaned out her ears and now she's on an anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and ear drops, plus a special cleanser that helps to dry out the ears. Of course, she hates the drops, but seems relieved when they're over and she gets a biscuit. I just felt awful, especially when the vet told me that he thought it was all pretty painful for her. Not sure what that guilt trip will do, but I'm sure it will involve new toys or extra belly rubs. Who's in charge here?

iPod+iTrip+my 10 minute commute=so easy

Does anyone have the iTrip? I traveled with a friend recently and she had one - it seemed to work great. I have a 6-disc CD changer in my trunk, but it's been wreaking havoc lately. Also, I haven't purchased any CD's, since I bought my iPod, so my selection isn't very current. Just looking for a good alternative to our less than stellar local FM radio stations.

Back to the Track

It literally felt like High School again this morning - for our Boot Camp cardio portion, we went to one of of the high school tracks for a rather intense workout. We ran, did walking forward & backward lunges, power skips, sprinting, bear crawls, etc... all on the long track. Plus, stair workouts, because you can't go to the track without those! It was hard, but fun. Glad to be enjoying my coffee now & getting ready for work!

Tie it in a knot, tie it in a bow..

We loved the house. Really. The only "flaw" that I can think of is that there is no storage in the master bathroom. I'm really wondering where the current owners get ready. The guy, I can understand - all he really needs is a toothbrush and a razor, but for the lady of the house? I don't consider myself high maintenance, but I do have plenty of products, a blow dryer, a flat iron, etc. But, I am a self professed product junkie. I digress... so anyway, I've had knots in my stomach all day and can't concentrate on work. Uh, not good!

Bridges and signs...

Hubby and I are going back this evening to look at a house we saw last week. We both loved it, actually to the point, that once I saw the kitchen, I said "let's make an offer". It truly has everything we need - all brick, great neighborhood, 1 acre in the city (so rare), 4 bedrooms, so Hubby can have an office, a huge, renovated kitchen, hardwood floors, a great playroom that would be the perfect Man room for now, and perfect for kids later, a big fenced in yard for Zeus & Zoe, a 2 car garage (a rarity in this neighborhood). And for the clincher - it has a little stream in the front yard with a bridge. How cute is that?! Yes, I think mosquitoes could be bad, but whatever...It's cute, right? And, I think it has a laundry chute, which I also adore.

We both really love it and want it to work. It's a tad pricey - not totally out of our range, but more than we originally wanted to spend. But, on the plus side, we could literally move in and unpack and not have to really change anything or fix anything.

OK, and now for the weird thing that made us think, is this a sign? The family who lives there currently has 3 children and their names are all on the bedroom doors. Two of the names are ones that we have talked about as potential children's names and the 3rd name is that of one of Hubby's best friend. A sign??

Weekend Dining Recap

It's fun, hanging out with one of your pregnant friends.. I think we pretty much just ate our way through the weekend.

A little recap...

Chocolate covered strawberries from here. We went back on our second day so I could buy more sea salt, dark chocolate covered caramels.
From here, a trio of hummus with perfectly toasted pita bread: our flavors black bean, red pepper and a cilantro-green chili.
I enjoyed a pear and gorgonzola salad, along with our hummus trio.
A lovely breakfast buffet from our hotel, which was really, just a bagel and a banana with mediocre coffee.
Yummy shrimp & grits with homemade biscuits from this gem. My dining companion enjoyed traditional southern BBQ and we split an order of banana pudding.
Movie popcorn... really, what is better?
And, I enjoyed a coolata from Dunkin Donuts on my Sunday morning drive home. I'm not sure that it's anything other than a coffee flavoured milkshake, but it worked!

What I've been doing this week...

1. Attending Boot Camp, and I missed today. I didn't sleep well last night & I'm leaving for the weekend a little later this morning, so I just called it a sleep in day. So, there. However, boot camp has involved running up a very steep hill, not only forwards, but backwards and side-to-side and a cycle-circuit class.
2. Getting ready to meet my very best of friends for a short, girl's weekend, later today.
3. Looking at another house that Hubby and I are both in love with, but is a tad, or $50k out of our loosely set price range. We've been approved for over the cost of the house, but just don't know if we want to go there.
4. Dreaming about being pregnant. Actually twice this week. (I'm not).
5. Receiving a nasty letter at work that had several inaccuracies about me, regarding an event that I held several weeks ago.
6. Writing my rebut against this letter and talking to my boss, who is totally on my side and thinks that this lady who wrote it is a big ol' crazy lady.
7. Finally sporting my new VV pink polo.
8. Watching Zoe jump into the air, do a 180 degree turn and land in my lap. Crazee-dog, but she's oh-so-cute.
9. Having my hair cut & realizing that it's a tad too short for my liking, but understanding that it will grow like a weed.
10. Receiving a letter from my mom that included a letter from me that I had written to her as a child. It wasn't dated, but I said: "Dear Mama, I'm locking myself in my room forever. Signed, (my initials). P.S. And I'll starve!" I have no idea what I was so mad about, but luckily, Mom didn't let me lock myself in my room.

Is someone trying to tell me something?

This morning, after a rather grueling Boot Camp, I was getting ready for work. I decided to wear my cute, seer sucker pants. I pulled them out of the closet to find that either the dry cleaner shrunk them or my ass has suddenly grown to the size of a state fair, award winning watermelon. After a brief meltdown and expletive-fest (sorry, Hubby), I found something else to wear and left for work.

I was going about my day when I decided to check my yahoo email account to find an email from Zafu in my inbox. Oooh, I love Zafu, so I opened it. Guess what it said? Susan, did you know that Zafu now carries PLUS size? What? Was this sent to me because of my measurements or did this go to everyone? Humph.

Then, for our office building, hosted a Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream social. Free ice cream. Ben & Jerry's. How do you pass that up? I didn't think about my too-tight pants as I enjoyed my Chocolate Fudge brownie ice cream, with a little Berried Treasure sorbet on the side.

A new assignment

Exciting news... I was chatting with our editor last week & she was working on story assignments for our winter edition. Somehow, I let it slip that I have always had this secret fantasy of writing for a magazine - of course, in my fantasy, I have my own monthly magazine column, wear preppy, but hip glasses and everyone wants to know what I have to say. Well, she gave me an assignment, which honestly, scares the hell out of me. I've been writing (hence the blog) and doing a little other work related writing (press releases, marketing reports, ad copy), but I haven't written a real life article in a long time. The last ones that I wrote were probably in college, and that was just to receive a grade, not for actual money.

So, wish me luck.. my deadline isn't until July and it's on a neat little boutique, of which I am a fan, so hopefully, it will be relatively painless.

Day of Susan

I didn't know this until later, but Hubby had determined that yesterday was the "Day of Susan". I ran a few errands in the morning and arrived at the spa to find out that I was having the "mack daddy" facial, followed by an hour massage. The facial lasted 1 1/2 hours and was amazing. It included neck, shoulder, hand, and leg massages, plus all of the facial massage, exfoliation, masks, etc. They used this collagen booster apparatus, so I left feeling great to cross the hall for my massage. I didn't realize how much stress I must have been carrying in my back and shoulders. Lots of knots, but the masseuse did a great job to work those out. I left feeling refreshed, albeit slightly greasy. After my second shower of the day, we had a good evening and met up with friends for a few cocktails, then called it an early evening. Ahhh.

Charleston Recommendations

Nanders, a few watering holes that I enjoyed include Red's Ice House (actually in Mt. Pleasant, on Shem Creek), The Rooftop Bar at the Venue Inn - a perfect place to see Charleston from a great rooftop bar, and Tommy Condon's, an Irish Pub with a great outdoor patio.

Also, swing by the Market... it's fun and has the great handcrafted baskets. Some of the stuff is crap - fake gucci sunglasses, but it's fun to see. You can't go wrong on dining in the downtown area and also for pubs as well.

Have fun - Charleston is a great city!

Organization is my friend

Can I tell you how nice it was to come home from Boot Camp this morning, open the door, and smell the coffee brewing? Hubby went to swim this morning, but was thoughtful to feed the dogs and start the coffee. I poured a cup and sat down at the computer to finally organize my emails. I filed or deleted a zillion and only have 21 email in my inbox. It's quiet in the house and all I can hear are a few birds chirping and Zeus, snoring every so slightly. Now, all I have to do is shower, take my car to have the oil changed, and then I'm off to my mystery spa appointment. I'm also planning to reorganize and declutter my bathroom closet that currently looks like an explosion took place in Sephora, Target and Walgreen's, and the remnants landed in the closet!

Embracing the whale

Ever since my visit to Redix in Wilmington, I've been eyeballing the Vineyard Vines D-ring belts. When I was at the store, they didn't have my size in the right pattern, so I payed a visit to the website and scored on their sale area. I picked up a pink and blue sea turtles belt and a pair of pink chinos. What else can a girl want?

And, hubby gave me a very sweet surprise today...I've been working 6 days a week for the last 5 weeks, so needless to say, I'm a bit worn out so I decided to take Friday off. I arrived back at work after lunch today and found a beautiful arrangement of white and green hydrangeas, with pale white roses, from my Hubby, designed by my favorite florist in town. Just beautiful. And, on the card, an invitation to be at my favorite spa tomorrow at 11am. He won't tell me what I'm having done - just to show up at 11am. Sweet, very sweet.

Back to Boot Camp

Yes, I did it. I signed myself up for 8 weeks of torture, I mean training. I'm doing another Boot Camp at a local gym, 3 days a week from 5:15-6:30 AM. Yes, AM. Yesterday was our first day & I realized that taking 5 weeks off from the gym has done nothing but make me feel fat, lazy and completely out of shape.

We started off with push ups and sit ups. You do all you can for 1 minute and then we'll be tested again on this at the end of the session. I did OK on those.

Next, we did a series of cardio with a step bench and weights, including mountain climbers, squats, push ups, jumping on and off the bench etc. Then we went outside to do ten thousand walking lunges.. OK, probably not that many, but it felt like it. Next we ran, then we did sprints/running backwards. More mountain climbers and then back inside for bear crawls, running backwards, backward bear crawls, side crawls. Ack.

I'm a bit sore today and that is putting it mildly. Still a little mad at myself for letting myself get out of shape. I just felt so slow against everyone else and that I was struggling throughout. I know that it'll get easier & that I should concentrate on me and not everyone else, but that's a little easier said than done.

Ok, enough of my pity party and I'm gonna go look for a pillow for my chair now!

Chocolate Heaven

Over the weekend, I worked in Asheville, NC. Asheville is a beautiful city with all kinds of hidden treasures - interesting boutiques, art stores, spas galore, dog friendly, and you can visit the fabulous Biltmore Estate while in town. And, this weekend, the 3rd annual Chocolate Festival was being held! For what more can a girl, with PMS and whose worked all weekend can ask?

Our work day ended at 4pm, so one of my co-workers and I decided to head downtown to this little bite of fabulousness. Oh my, chocolate martinis, organic chocolate, chocolate covered strawberries, truffles, sea salt caramel covered chocolates, ice cream, cookies, brownies. If you could think of a chocolate... it was there. I will say, my favorite chocolate store and has been for years is The Chocolate Fetish . On Friday's & Saturday's, they have huge, fresh local strawberries that have been dipped in 2 kinds of chocolate. They also had these fabulous sea salt chocolate covered caramels. Don't turn away - they were the perfect mixture of sweet and salty. And, don't leave without a box of at least 8 truffles... the Velvet Sin and The Blossom are probably my favorites... wonderful, rich, worth every calorie! And, yes, they do ship & provide bulk orders for special occasions!

What makes your toes happy?

Silly topic, but what is your favorite flavour of toenail polish? For my manicures, I rarely switch from OPI's Catch the Garter. For me, it's the perfect combination of sheer pink. But, I'm perplexed on my toes. Any advice? I like pinks in the summer and typically use OPI or Essie. Everything I've tried lately turns out either too day glo pink or too peachy-coral.

House Hunting...

Hubby and I found a FSBO (for sale by owner) in the neighborhood that we love. We went last night to check it out. We walk in and realize that it has a pool. A beautiful backyard - the house is on 2 lots and actually has a 2 car garage. This is an older neighborhood and premiums like big yards and garages are a rarity. Actually has a walk in closet in the master. Kitchen has been redone - very tastefully, with granite and pretty cabinets. A lovely screened in porch.

So you ask, what's the problem? Well, even though currently we are a family of 2, we really anticipate children and Hubby is in outside sales, so an office for him would be nice. The house has 3 bedrooms, one very small and no other true dedicated office space. We've always said that we need 4 bedrooms, period. We really like the home - it's comfortable, has large rooms (with the exception of the one bedroom), hardwood floors,etc. Just not sure if it's the house for us, but we almost hate to walk away because we like it so much. Sigh. So, any deal breakers for you when house hunting?

Preppy Heaven

Yes, I made Hubby stop and my favorite store in Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach - Redix. From the front, it looks pretty awful - signs about bait & 20% off beach chairs, the storefront is unassuming. But, inside, past all of the Wrightsville Beach chatzkies, you will enter Preppy Heaven. (insert madras wearing angels singing). From the get go, you will find Rainbow and Eliza B. flipflops, Leather Man belts and dog collars, Vineyard Vines everything, Lacoste polos galore, Cape Madras, Tommy Bahama and the list goes on and on. Zeus is the recipient of a new American Flag Leather Man collar and I came away with a pink VV polo shirt. I found cute VV belts, but not in my size. I'll have to get online later tonight!

The weekend was fun - lots of work on Saturday, but we made up for that the rest of the weekend by eating lots of good food & drink - J. Michael's cheese steak sandwiches, steamed peel n' eat shrimp, cold beers and G&T's!

It was a fun trip, but as always, good to be home.

On the road again...

Off to the coast for 2 days of work and 2 days of fun. Not a bad place to spend a long weekend, even if a little of it does involve work. However, I know that shrimp & cheese bread and G&T's are in my near future. Cheers!

Boot Camp

Since my lazy ass has been such a slacker since the half marathon, I think I need to try something new, or at least something I know that works. Work has been so busy, I've found myself tired in the evenings that I would just rather sit on the sofa, eating multi-grain tostitos and convincing myself that they really are healthy, than go run or do something good for myself! Also, Hubby is training for a sprint triathlon, so I even feel like a bigger slacker as I politely sit on my arse! I'm really proud of him - he's been training, taking swim lessons to tweak his swimming abilities and has new swim/bike/run shorts that are kind of funny, but kind of cute!

Anyway, a new boot camp is starting on June 4 for 8 weeks. It's 3 days a week from 5:15-6:30AM and I think as much as I will hate the wake up call, it's really what I need to do to get back in the proverbial saddle. Hubby & I have also always done the boot camp classes together so this will be my first one solo... somewhat intimidating to me for some reason. OK, enough whining, but I could mention the fact that literally, I think I've only worked out once since April 28. Sad, very, very sad!!

Barkin' & Baseball

Tonight, we attended "Bark in the Park", an event sponsored by our favorite hometown minor league team and Novartis Animal Health. Attendees can bring their dogs to enjoy a little baseball, all while supporting animal rescue & adoption. Zeus and Zoe had a great time and caught up with their doggie friends Gracie and Keegan, along with countless others who were available for wags and sniffs.

Keegan is the newest member to our circle of doggie friends, the newly adopted Golden Retriever pup of friends Danielle & John.

Zeus and Hubby enjoyed watching a little of the action.

A fun evening was had by all & for a great cause.

Swirl, Tap, Buff update

While I was in Charlotte last weekend, I paid a visit to the Bare Minerals store and came out the proud owner of a Light/Barely Light starter kit. I could barely wait to get home and try it out.

I unpacked my new goodies to admire & also the DVD, so I would hopefully know what the hell I was doing. I noticed that I didn't seem to have the 2 shades of foundation, but I had 2 warmth shades instead. Since I didn't want to look like I was sunburned, I called the store & I had to send back the whole kit, so they can exchange it for a correct one. Hopefully, I'll be back to swirlin', tappin' and buffin' in no time.

The tail will tell

I heard about this study yesterday and found the article on the NY Times. Apparently, the way a dog wags their tail suggests how they feel. Tail wagging to the right means "I'm happy, I'm comfortable" whereas tail wagging primarily to the left means "I'm not sure, I want to retreat". My question is, our dogs really do seem to wag their tails in a circle. What's up with that? Click here to read the article.

What I did today

It's been a bit of a whirlwind, so here goes....

1. Received a call at 7:30 AM, which scares the crap out of me. It was my dentist, wanting to see if I wanted a 4 PM cancellation. Yep, I'll take it.


2. Worked with my assistant to meet with our staff of employees who will be working this Saturday at our 3rd out of 5 events.


3. Went with our editor and assistant (ok, I really hate using this word, but she's on contract & I guess that is her title) to a fabulous store that specializes in eyeglasses and art to help our editor find new glasses & story ideas. How fabulous is that?


4. Drooled over Oliver Peoples sunglasses that were in the store, that I will have to go back and purchase. I think the name was Blithe and they were oh, so very Audrey Hepburn.


5. Had lunch at a great thai place with my co-workers.


6. Finally made it back to the office to several e-mails, numerous voicemails and various "fires". Put out fires, returned phone calls and answered emails.


7. Left for dental appointment.


8. Picked, polished & flossed, went back to work and confirmed a slew of rentals for this weekend.


9. Went to have my hair highlighted at my favorite salon. It's the perfect mix of upscale, but not snobby or stuffy.


10. Found out that my sweet hubby had paid for my hair extravaganza in advance. Awwww. Very sweet.


11. Came home to find a Gumby in our mail. Apparently, hubby has to take his photos for the next week as part of a "stretch" contest he is in at work. All I know is, Gumby is mine after this photo shoot.

Celebrate your mom!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mother's out there! I hope you have a wonderful day with those that give you joy and love!

It's a beautiful place...

Sephora, that is. We don't have one in our city, so I typically shop online. I happened to be in Durham today, where one just opened. Oh, it is just the most glorious place for makeup, shampoo, skin serums and potions. I didn't buy a lot today, but I did manage to pick up:

Stila lip glaze in berry

Philosophy Amazing Grace concentrated perfume oil

Sephora professional flat eyeliner brush

One thing I looked at, but wasn't ready to purchase is the Bare Escentuals foundation kit. It comes with the brushes and the powders. Has anyone used it? When I've seen it advertised, I always think that it looks amazing. I'm not a huge make up wearer, so I'm still a bit of a skeptic. Would love to hear more about it if there are any users out there!

What I've been doing

Other than blogging...

1. Attending the final Junior League meeting of the year and welling up in tears like a big baby.
2. Opting to go out for yet, another glass of wine on a "school" night.
3. Finally participating in some sort of exercise since the half marathon.
4. Contemplating running the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco with Team in Training. There's a Tiffany & Co necklace and chocolate for every finisher at the end. Who's with me?
5. Asking hubby to trim the overgrown bushes that I have to walk past every day. When they're wet in the morning, I always end up brushing against them & getting wet or dirty.
6. Deciding not to open my new bottle of pre-natals. Let's face it - no baby making trying can happen until the Fall, at the earliest, due to my insurance. I'm still taking a multi vitamin, so no worries there.
7. Doing a little windshield time traveling to our upcoming event locations to map out our event.
8. Trying to figure out what to get my Mom-in-Law for Mother's Day. Hubby and his siblings have no idea this year.
9. Putting on my PJ's as soon as I walk in the door.
10. Realizing that I am waaay overdue for a haircut!

Been to Target lately?

Check out Tar-zhay's $1 area when you enter the store. They have the cutest little flower pots, complete with seeds to grow sunflowers, daisies or radishes. OK, not sure if I can get in with the last one, but I loved the flowers. I actually bought about 50 of them to give as little "thank-yous" to employees who are helping out with our launch events. I also think that these could be really cute to use as wedding favors.

I do have to report that the 1st launch event went very well, if I do toot my own horn! Everyone loved the band, the collateral pieces looked great, we distributed over 1,000 magazines and generally, all of our guests really seemed to have a good time. One down, four to go!

In honor of my husband...

And his love of bourbon, the Mint Julep and in honor of The Kentucky Derby

Ingredients

1 scant ounce minted simple syrup *

2 cups crushed ice

2 ounces bourbon

Fresh mint sprig, for garnish

* Ingredients for minted simple syrup

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 bunch mint

Preparation of Minted Simple Syrup

In heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Increase heat slightly, then simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take pan off heat, add mint leaves, and steep 15 minutes. Strain, then refrigerate syrup until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

Preparation of the Mint Julep

To highball glass or silver Julep cup, add minted simple syrup, then 1 cup crushed ice, bourbon, and splash of water. Add enough of remaining ice to almost fill glass. Stir well and garnish with mint sprig.

Epicurious, May 2006 Cocktail of the Month

For your next sporting event

I have to share these great dress designers that will be featured in the fall issue of our magazine. Buzz & Berley is a duo out of North Carolina who have designed dresses in collegiate colors, some with subtle college logos. These are the perfect preppy dresses to wear to football games, tailgating parties, etc when you want to support your team, and still want to look cute, without necessarily wearing head-t0-toe Carolina blue, along with your face painted and pom-pons in hand.

From what I understand, these will be hitting the local boutique scene soon and will be designing more than just schools in the Carolinas!

The party's over...

Tonight was the last wedding directing & planning class for me. All in all, I did learn quite a bit - more on the side of the business of wedding planning, the actual directing of the ceremony and reception and also how to properly cut a cake. Not so much in the ways of creative ideas and crafts, but still a few tidbits here and there.

So now, no class to take, no current race to train for... so what's on the horizon? More time with hubby? More time with the pups? Finally learn to knit? Master the art of french cooking? Gasp, think about babies?

I know this summer will be busy with work - I actually start my first of five events this Saturday, we need to finish some updates/painting to our house in order to put it on the market, I start my second year on Exec with the Junior League , I would like to start a regular workout regimen again, and spend more quality time with Hubby... that would probably be necessary if babies are ever in order! Oh, and of course work on training the dogs more - I would like to enroll in an advanced training class, because we all know they need it! Maybe I should be naming this my mid-year resolutions??!

Can you say ouch?

We are back to the Carolinas after a whirlwind weekend in Nashville! The Country Music Half Marathon was great. A very well-run race and our weather turned out good, with the exception of being a tad warm. It was very cool on Friday and cloudy when we started that morning, but by 8am, it started warming up, just a little more than we runners would prefer.

I grew up nearby in Clarksville, TN, but I do not remember all of the hills in this area of Nashville! Definitely enough to keep you honest! The race route is great - you run by the beautiful campus of Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities and also through some historic downtown neighborhoods. Great southern hospitality with the residents offering orange slices or a spray from their garden hose.

I felt pretty good throughout the race - the last few miles were tough. I just couldn't seem to keep my toes and calves from tightening up. I'm sore today - steps are a bitch! I finished in 2:37, which ironically, was the winning time for the female MARATHON winner. That means I'm slow! Hubby finished in 2:17 - not his best time, so he's already said that we're going back next year so he can beat his time! He had been sick all week, so really wasn't feeling his best on race day, plus both of us feel like we had skipped one too many training runs to do our best. Alas, we finished so we're happy! My parents came up to watch us finish, so that was pretty great. It helped me to see my mom's sign to know that I could finish the last half mile!

That evening, we met up with some of my childhood friends for a fabulous dinner at The Palm. Great service and wonderful food. Splurged on my post race dinner of a tomato-mozzarella salad, oscar style filet mignon, creamed spinach, potatoes au gratin and a few bites of key lime pie for dessert. Not to mention my favorite pre dinner cocktail of a G&T and of course, a lovely glass of cab with dinner!

SBC Vandy - so sorry I didn't get in touch... it was crazy the week we left, so I have neglected my blogging and reading! Yes, Nashville was fabulous! Thanks for asking!

We finished out our weekend by visiting my family in my hometown - a quick trip, but so glad that we had the time to go. Now, trying to decide what's next!?! Any suggestions from fellow runners? Probably looking for another half marathon.

And they're off...

To Nashville for the half marathon! Will report an update when I return. Forecast is currently 40% or 60% chance of showers on race day, but according to my mom, who lives outside of Nashville, it's supposed to be pretty! We shall see!

Hosta R.I.P.

Hubby spent nearly all day on Saturday adding mulch to our flower beds, packing up items to take to storage, cleaning off the porch that somehow accumulated 2 borrowed gardening tools, boxes of crap to be donated, pamphlets of how to operate his RedMax leaf blower, two pairs of tennis shoes, flower pots, etc. I did my part by cleaning the house, cleaning out our laundry room and planting new hosta plants in the backyard. We're trying to get our house ready to put on the market this summer, so we're getting in clean up/pack up/spruce up mode. I went out later and I noticed that there was a large hole where one of the hosta plants had been with a few leaves left on the ground.

The culprit(s)? You guessed it, Zeus and Zoe. Zeus even had dirt on his mouth, so I'm sure I have found the responsible party. I sprayed the plants with Bitter Apple, a product we used when they were puppies, because they also then enjoyed the sport of eating plants. So far, it's working, but I still have my fingers crossed! Does anyone know of any other remedies? I've heard cayenne pepper works as well. Just trying to keep the plants in the ground!

Hosta update... 2 more of the plants are gone as of this afternoon.

In the details

When we were in Key West, I really noticed some of the charm of the older houses - the cute little pink houses with gingerbread trim, the fantastic windows of the Ernest Hemingway home and the humongous banyan trees.

Of course, there is also more than a fair share of "historic" bar signs and the corresponding watering holes...

Which of course, led to a fair share of Irish car bombs...

But we also managed to have a few great meals... One at 915 where Steven had this great whole fish, prepared with Thai seasoning.

We also dined at an Italian restaurant... I have no idea of the name, but it was great. Pictured is another group from our same city that we didn't travel with, but did manage to run into on our first night and of course, shared a few libations to celebrate being in Key West! Alan, aka Birthday boy is in yellow, hubby is in white across from him.

It wasn't all drinking and eating... well, pretty close, but Hubby & I did manage to soak up a little culture (and shade) when visiting the Hemingway house...

Now it's back to reality as we prepare for the Half marathon... we'll be finished this time next week! Ack!

It's the little things

My new business cards arrived yesterday and they have two of my favorite things & I didn't even pick out the design! Lime green accents and an image of a coffee cup in the background (muted, black & white - very cool). Our editor's cards have a wine glass in hers... Hmph... I'm not jealous or anything!

Moment of Silence

I was all set to post photos of our trip to Key West, but it just seems irrelevant now with all of the recent news. As I was logging onto MSN.com, I saw the most recent news about the VA Tech shooter and I really can't get my head around any of it. What gives someone this much hatred towards others that I assume he didn't even know? What gives anyone this much hatred, period? What gives you the right to showcase your so-called "story" to NBC ?

I have several friends and past co-workers who are VA Tech alums, so I have experienced the "heart" of the school. These people are die-hard and my hope is that the students, families, faculty and staff can recover in the best way possible.

Breaking news...

JCrew and Gap have exploded all over our bed. This is the scene while getting ready to start packing tonight. Hubby and I need to join OverPackers Anonymous. Hello, OverPackers!

It is cold and rainy here and I cannot wait to feel a little sun on my face and sand between my toes tomorrow afternoon in Key West. Our friends who we are traveling with actually left this morning and unfortunately are still sitting in the Atlanta airport. We may beat them there!

Granny Bathing Suits

OK, I am about ready for a swim-cap, complete with flowers to match the two bathing suits that I have ordered in the last 24 hours. Can you say grandma?? One is from Lands End, a tankini with swim bottom. I don't even know if it counts as a bikini bottom - I think it was only described as a swim bottom! What is that? It is pink & green and cute, but still. Then, I just ordered a chocolate brown takini & SKIRT from Athleta. UGH. I'm feeling chubby and just need to deal with it. Oh yeah, I'm going to Key West in 5 days and our house has a pool and yes, I will be expected to swim and sun in all of my whiteness and fatness. Oh, did I mention that I ran 10 miles today? Yes, 10. In the cold (37 degrees) and I'm still chubby and not wanting to wear a bikini in 5 days.

Whew...

What an exciting week.. new job & already a Friday off. It has been hectic all week, but I have really loved every minute of it. I am working for a new magazine (our 2nd issue hits newsstands next week) and we are hosting our launch events throughout the month of May, which had not been planned. Enter, Moi! I feel like I'm planning 5 weddings across the state! My lists just keep growing and the one "bad" thing is that I technically have no budget. Basically I was told to find out prices and I will be told no if it's too high. Somewhat frustrating for a planner like me, but it will all work out, and maybe that's a good thing!

On another note, hubby and I, along with 2 other couples are heading to Key West, FL next Thursday, for a little mini vacation. I haven't been in over 10 years, so I would love restaurant and activity recommendations from any of you who have been.

Have a Happy Easter and don't freeze! My cute Ann Taylor skirt will have to be put away until it's warmer.

Preppiness abounds in Charleston

It has been such a busy week - starting the new job and lots to do! I am really loving it, so I am even more assured that I made the right decision.

I wanted to post about the huge preppy party that we ran into on Saturday in Charleston. As many of you know, Charleston is oh so very preppy, pretty and fun.

So, while we were out downtown after the race, this huge group of JCrew wearing, Lilly toting, seersucker sportin' and Vineyard Vines tied people walked in. All with funny name tags and shot glasses around their neck! Sorority mixer we thought? Bachelor/bachelorette party? Nope. They were out en masse for the Carolina Cup and since they weren't able to go, they host an annual pub crawl and raise funds for the ASPCA, while wearing their Carolina Cup worthy gear, including a few fabulous hats.

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera - our group had left it back at our beach house, so no cute pictures to show you. It was definitely fun to watch & of course, we had to all make friends and find out what they were all about. Not sure how much money was raised, but they seemed as if they were having an excellent time!