Happy Holidays!

It's been a while, but I just want to quickly share with you what I've been working on this Holiday season...

Did a bunch of sewing!  2 Christmas quilts for my mom and dish towels (from Walmart) embellished with some fun fabric:

And of course LOTS of cookie making!  I did myself a favor this year and made all of my dough ahead and froze it.  Now I can just bake as I need them.

*I really wish I had taken a better picture of these...this one doesn't do them justice.  I still have to make more, so maybe I'll update later :o)

Here is a quick recipe for Matt's grandmother's Candy Cane Cookies:

1/2 c shortening

1/2 c butter (room temp)

1 c sifted powdered sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter, use 1 tsp)

Topping:

About 6 candy canes, crushed...as fine as you can get-the chunks tend not to stick to cookie.

1/4 c granulated sugar

Mix first 6 ingredients until smooth.  Whisk flour and salt together and slowly add to wet mixture.  Remove 1/2 of the dough to separate container and color the other 1/2 with red food color.  Chill for just a little bit.

Preheat oven to 375 and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil.  (This really just makes for easy clean up)

Roll about a teaspoon of each dough (Red & uncolored) into "noodles" and twist together.  Place on cookie sheets about an inch apart.  Bake for 9 minutes or until just set, not browned.

Mix crushed candy canes and sugar together and sprinkle over cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.

Yield: 4 dozen

I hope you try these!  They are a little time consuming to roll out, but they are my new favorite Christmas cookie and I think you'll love them!!!

If I don't post again before...Have a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Beware: Holiday Price Gouging

I'm sure all of you ladies are savvy shoppers.  Especially when it comes to holiday shopping.  But I would just like to take a moment to remind you to shop around before you make purchases (any time of year, really).  

I was in the market for the Aquadoodle for my niece and nephew for Christmas.  The first place I always go to is Amazon.com.  I looked at a few different versions, I think they are up to a jumbo size by now...they ranged in price from $19.99-$40.00+.  But I noticed that even with the "deluxe" sets, it only came with one pen.  OK, fine, I'll need to buy an extra.  So I clicked around and found a set with a pen, brush and stencils for $12.99 (not including shipping and handling).  Seemed kind of high to me for some plastic accessories that don't even have ink in them!  Then I found a brush and pen set for $19.99!  Woah there partner.  

Off to Walmart I went (after a lovely dinner with my siblings and husband), only to purchase the Aquadoodle Classic Mat for $15.00 (Rollback price) and the accessory kit (with brush, pen, stencils and spill-proof cup) for...wait for it....$5.00!!  I probably should have known Walmart would have had it cheaper, but sheesh!

I'm not going to bad mouth Amazon.  I've gotten some great deals from them in the past, but just do your research, know what you're buying and make sure you shop around before you fully commit to a purchase.  This was just my small example of what goes on in the retail world.  It's just shocking that stores would try to take advantage of customers in the current state our economy is in.

P.S. Stay tuned for some Holiday projects and gift ideas Tina and I will be posting over at The Clumsy Spider in the coming weeks!  I'll also be posting some of my favorite holiday recipes right here!

Does Anyone Else Get Weepy?

I am a crier by nature.  Lots of things make me cry.  Sad times, happy times, when I'm nervous or when my husband tickles me too much.  And for some reason, every year, around this time, EVERYTHING makes me want to cry!

And each year, as lives change or people pass on, I get a little more WEEPY.  I always think of my grandmother.  We would go to her house for Thanksgiving dinner.  We would walk in, the turkey already cooked, usually drying out on the stove top, naked of it's crispy skin because everyone that walked by before we got there would pick a piece off.  Even though the turkey was hard to eat without a bite of jellied cranberry sauce to accompany it down the hatch, I still miss going there.  I hope she gets to eat the most succulent bird she's ever tasted while she's in heaven!

But I get to have dinner this year with my husband's grandparents.  They are 89 and 91 and still getting around.  I can't believe gram wants to cook at all!  I think at that age, I'll have someone deliver my turkey and prepare it for me :o)

After that we'll head over to my sister's house to have dessert with her family and my parents.  It will be so nice to have JUST the family there.  No younger cousins running around, wasting perfectly good apple pie and Cool Whip (I also remember that from my grandmother's house, it seriously tweaked me to no end).  

I guess this year, being a newlywed, I am thankful for my husband and the love he gives me every day.  I am thankful for my family and friends and for all memories, old and new, happy and sad, that I will cherish forever.  *Yep, getting a little teary now, lol*

I swear, I'll try not to blubber all over myself when I see Santa coming down the street at the end of the Macy's parade on TV. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Awesome Weekend & Featured!

Matt and I were so excited to get away for the weekend!  He has family in Cape Cod, MA and they live right on the water...it's beautiful.  And the weather was perfect!  Here is a little photo recap:

On a side note...we at The Clumsy Spider have been featured!  Check us out at The Creative Itch and Giggles, Glitz & Glam!  Tina's cute window valance has gotten a lot of love this week and it's super easy, so check it out!!

Halloweenie!

I had a really fun weekend!  I love Halloween!  I dressed up as a witch with a hat I got from Walmart for $5.  And dressed up my all black outfit with an owl necklace from A Side of Peaches.  It was their daily deal...check them out :o)  I threw together a fast costume for Matt.  He was a flying monkey and I put my instructions up at The Clumsy Spider!  Please enjoy :o)  Here we are at the party we went to:

We had our family over Halloween day for snacky food and candy of course.  The kids had fun collecting their loot from my neighbors.  The adults enjoyed the peach jello shots we made :oP  We got around 150 Trick-or-Treaters!  We were totally wiped out of candy by 7pm...I felt terrible!  But they started so early this year because of it being on a school night.  So by the time the "Big Kids" came out, our light was off!  Oh well, try back next year :o)

I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty excited for the holidays now!  It's early, I know, but there is just something about this season that makes me warm and fuzzy.  I'm ready to get these skeletons and jack-o-lanterns back in the attic!  Bring it on Santa!

Why This is My Favorite Time of Year

It's the prefect time to hike!  

The smell of dried leaves makes me happy!  *Matt gave the tree a little shake so I could get a fun shot :o)

Halloween!!!  We didn't get to go on the spooky night time ghost tour at one of our favorite local spots (tickets sold out in September!), so we went during the day and took some creepy photos of the cemetery.  Maybe next year we'll be lucky enough to do they walk.

Enjoy the week ahead!

A Little Sad Today

It started off a happy day.  I finally managed to finish my quilt last night!  For the last couple of months, I have been talking with a family friend about it.  She was the reason I wanted to try to make a quilt.  My mother and I have been cleaning her house for years (20+ for mom and around 10 years for me), but she and her husband became such a welcomed addition to our family, even attending my wedding in June.  She has made some of the most beautiful HAND SEWN quilts I've ever seen.  I knew I didn't have the patients to do it by hand, but I was still inspired.

The last few weeks, I had been updating her on my progress and I was keeping up with hers.  She was so excited to show me the new fabric that she had bought.  It was the first time she had chosen a busy fabric, and decided to do a "Log Cabin."  She always thought they were boring, but she found a pattern she liked and decided to just go for it.  I would sneak into her basement and peak at her project wall and run my fingers over the seams, and thought that mine wasn't going to look as nice, but I was sure she'd be proud of my very first quilt, even if I wasn't happy with it.

So last night, I FINALLY got it all done.  I was determined to show it to her this morning...even if I had to stay up all night to get it finished.  It took me an hour to figure out how to join the end of the binding to the beginning, but I did it!  I threw it in the washing machine and hugged it when it came out of the dryer.  It was done.  I folded it up and put it on the banister so I wouldn't forget it.

As soon as we got to her house we knew something wasn't right.  It was messier than usual and felt off.  I told my mom that I was going to run my quilt back out to the car because the "Sympathy" card on the table gave us a clue that today wouldn't be a good day.  I came back inside and my mom said, "It's Mrs. Draper."  I said, "No it's not."  And I started to cry.  It couldn't be.  I just saw her last week and she and her husband gushed over my wedding pictures. 

Mr. Draper came down and gave us the sad news.  He had tried to call, but couldn't get through.  He told us that her heart gave out Saturday night.  It's just not fair.  

So I will cherish my first quilt forever.  I know she would have loved it, imperfections and all.  And I will keep on quilting and think of her fondly.  Hoping that one day, I will inspire someone to try something new and do what they love, just as she did for me.

I'll miss you, Joyce.

A Little News...

My sister and I have finally started our joint Bog!  It's a little rough, so bare with us.  When I get back from my mini vacation next week we'll add some more touches to it.  It will be all about our sewing adventures.  Hopefully you'll come follow along with us over at The Clumsy Spider!  And of course you can still keep reading here at Wishful Thinking and at my sister's blog, Tina's Place.

Stay tuned!

Feeling Pretty Terrible.

Have you ever uttered the words, "If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."  And then wished you hadn't?

A family acquaintance passed away last night and his wife called me today to see if I could give her a hand getting her house ready for all the family and friends that were going to be stopping by to pay their respects...and I had to say no.  I said NO!  What's wrong with me!?  It's not like I didn't want to, I really just can't.  She said she understood and I believe her, but I still feel like total crap.

So I immediately next day delivered the BIGGEST sympathy plant 1800flowers.com had to offer.  

Now I'm going to go bathe the guilt off of my body.  :o\

It's All Positive Today!

 

Why not?!  It's just my favorite time of year and I can't help but to be in a good mood!  I've been pretty proud of myself for getting a lot accomplished in the last week.  I've been really trying to stay motivated around the house.  I've kept up with the dishes and kept the piles of junk to a minimum!  Woohoo!  I love when things aren't cluttered.

Tina and I went shopping on Saturday and picked up some Halloween decorations from the dollar store...they had some great finds!  Then headed over to Walmart and we found some fabric on clearance...as low as $1.00/yard!  We plan on having a sewing day to make pillow cases for charity.  We'll drop them off at the local quilt shop to be delivered to hospitals and shelters.  I think we'll post more about that later :o)

Speaking of quilts, I got my first quilt top done!  I won't put any pictures up until after it's all finished, but I'm ready for my next one!  I think this will really become a love of mine.

And finally we celebrated my brother's birthday yesterday!  I made him his favorite cake (German Chocolate-box mix with Coconut Pecan frosting from scratch) and even attempted to write on it with the left over homemade chocolate frosting I made last week.  I'm not as talented as my sister in the cake decorating department, but it tasted good!

I was playing around with Photoshop, so excuse all the different styles, lol....

*Notice the candles...that's how we roll.  lol

David waiting patiently to blow out the candles too!

"It's my turn!!"

Finally!

And here we are!  And yes, that's my LITTLE brother!

Have a great week girls :o)

Bring it ON, Monday!

I've been completely MIA, but I have been reading all of your lovely posts :o)

Things have been a little crazy in the last week especially.  Most of which I won't comment on, but it's just been a little "blah" around here.  One thing I will talk about to get the word out is...PLEASE go to the DR. when you have a stomach ache!  This is nothing to mess around with.  My father-in-law went into the hospital on Friday with pains in his stomach that he had been suffering with for MONTHS.  Yeah, way to go, dad.  He kept telling everyone that it was a strained muscle.  

The diagnosis is Diverticulitis.  It's gross, but I included the link if you feel so inclined to read more about it.  Because he went for so long an abscess was created that eventually burst, creating a giant hole in his intestines.  (Hope you girls aren't eating breakfast).  SO, for the last month or so, guess what's been filling up in his abdomen?  This lead to 2 drainage tubes and today we find out what can be done to repair the hole.  If the infection of the tissue (in the intestines) is cleared up enough they can just sew it all back together.  If not, he might end up with a temporary Colostomy bag.  Gross, but true.  So go to the doctor!!

I'm determined to make this a good week tho.  Because on a Positive Note:

I have been working on some projects for ME.  They aren't prefect, but they are mine and I will still be proud of the finished project.  Here is the quilt that I started.  It's getting there, but I think I can get it done soon.

AND Thank you to Krystal of Krystal's Kitsch!  I just won a really great Nature Valley prize pack to start off my week!  PLEASE check out her blog, she's got lots to say about her fun weekends, wedding plans, back to school and of course, awesome things to give-a-way!! 

I'm kickin' ass and taking names this week!!

The Coffee Post

In honor of my fab new coffee pot:

 Which I purchased from Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday (thank you wedding guests!)  Here's the link to BB&B

My old pot was from Walmart and was a Black & Decker and cost around $20-only lasted us a year!  So this time around, since we had some gift cards, we wanted to get something a little more expensive to see if cost related to quality.  I know I've only used it once, but it brewed so fast!  Faster than any coffee pot I've ever owned!  A+ for that alone.  I'm curious to see how the self clean feature works...a little lights comes on when it needs to be cleaned.  I don't really think it should be called "self clean" just because you still have to pout the water/vinegar solution in yourself and flick the switch to ON.  Anyway, I'm being nit-picky. 

My second part of my coffee post is my FAVORITE brand of coffee...ever.  I don't know if it's much of a secret, but here ya go:

www.berresbrothers.com

And I'm proud to say that I was a fan BEFORE their Food Network appearance.  I found some of their single pot flavors in a little gift shop while in Michigan visiting family.  WOW!  Talk about the best flavored coffee I've ever had!  I tend to buy the single pot servings a lot because Matt isn't in to flavors.  If I do buy a 1 pound bag it's usually their Highlander Grogg which is their top seller.  And I buy the whole bean and grind it as I need it.  Some of my other favorites are French Caramel Cream, Southern Pecan Cream, and Streusel Cake.  I'm having a hard time deciding on what my next 1 pound bag will be..it's between Windmill Cookie or Blueberry Muffin...I can't choose!!!  I really think the prices are pretty reasonable too...try them you will not be disappointed!  

Some other tidbits...I prefer Dunkin Donuts to StarSchmucks, I order a Medium French Vanilla Light and Sweet, in the Summer I will get a Medium Blueberry Iced Coffee, when I am at home I use Splenda and Sugar free French Vanilla creamer (D&D is a treat, so I go full out with the sugar), and my favorite dessert is Tiramisu which is kind of funny because mushy foods make me gag...except for this!

Tell me your Coffee Favorites!!!!

The Baby Talk

*Disclaimer:  This post is not meant to offend anyone or their beliefs or opinions.  Just giving you my point of view on a sensitive subject...here's the short of the long:

Most of our family knows by now that my husband and I have chosen NOT to have children.  GASP!  That's right.  In most people's minds, couples get married and then have kids.  But in our case, we have both always known that this is not the direction we wanted to go.

Matt and I had the "baby talk" early on in our relationship.  And we found that neither of us had a deep longing to be a parent.  I don't think I have an ounce of motherly instinct in my body.  I have felt this way since I was a preteen.  My sister and I played with dolls and we pretended to be moms, but once I understood what was REALLY involved, I said, "No, thank you."  People would tell me that I was "young" and I would change my mind, but I never did.

I don't think choosing to be childless is a selfish decision, I just think it's the right decision for Matt and I.  The beauty of life, ups and downs, twists and turns, is that it's full of choices.  And this just happened to be an easy one for us.

Recipe of the Week!

Join in the fun and link up over at Thirty Something?

I was going to post my disaster recipe last week, but I never got around to it.  Sorry!  So here it is for this week:

Roasted Potato Salad

5 lb bag of red potatoes, cubed into pieces that are roughly the same size, I also leave skins on, but it's up to you

5 strips of bacon, cooked until crispy, then crumbled

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped into what ever size you like

1-2 stalks of celery diced

1 cup mayo

1-2 tablespoons mustard, I've used spicy brown and Dijon and they are both excellent, I like mustard, so I add the 2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons white sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven @ 450, spray cookie sheet with PAM, spread potatoes evenly on pan (you might need 2 pans), spray tops of taters with PAM and sprinkle with salt and pepper

Bake for about 30 minutes or until they are as brown as you like them, turning occasionally.

Mix together mayo, mustard, vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved.

When potatoes are done, let them come to room temp before you add to the dressing. 

Toss in bacon, celery and eggs.  Make sure everything is coated, then I sprinkle the top with a bit of Paprika for some color.  Chill until serving time!

This is my new favorite potato salad recipe, the roasted flavor of the potato is awesome!  It's really forgiving and can be tweaked to the way you like it.  I would add chopped onion too, but Hubby doesn't like raw onion flavors in anything, so I skip it. 

Happy Eating!!!

Summer Favorites

So, since I have had a bit of Blogger Block and can't come up with anything to share with you lovely folks...I am going to copy my sister (hehe) and tell you what I'm loving this summer!

Sweet Iced Tea...So fudging good and only takes a few minutes to make yourself!

2 c Boiling water

1 pinch Baking Soda

6 Tea Bags ( I used Lipton)

3/4 c White Sugar

6 c cool water

Bring water to a boil, remove from heat, add tea bags, pinch of baking soda, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.  Stir in sugar until dissolved, pour into pitcher and add cool water.  Refrigerate until cold and enjoy!

The T-shirt I won from www.SnorgTees.com via Krystal's Kitsch.  Check out her awesome blog that includes fun reviews and give-a-ways! 

My sewing machine!  Soon, I will be posting all about my Adventures in Sewing Land :o)  I'm currently stocking up on fabrics!

 

Maxi Dresses.  SOOO comfortable.  And great for day or night time!

And MOST importantly, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sun Screen in SPF 85.  This is the best sun screen I have ever used.  Being fair skinned really sucks, no tan lines, just crispy burned flesh that starts to peel after a couple of days.  I have never gotten a burn using this.  Well, only in the places I always forget to apply to...like the part of my hair, ouch.  I also use the Ultra Sheer Mist.  Both are great and they don't make my skin break out.

What are your summer favorites?!!

ReThinking Our Weekend

But this could be a good thing.  For the last couple of weeks we had been planning on taking a rafting trip down the Delaware River with two of Matt's friends and a few of their family members.  We have done the same trip for the last few years (with different groups of people) and we always have a great time.  Matt books the trip ahead of time to save a little bit of money, plus there is a non-refundable $10 deposit per rafter which goes towards the cost when everyone checks in.

Long story short, people backed out, there have been miss-communications (not on our part) the weather isn't going to be great so Matt is going to cancel.  He had a feeling from the beginning that there were going to be problems. We have a great time with his friends, but I think he's is getting a little tired of being the organizer of these events. 

I'm hoping they do the right thing and send Matt their portions of the money he put out for the deposit, but I don't see that happening. Which is a little frustrating.  Do any of you have people like this in your lives? 

Anyway, I'm not sure what we are going to do now, but either way, it's Matt's weekend off and that's always nice!

My Eyelids are Sweating.

Is that possible?  Yes.

Holy heatwave, NJ!  I can't remember it being this hot in such a long time.  My car thermometer read 100 degrees yesterday and today.  I haven't felt like doing a darn thing.  It's been luke warm showers, easy dinners and no blankets on the bed at the Duke house.  I'm not going to lie, we have AC, but the attic is right over our bedroom and it's hot as a mother up there.  We are trying to keep the temp around 75-78...as to not contribute to any brown out situations that might occur, but as soon as I got home this afternoon I dropped that sucker to 72.  Sue me.  Let's face it, if the power is gonna go out, it's gonna go out...but it will stay cool in here for at least a few hours.

I'm complaining about the heat and what did we do on Monday?  Went for a hike.  But I got some great shots.  Please enjoy the summer beauty...I'm gonna go have ice cream for dinner.

Cue the Music!

I just wanted to share with everyone our music selections for the wedding.  I can not tell you how long we searched for a 1st dance song, mother/groom song and a few others.  We couldn't sleep the night before we met with the DJ because we hadn't finished our worksheet.  Most of the "Top 10 Songs for your Wedding" lists were over done (for our taste anyway...no disrespect, but we wanted to try to be as original as possible).  Nice songs, but just not us.  So here's the list, including some of our requests for the night.  Feel free to steal them :o)


Processional (Parents & Bridal party making their way down the isle):
Feels Like Today - Rascal Flatts


Brides Entrance:  
Makin' Plans - Miranda Lambert


Recessional (We're married!):
What a Wonderful World - Joey Ramone


Parents/Bridal Party Enter Reception:
Theme from The Benny Hill Show (hehehe)


Mr. & Mrs. Duciewicz Grand Entrance:
The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows (Intro) - Brand New (Not a typical wedding song, but we share it as one of our favorites so we had to get it in there somewhere!)


First Dance:
Keep a Friend - Dr. Dog (When the DJ announced, "This will be their very 1st dance as husband and wife"...we turned to each other and said, "EVER!"  We had never danced together!)


Marie & Hew Dad:
My Wish - Rascal Flatts


Matt & His Mom:
Forever Young - Remake by the Pretenders (We cut this song short around the 3:30 mark because the last 2 minutes keeps repeating.  We also LOVED Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd, but WOAH!  7 minutes long!)


Cake Cutting:
Sugar, Sugar - The Archies


Requests:
End of the Line and Handle Me With Care - The Traveling Wilburys
Fearless - Pink Floyd
These Eyes - The Guess Who (Matt dedicated this to his work buddies...it's an inside joke, lol)
Twistin' the Night Away - Sam Cooke
Rockin' Robin - Bobby Day
A few Breaking Benjamin Songs (Not exactly Wedding appropriate either, but they are one of my favorite bands)
Can't leave Elvis out of the party!


Of course a few days AFTER the wedding we started remembering songs we should have also requested.  Oh well.  We still had a great time and the DJ played a great mix of classic rock, oldies, pop and country all night.  I feel like dancing now :o)

My Weekend

It's Monday again.  Already looking forward to Friday.

Saturday we had a nice time at my sisters house.  There is nothing like a BBQ on a hot summer's day.  Friends of ours came by and we just sat around the patio talking and laughing.  I love nights like that, need more of those.

Sunday Matt and I ran errands.  Our toilet seat took a crap *hehe, pun intended.  So we took a trip to Lowes.  It's fun to walk around there and pick out house hold appliances that we'll never be able to afford.  Ah, to dream.  But we went over to the carpet section and decided on what we want to put down in the fall.  Have to get started on sprucing up this place if we want to get it on the market next year! 

We went for a walk when we got home, but it was so HOT that we decided to turn around half way and go back home.  I was hoping an ice cream man might drive by, but there aren't many of those around any more.  Maybe that's what I'll do with my life, buy an ice cream truck...I think if people ate more Drumsticks and Choco-Tacos, the world might be a happier place.

And today, on our day off (Matt gets every other Monday off and it's so nice, but that means he also has to work every other Saturday, which blows) we are supposed to go pick up our Marriage Certificate so I can start changing my name on things.  There is a Social Security office near by and the DMV is close too.  Hopefully I can get all that done today.  But Matt got a call from his mom this morning and her car died on her way home from work.  That was at 8, it's now 11 and he's still not home.  I really wanted to get to all of these places as they opened to avoid the end of the month crowd at the DMV.  Oh well. 

In other news, I am so excited about the new "glass" I bought for my camera!!  After much deliberation, I went with the Nikon 18-200mm.  I was using the 18-55mm and the 55-200mm, which both came in the kit I bought.  It got to be too much of a hassle while hiking to keep changing, or wishing I had brought one or the other with me.  I think it was the right choice.  Can't wait to start shooting with it!  Now that the wedding is over, I can start getting more into my camera.  I've had it forever, and I need to sit down and REALLY start learning about it.

Monday Already?!

Where the heck did the weekend go?  It was a good one either way.

Saturday, Tina came over for waffles!  The waffle maker I got for my shower is awesome.  I have to send another thank you card to the person who gave it to me, lol.  I just used the standard recipe on the Bisquick box...now that I know how much batter needs to be used (I ended up making a TRIPLE recipe!) I will experiment with homemade versions.  The reason I needed such a large amount was because I got THIS bad boy:

The Krups 4-Slice Waffle Maker.  (Bed Bath & Beyond) It makes HUGE waffles...think Belgian, but just rectangles instead of one big circle.  My all-time favorite way to eat these babies is with a big scoop of  ice cream...thank you, Grandma Rommel for teaching me that so many summers ago :o)

Then for Father's Day, Matt and I took his dad out to breakfast at their local diner.  It was very relaxing.  When we got back to his parents house his mom showed us a picture video thingy that her best friend made of all the pictures she took from the wedding.  She had really great music playing in the background and it was pictures from the rehearsal dinner all the way until the end of the wedding...she did a great job!  She also got our vows on video, brought a little tear to my eye...again!

We went to my parents house for a BBQ.  It was the perfect summer day...charcoal grill, hamburgers and hot dogs, macaroni salad, beans, cole slaw, cold drinks.  And it was HOT!  And there was the kiddie pool..always more fun for the adults I think.  A water fight broke out between my parents and then my sister and I got involved...it was so much fun!!!  The boys all missed it because they were at Walmart....I actually had to call Matt and tell him to buy me dry underwear!  We laughed so hard...we all haven't had that much silly fun in a long time.  OH!  and we also toasted marshmellows....perfect end to a perfect day :o)

Today it's back to business.  No work, but I need to get this house cleaned up.  Laundry, put luggage away, put shower gifts away...my spare room is a disaster!  But we have such a small place, I don't know where I'm going to shove all this stuff!  As long as there is a home for my waffle maker...it's all good.

It's Been 2 Weeks!

Already?!  I still don't really feel like a married woman.  Our license hasn't come back yet so my name hasn't "officially" changed.  Kind of annoying, because I'd really like to get all of that out of the way ASAP.  Do you know how much easier it will be to write a check without saying, "Matt, don't forget to sign this before you leave tomorrow."?

But it was a gorgeous day.  I can't believe I cried so much!  I really thought I'd be able to hold it together a little better.  Hopefully the photographer got better shots than this:

My poor dad is trying not to lose it while I am in the process of losing it.  Matt's co-workers commented on how entertaining it was watching me try NOT to cry.  Lovely.

Once I started saying my vows, especially the, "I Marie take you, Matthew as my husband," I choked up a little, but it was smooth sailing after that.  Here, we're married!  I'm still a little nervous/shy, so I'm looking down, but so excited that part is over...you can even see my shoes!

By the time we make it into the reception, I am just so genuinely happy to be Matt's wife.  He fills me with such love and life and I am so grateful for him.  Sounds cliche' but he really does make me a better person and I so look forward to the years to come.  Are you all done gagging?

I think once I start to get the photographer's pictures back I will do a weekly posting of wedding fun!

Wordless Wednesday-Bermuda!

Horseshoe Bay Beach = Heaven
You should all try to get here one day...this beach is spectacular!

Officially Mrs. "Duke"

Yep I'm a married woman!  "Duke" is what everyone calls my HUSBAND (so bizarre to say that!), it's a shorter version of his uber-Polish last name....which I now get the privilege of using for the rest of my life :o)

Quick summary:
Matt was just the most handsome thing on 2 feet on Friday, I cried like a baby walking down the isle (darn it, I really thought I'd be OK), the vows were so romantic...traditional and unique to us at the same time, our photographer was taking some gorgeous shots ( I didn't even look like myself in his camera!), the weather was hot, but PERFECT, reception was AMAZING, but went too fast!, I danced my tushy off...so did Matt!, I felt the most beautiful I've ever felt, my sister gave the BEST wedding toast I have ever heard (I hope she posts it so you can all laugh & cry like we did,, my super shy brother got on the mic and toasted us as well which I thought was just the sweetest thing....and my feet STILL hurt, lol!!!

Off to Bermuda today!!

2 Days to Go!

I have been reading all of your lovely Blogs, but I really haven't had much time to post anything of my own!

I've been running around like a mad woman!  Ever get that feeling like you are forgetting something?  Ugh, I just can't shake it.  I wrote a bunch of lists, but it just doesn't seem like it's all there.

Anyhoo, on Saturday my sister, friend and 2 of my cousins went out for a little girl time.  We painted pottery and then had a really nice dinner at the Rattlesnake Cafe.  They have things like buffalo, ostrich, and alligator.  I was not that adventurous, I had the chicken tacos...mmm.  I want to take Matt there, he'd really like it.  The watermelon margarita was SO good.  Then we met up with the guys later in the night and hung out at the bar (walking distance from my house...woot).  I had a little more to drink then usual...and felt it the next morning.  But it really was a lot of fun.

The boys are picking up their tuxes tonight and tomorrow is the rehearsal.  I'm looking forward to that.  My best friend SHOULD be in NJ by then. 

And it's looking like the weather is going to be nice after all!  So happy for that.  I know it doesn't matter, but lets not kid ourselves, we all want sunny and gorgeous on our wedding day!

Off to Bermuda on Sunday, I'll try to get pictures up as soon as I'm back!!!!!  xoxo

Hello, My name is...

...Marie, and I'm a Cosmetic-holic.

I just can't stop myself!  I see a good review of a product, or a color that I know would look fabulous on my skin and I HAVE TO HAVE IT! 

Before wedding planning, the only clutter I had on my sink was hand soap, and other usual's like toothpaste/brushes.  And probably my hair brush and flat iron.  But NOW, my sink looks like it threw up a beauty supply store.

In the last 2 days I have placed orders with MAC and ULTA, last week I bought stuff from the Clinique counter at Macy's and a primer from Sephora.  Plus all the other crap I have purchased in the last few months.  This has got to stop already!  In my mind tho, if I just buy what I want need now, it will last a while and I won't have to buy it again until it runs out.

I never and I mean NEVER was interested in make-up up until the last year.  I didn't start wearing anything until well into high school and even then it was just eyeliner and mascara.  Once in my 20's I added an eyeshadow and lip gloss, but nothing crazy, I probably had one quad from the drugstore. 

From this point forward....no more products!  Really.  I swear.

In other wedding news...my best friend/Maid of Honor is on a European vacation until the 2nd (2 days before my wedding) and I'm a tad worried about any lingering volcanic ash.  Happy Thoughts.

Food Glorious FOOD!!

Man, I am so hungry after today!

We went to our venue to choose our menu, cake and table stuff.  I knew they had a lot to pick from, but I had no idea how much we would actually be allowed to choose.  Let me just tell you, we are getting so much for our money!  Everyone keeps telling me to make sure I eat on that day...if I don't get to eat any of the cocktail hour items, I'm going to be PISSED, lol.

Mac & Cheese poppers, mini crab cakes, filet mignon on garlic croustade, herb crusted pork loin, quesadillas, and that's just the tip of the iceberg kids!

For dinner it will be a chicken and spinach ravioli appetizer, salad, chateaubriand and lobster tail for the main course (yes, both on 1 plate!) veggies and smashed red potatoes.  Holy crap!

For dessert of course there will be wedding cake (complete with our cute little squirrels on the top!), and each guest will also get 3 mini pastries on their plate :o)

I seriously can't wait!!!

Later, I discovered this awesome website you can buy gift certificates that you print from home.  Well, I found a promo code that takes 80% off the price!  I bought $120 worth of certificates for a little over $9!  The offer code is ZOO (the website Travel Zoo is offering up this sweet deal) and it's good until 5/13.  Enter it in while you are in the shopping cart..you can pay with a credit card or paypal then print and EAT!  Who knew?!  What a great way to be able to try out a new restaurant. 

Phew!  Still hungry, lol.  I think I'll go to bed now...to dream of steak and lobster.....

One Month to Go!!

I can't even believe it!

There is a lot happening already in these last few weeks.  We are having our pre-wedding meeting with our photographer to go over all the pictures we'd like taken...and final payment too.  Our ceremony/reception site has been trying to get a hold of us to make menu selections, but we've been playing phone tag.  I hate that.  And I got the call that my dress is ready to go!  I made an appointment for next Thursday so that my sister can come with me to learn how to do the bustle. 

I can not wait to see if it fits with the alterations that were done.  It should be fine, I thought that I had lost that "last 5 lbs" but apparently the new scale that I got has been lying to me this entire time!  I got on 2 of my mom's scales this morning and I am exactly the same weight.  Which is fine, but I really thought I had been working hard!  Well I have been, but just not with the results I was hoping for.  On the up side, I have calf muscles...I've never had calf muscles, lol.

Matt and I decided last night that we will not exchange wedding gifts.  We were going to, but the more we talked about it, the more we realized that we'd rather save the money and start putting it towards our dream home.  We hope to start looking next year.  Condo living is just not for us anymore.  We want a big back yard and a garage and it'd be nice to not hear what our neighbors are doing at all hours of the day.  OH and we are surrounded by smokers...and with this lovely Spring weather and open windows, our condo smells like an ashtray, nice, right?  If you want to smoke, that's fine, but I have a problem when it enters our smoke-free home.

Anyway, enough of that...there are happy things ahead!!

It Was a Beautiful Day for a Shower!

It really was.  It was a little overwhelming, but overall I loved every minute.  I wasn't sold on the idea of a shower and registering for things, but I was happy my mom talked me into it.  There was laughing and crying and EATING.  I got some amazing things that I wasn't expecting at all.  My mom and sister went above and beyond the call of Shower Planning Duty.

They had a sort of Kitchen themed party.  So Tina sent out recipe cards with the invites so that everyone could bring me one of their favorite recipes along with a non-perishable item for the wishing well.  I scored HUGE here...Matt's grandmother gave me her recipe for this Polish cookie she makes around the holidays with the fillings for them.  I can not wait to make them!  This is the one cookie (among a million other Polish dishes she makes) that I drool over while at her house!  There were a good mix of main dishes, soups and desserts.  I can't wait to try some of them.

My family and friends were so generous to bring such nice things for me.  Among the usual's were lingerie, pots and pans, bake wear.  My sister totally surprised me with a sewing machine!  I can not even tell you how excited I am to learn how to do this with her!  She made me the coolest aprons and oven mitt! 

I don't want to go on and on, so here are some pictures from the day!

I had just opened a locket with a picture of my grandmother inside (I can pin it to my bouquet).  She's been gone for almost 4 years, but we miss her everyday. 

The cake is was white cake, raspberry mousse filling and chocolate buttercream...it was awesome.

I couldn't have asked for a better day!

40 Days and Counting!!!