At Home with Rachel

Pumpkin Cake Roll

2009-10-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

I think this might be my very favorite dessert EVER. My mom used to make this every fall when I was little. I called her on Saturday and asked for the recipe because I wanted to try and make it myself. It was fairly easy, and very delicious.

Please excuse the iphone photo. I was so excited to eat it that I didn't want to waste any time getting out my real camera. Ha!

cake

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin (from a can)
1 T. lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1 cup chopped pecans

filling

1 cup powdered sugar
6 oz. cream cheese
4 T. butter
1/2 t. vanilla

Beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and lemon juice. Then add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured cookie sheet with edges. (You are basically making a really thin cake.) Top with pecans. Bake for 15 minutes at 375. Turn out on a clean dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll towel and cake together and let that cool. (All you are doing here is making the cake cool in a way where it will roll back up easily.) Cool, then unroll and spread with filling. Roll it back up without the towel in it. Wrap in foil and chill in the fridge. When you are ready to serve it, sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top to make it look pretty. Then eat it! It's so good.

What could be better than pumpkin and cream cheese in the same recipe? Nothing, that's what.

Crochet Hat

2009-10-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

Fall makes me want to stitch cozy things. I love curling up with a blanket and a project on a cool fall night.

I have known how to knit since I was little. Weird I know...but I was an only child and had to entertain myself. I just taught myself to crochet a few weeks ago and I'm really into it. Lucky for me, I have girlfriends who have recently become interested in knitting and crocheting. We have started a new tradition hosted at my house - Wednesday Night Stitching Club! We have so much fun. Check out Jamie's latest blog post for photos of us knitting and crocheting away.

Below is my second crocheted hat of the season. The first one I made was for my husband and it was way too small. SO small he could barely get it on and it hurt his head. He doesn't have a huge head or anything, I just messed up on the pattern and left out a few increasing rounds. Oops! I made this one correctly and I'm very pleased with it. The colors are too girly for Neill so I'm keeping it for myself. I plan on making him a new one very soon.

I bought this yarn last year at a great little shop here in Fayetteville called Hand Held. I love all the different colors. Yes - this hat is made from one skein of yarn!

There are several things I plan on making this fall. I'd like to practice making baby hats (do-able) because they would make such great gifts for when friends have babies, and I might attempt to make Tina a sweater (we'll see how ambitious I get).

I look forward to seeing what the girls have been working on this Wednesday. I'm so proud of them for learning this dying art and for acting like old ladies with me!

A Coupon Organizer?!!

2009-09-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

A reader commented on my last post that I should get a coupon organizer. I didn't even know there was such a thing! Now I totally want this.

Did everyone else know about these but me?

Grocery Coupons

2009-09-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

I have recently started clipping coupons. I think it's so fun to find a coupon for something I need! Each Sunday I try to plan out several meals to cook for the week. That leads to grocery list making, which then leads to coupon hunting. It thrills me to find a coupon for something already on my list. That's the trick - You can't just go around buying everything you have a coupon for. It has to be something you would already buy, or else you're just getting suckered into spending more money instead of saving money.

Here are some items I found coupons for that were on my grocery list today:

chicken broth (to use in a recipe I'm making)
soup (the good chunky kind we like to eat with grilled cheese for lunch)
chips (found a coupon for Pringles)
dish washing detergent
toothpaste
mouthwash
razor blades
dog biscuits
paper towels

I saved just over $6. Last week I saved around $9. Not much, but enough to give me a little thrill!

I find the best coupons in the SmartSource and P & G inserts in the Sunday paper. They both have great websites with printable coupons. Now go save some cash!

Lavender Sachets

2009-09-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a fun little project I just finished.

My grandmother is having a fundraiser this weekend for Big Brothers Big Sisters. The theme is French. She LOVES everything French. They will have a French bistro on her terrace with wine and crepes, and a French market where the silent auction will be. My grandmother also adores lavender and we thought it would be perfect to somehow incorporate it into the French themed party. There is lots of lavender where my dad lives in CO, so we called him up and he mailed us 3 pounds of it. It is fresh picked from the Lavender Association of Western Colorado. It smells so good!

I went to Hobby Lobby and I got 200 lavender tulle circles from and 60 yards of lavender ribbon. This only cost about $23.

Using a kitchen measuring scoop, I filled each circle with 1/8 cup lavender, then tied them off with ribbon.

I love how they turned out!

There will be 200 favor bags full of good stuff, including my cute little lavender sachets.

The smell is so relaxing. I kept one for myself and put it in my pajama drawer. :)

I'm linking this to DIY day over at A Soft Place to Land. Need fun homemaking ideas? Go there!

Lemon Chicken

2009-09-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

This post is for my friend Jonnie. She wanted to see what I had for dinner tonight - so here it is! I got this recipe from Kelly's Korner Blog.

I added some onion slices and a little rosemary. It turned out to be quite delicious and easy (which I love). Next time, I won't use so much lemon because the green beans were a little too lemony, but other than that it was great.

You can find the recipe here. Happy cooking!

Salmon Croquettes

2009-09-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so easy and delicious. It comes from a cookbook called Traditions, which is a collection of recipes submitted by members of the Junior League of Little Rock. This recipe will make about 8 salmon croquettes. I think 2 make a perfect size serving.

Here is what you need:

1 lb salmon (canned or in a packet - I prefer to get (2) 8 oz. packets because there are no bones to pick out)
1/2 teaspon salt
dash of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon grated onion
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs

In a large bowl, mix together the salmon, salt, pepper, parsley, craker crumbs, onion, and 1 egg. Mix well (I suggest just using you hands - it's quicker). Form balls about a little larger than a golf ball, but not as big as a tennis ball. They can actually be ay size you like. Dip the salmon balls into beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs. Fry in vegetable oil until they are light brown.

They look about like this. Then place them on paper towels for a few minutes to drain excess oil.

Fresh lemon and tartar sauce are a must. Yum.

This is one of Neill's favorite recipes and he loves when I make this. I think bite size salmon croquettes with toothpicks would make great appetizers at a party. Maybe I'll try that soon.

Oh, and I have a confession to make -

Sometimes I make 3 little ones so each of our dogs can have one. Ha!

Lamp Makeover

2009-09-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

I did a fun little project last night with one of my lamps. I bought this lamp at Target a few weeks ago. I liked it plain, but I felt like it had more potential. So I took this lamp...

and turned it into this frilly thing!

Since I already had the lamp and hot glue gun, I only spent $11 on the beads and trim which were 30% off at Hobby Lobby (everything is always on sale there!) I glued the beaded trim to bottom, inside of the shade, then glued the white fluffy trim to the outside on the top and bottom. I like how it turned out - nice and girlie.

It sparkles now! I think this would be so cute in a little girl's room or a nursery. Ummm.....or a 25 year old's home office. Ha! I'm linking this to DIY day over at A Soft Place to Land.

Vegetarian Stir-Fry with Cashews

2009-09-14T20:53:00.003-07:00

Sometimes I wish I were a vegetarian. I have thought really hard about it and almost attempted it, but then I got over it. Well, I started thinking about it again lately and decided I should just try a few vegetarian meals here and there to see how I like it. I got on a healthy kick tonight (which is so rare) and cooked us an organic, vegetarian dinner. I even bought the produce and rice from Ozark Natural Foods, which means they were farmed here in Arkansas. I found this recipe for veggie stir-fry in a vegetarian cookbook I have. It turned out to be delicious!

Here is what you need:

2 pounds mixed vegetables (shortcut - buy a frozen package of stir-fry vegetables)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root (grated)
1/2 cup cashews
soy sauce
salt and pepper

The veggies I chose were onion, squash, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and a little red belle pepper. I wanted to add baby corn, but I couldn't find it at the store. :(

Cook the garlic and ginger in oil for a few minutes. This part smells really good!
Add the harder veggies like carrots and onions, and put the lid on it.

Kill a few minutes by getting the rice started.

Add the softer veggies like squash and zucchini. Let those simmer with the lid on for about 10-15 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cashews, then wait about 5 minutes. It's almost ready!

When all the veggies are nice and soft, it's ready to eat. The recipe didn't actually call for rice, but I thought it would be nice with this dish (and make it more filling). Sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top and add some soy sauce. Delicious!

This was so yummy and filling. It ended up tasting like the vegetables you get at Shogun - I'm thinking the fresh ginger is their secret. I thought we might miss having meat on our plates, but we didn't. I'm so proud of my healthy meal. I plan on cooking more vegetarian meals in the future. I'll let you know how those go! :)

Curse of the Night Owl

2009-09-13T01:38:00.003-07:00

Insomnia is awful, and I have it. I have been a night owl my whole life. My mom tells a story about the day I was born and how I stayed awake in her hospital room while all the other babies slept that night. The nurse kept coming in to check on me and take me back to the nursery, but I was wide awake and perfectly content. The nurse kept saying, "All the other babies are asleep. Don't you want me to take her back to the nursery?" My mom said, "no thanks." Instead, she held me for a long time that night. She says she knew right then I would be a night owl. She was right.
My husband is sleeping soundly about 90 seconds after his head hits the pillow. I'm so jealous. I wish it were that easy for me to fall asleep. My brain just thinks and thinks and I can't make it stop. I worry about all sorts of things from what I need at the grocery store to world peace. I replay parts of my day in my head even if nothing significant happened. I think about tomorrow - what I will do, errands I should run. It is really useless thinking. I should be sleeping with the rest of the world (and my dogs).

When morning comes, I can be a monster. I sleep so deeply that waking up is physically painful sometimes. My motor skills don't work right for about the first 15 minutes. I can't even form proper sentences until I have been up for at least 30 minutes. I am very crabby if spoken to, or even looked at. Getting out of bed just takes a second, but it's a long process for me to truly "wake up." I bet you can guess how the hubby wakes up - like a freaking pop tart ready to start the day. He's all happy and chatty and talkative. I really admire this about him, but we both know I will never be that way. Most mornings we get out of bed at the same time and sometimes he starts talking to me. Talking to me!!! I can't even comprehend what he is saying because my ears aren't awake yet. I then scowl at him and he knows I need about 30 minutes before we interact.

Maybe someday my internal clock will reset itself. For now, I'm just a night owl morning hater.

Purple Purse

2009-09-09T21:35:00.003-07:00

Meet my new purse. I bought it for myself when I was in NYC last month. It isn't often that I splurge on something like a purse, but I just couldn't help myself. I don't really keep up with fashion trends, but I hear purple is BIG right now. That works for me because it's my favorite color! It looks a little pink in these photos, but in person it's a rich shade of purple.

It's a messenger style bag with a shoulder cross strap - very practical and comfortable to wear.

It came from a store in Manhattan called Big Bag. Guess what they have there - purses and tote bags galore! They also have great wallets and clutches.

If purple isn't your color, there is a fabulous green version of this exact purse. I love what a bold purse can do for a simple outfit.

Little Me

2009-09-06T23:36:00.003-07:00

This is me in 1993 - third grade at The Cathedral School. I think I had just discovered what hot rollers could do for my hair (and I still love them today). Do you like my gold side barrette?

People usually tell me I look like my mom, but I really see my dad in this picture. We have the same shade of dark blue eyes and the same exact mouth (tiny top lip and a big bottom lip). I think I was a cutie!

Rewind to 1988 - My dad had taken my friend Cydney and I to Riverfest, when a newspaper reporter came along and snapped this photo.

I'm wearing a little sundress and BIG straw hat. You can see the river bridge in the background. This was waaaay back in the day when it was completely appropriate to take little kids to Riverfest. They had giant sandboxes to play in and lots of great arts & crafts. My dad is lookin' cool in his aviators!

Timeless Love

2009-09-05T19:15:00.003-07:00

I recently finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (that is quite a last name). It was a great book, even though it was a little confusing at times. It was hard to wrap my mind around the whole time traveling idea at first, especially because the chapters aren't in sequential order. Once I got used to how it was written, I really did enjoy this book. It is a fabulous love story with the perfect amount of suspense and humor. I think I finished reading it in about a week - definitely a page turner! Although there are sad parts, the book ends on a pretty hopeful note.
I was looking forward to seeing the movie since I enjoyed the book so much. Also, I love the star of the movie, Rachel McAdams (I LOVED The Notebook). Jamie and I begged our husbands to take us on a double date on Saturday to go see this movie. I am very sad to report that it did not live up to my expectations. It was slow paced and sad. I was thoroughly depressed when I got home from seeing this movie last night. I was also super clingy to my husband because I was secretly afraid he might time travel or something. Besides being a total downer, the characters aren't nearly as well developed as they are in the book, and there are several parts of the story that were just completely left out. That was so disappointing to me! Oh, and I mentioned earlier that the book ended on a hopeful note. Yeah well...the movie didn't. It was just plain depressing. Major tear jerker.

Would I have liked the movie better if I hadn't read the book before? Maybe. I guess it would be impossible for a 2 hour movie to include every little detail in a 500 page book. Bummer. My advice - Read the book!

Home Improvement - Organization

2009-09-02T00:12:00.003-07:00

As you can see, I had some issues with this shelf. It just wasn't working for me. It was a hand-me-down from my mom and I was so hopeful when she first gave it to me. I loaded it up with my cook books and storage baskets from Pier One. The large baskets hold the dog food, leashes, Frontline, and other dog stuff. One basket is for indoor tools like the hammer, picture hanging hooks, and tape measure. The smaller baskets hold things like bills, magazines, and notepads.

We quickly learned that this shelf was a piece of junk. The shelf pegs never stayed in place, which means they would just fall and shelf would become crooked and smash whatever was below it. See that basket on the bottom right? I couldn't get it out, or else the shelf above would completely fall. But in order to put it back on the peg, I would have to lift it up, put the peg in, then lower it down while hoping not to smash my fingers or break my back. No thank you.

Last night I'd had enough of this stupid thing. I went to Walmart on a mission to find an inexpensive solution. I bought the shelf below in the hardware section for $17. It's galvanized steel so it looks much more industrial than a regular wood bookcase. I think the steel matches since our kitchen has other steel appliances in it. The baskets fit the shelves (except for 1 of the larger ones) and my cookbooks perfectly fill up 1 row.

I decided the top of it needed something big, so I moved around a few of our wedding gifts like vases and wooden bowls but they just weren't looking right. It needed something much larger.

So I cut some branches off of the Hankow Willow AKA "corkscrew willow" in our front yard and put them in a fish bowl shaped vase. I love a big bunch of fresh greenery in the house. The cool thing about greenery as opposed to flowers is that the branches will grow roots and stay alive in that vase as long as they have water.

Now if I could only get the rest of my house organized!

Noodles with Squash and Zucchini

2009-08-30T19:30:00.003-07:00

Simple meals are the best. I like trying new recipes, but sometimes I just don't have the energy to cook a complicated meal. I make this dinner often for Neill and I. It requires no recipe and no thinking whatsoever. It is by far the easiest meal I know how to make. It's also meat free which is a nice change sometimes.

I love pasta, and I love veggies. Here is how I combine the two - Just boil some rotini noodles (or regular spaghetti) while heating up your red sauce in another pot. Chop up the squash and zucchini into bite size pieces and boil (or steam) until tender. Then throw some garlic bread (plain bread with butter and garlic powder on it) in the oven for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top. Voila.

It's colorful, delicious, inexpensive, and fairly healthy as long as you use whole wheat pasta and bread.

Great Read

2009-08-28T21:27:00.003-07:00

Since I lost my 8-5 job, I have had much more free time for myself. I actually have the energy to read before bed at night! I LOVE reading. Sometimes I curl up with my book and read into the wee hours of the morning. (Neill falls asleep within 90 seconds of lying down. I, on the other hand, am an extreme night owl.) I was addicted to Twilight for a couple months, but after getting through the first 2 books, I'm taking a break from that series. I recently finished The Time Traveler's Wife. The whole time travel thing just wasn't so believable. But it was very romantic, and I hope to see the movie soon.

The Friday Night Knitting Club is the best book I've read in a long time. It's mostly about female friendship and the bonds women have with each other. That might sound corny, but it is a REALLY good book. It follows the lives of 5 women of varying ages who are each in different stages of their lives. It seems like they don't have much in common except the knitting club which brings them together every Friday night. They slowly realize that no matter how different they are, they actually have a lot in common. Click here for a full review. The book also makes me excited for fall weather so I can start knitting something. I've never gotten past scarves and hats, but hey...those are very useful items! Maybe I'll try a new pattern this fall when the air starts getting crispy.

My friend Jamie makes confessions on her blog. I have on right now: I don't have a library card! I think I'll go get one next week. I can't keep accumulating books or I'll run out of space for them. It's also a waste of money when I can check them out from the library for free!

My Soapbox

2009-08-17T18:55:00.003-07:00

Can I vent for just a second? Ok, good. Warning: This is a long post. As you might know, I am trying my hardest to be a pet photographer. I have a blog for that, but I didn't want to risk posting this there in case a rich lady with 6 Goldendoodles wanted to hire me. Ha!

I overheard a conversation today between 2 women that infuriated me. Lady A was talking about how she was looking for a male dog to breed her female purebred dog with. She wanted one with papers, that way the puppies could have papers and she could sell them for more money. She was also hoping for a specific color of male dog so that the probability of the puppies being that certain color would be higher. Their color would make the puppies even more "valuable," which would earn her more money. My blood pressure rose a little at this point. I almost chimed in and told her to check the shelter, but then I remembered she wouldn't be able to breed a dog from the shelter since they require all their animals to be spayed or neutered before being adopted. Oh, and it wouldn't have papers or be the right color. It wouldn't be of any "value" to her.

Lady B said she might like to breed her female designer dog too, but didn't want it to get big nipples from nursing puppies because that was "gross." (Her dog was wearing an outfit, hair bow, and diaper, even though it's 90+ degrees outside!) The 2 women went on and on about how much certain colors cost, and how much they might have to pay the male dog's owners for letting him breed with their dog. Would they have to give them half of the money they earned? Could they could give him one of the puppies instead of money?

Good grief. Seriously?!!! There are so many things wrong with that conversation. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand the beauty of purebred dogs. I get the fact that there are certain traits and characteristics that are desirable I understand that it's quite a science to breed dogs. I think it's amazing that certain breeds can be trained for search and rescue or to lead the blind. I also think it's interesting that Maltese were bred to sit in the laps of English kings and queens! Our veterinarian breeds bulldogs, but not for the money. He does it for a pure love of the breed. He also knows exactly what he's doing since he is a veterinarian. He only breeds healthy dogs and he makes sure the puppies go to great homes. THAT I respect. What I can't stand is people who breed dogs just for the cash. I think designer dogs are a kind of a silly trend. Aren't they just mutts on purpose? I know they're cute and all, but if a designer dog is a mutt, then the shelter is full of designer dogs!

At least purebred dogs are required to meet certain health standards to get their papers. There is no good way to regulate the breeding of designer dogs. That means that ANYONE can breed them. It means the ugly or sick ones will get dumped and end up at the shelters (if they're lucky). Supply and demand makes the world go round, and I guess dogs are no exception. Lets stop the demand for designer dogs. It's out of hand and getting ridiculous. Don't people know how many unwanted dogs there are in the world? I guess not...and that's the problem.

As Tina's mom, I take offense to the nipple comment. Tina is a former puppy mill mom who has big "gross" nipples. She even had to have one removed due to a mammary tumor. The vet thinks the tumor was caused by nursing too many puppies at her former home where her owner bred her, then sold her puppies under the false pretense that they were purebred American Chihuahuas. Her tail has a kink in it where it was once broken and healed wrong. Despite our potty training efforts, she sometimes poops on the carpet because she lived indoors only for the first few years of her life. I guess it call comes down to what is valuable to each individual person. Tina didn't cost us a penny, and she has no papers. We won't ever make a dime off of her. We don't know what breeds she is made up of, and we don't care. She is the most darling little dog I have ever known, and she has brought so much joy and love into this house. She makes us laugh constantly with all her funny quirks. That is VALUABLE to me. Her health and happiness are VALUABLE to me. Would we love a $1200 purebred dog just as much? Absolutely! But given the choice, I'll gladly leave that purebred dog for someone who cares. I'll take the dog with the giant ears, bent tail and big nipples, who sometimes poops on the carpet thank you very much.

My "designer dog" Tina.

We have had her for a year this month. I can't imagine our house without her. Happy anniversary Tina!

It feels so good to vent. :)

Feeling Blessed

2009-07-24T01:45:00.003-07:00

I just got finished browsing around on Kelly's Prayer Blog. I feel really blessed. As I lay in my bed with my gassy dogs, (mostly Maggie) I feel so blessed. My problems are tiny compared to some people out there. I have my health, my family has their health, I have a house and food to eat, and a husband who loves me. If my biggest problem is my dog farting in my personal space, I'm good to go!

I remembered the password...

2009-07-22T23:36:00.003-07:00

...to this blog, which is quite surprising. Since I no longer spend my days in front of a computer, I have been a bad blogger lately. This poor little blog hasn't had any attention in 2 months. What has changed in 2 months?

I'm all married now! That's the biggest change.

I also got laid off, which is actually the best thing that has ever happened to me. Yeah, I said it. The government actually provides for people like me who involuntarily lose their jobs! It's the perfect opportunity for someone like me trying to start their own business.

My photography business does really well some weeks, then other weeks I have zero jobs.

One of my besties Jamie got married in Florida and it was beautiful!
One of my besties Jonnie moved to New Orleans and that makes me sad. Thank goodness for technology so we can stay in touch!

I guess that's all for now. I wish I could become a famous blogger and make zillions of dollars from ads, but I don't think my life is interesting enough. I never know what to blog about here and if it's even worth it. I have my other blog to keep up with and that takes enough of my brain cells.

Jamie and Jonnie - Are you girls reading this? Or did you give up on this blog long ago?

Sorry Blog

2009-05-14T06:57:00.003-07:00

I have neglected this little blog, but I have a good excuse. See, I have another blog to keep up with and a wedding to plan. It's almost here people!!! Today I am having my bridal portraits made. I plan on sneaking out of work early to go home and check my makeup and grab my shoes, then I have to be at the hair salon at 3:30, then head to my grandmother's for photos at 5:30. My wonderful mom is meeting me there with my dress. Oh and I'm taking the bump-it to the hair salon just in case we need it. Not the "Hollywood" bump-it, just the regular one. I'm getting really excited about my wedding...10 more days!!!

I'm handling the stress much better than these girls.

P.S. I'm not sure about this having 2 blogs business. I think it's fun since I don't blog about personal things on my photography blog...but I neglect this one. Maybe I won't neglect it post wedding when my life is back to normal.

Check!

2009-04-27T21:49:00.003-07:00

I checked several things off my list recently. I now have shoes to wear at my wedding, groomsmen's gifts are ordered, groomsmen's ties are ordered, and ceremony programs are in the works (I'm making them in photoshop). I decided to have my design printed on 5 x 7 folded cards and tie a ribbon or maybe some raffia in the crease. Now we need to decide which reading to use for the ceremony. Any suggestions?

I'm really looking forward to Jamie and I's joint bachelorette party this weeekend!!! I'm so lucky to have such wonderful and organized friends (Jonnie) who planned it all out!

My Wedding Dress (the new one)

2009-04-24T09:20:00.003-07:00

Neill has no idea this blog exists...so here I am in my wedding dress. I know it's a weird view but I can't risk showing my face in case Neill somehow finds out about this blog, which is very unlikely. I am so happy with my dress now. It fits like a glove in the bodice area and the straps are the perfect length. It's being hemmed right now and the bustle is being made too. I bought shoes yesterday, so now I just have to figure out jewelry. Woohoo!

Dress Drama / Major Meltdown

2009-04-23T09:35:00.003-07:00

Oh hell...what was I thinking?!!! I purchased a wedding dress that looks nothing like me. I had a real, authentic, bridezilla meltdown. Here's what went down on Tuesday...

I went to try on my dress which just came in last week. I tried on the veil and everything and played with different jewelry combos. I noticed the dress seemed puffier than the sample was, but we smushed it down a little and it seemed better. My mom and step-sister were there and they thought I looked great. So did I.....kinda....not really.

On the way out of the store my stepsister and I browsed through some of the other dresses and she was commenting on which ones she liked. I noticed a beautiful dress hanging on the rack. I reached out to touch it and realized it was my runner up dress. I felt soooo sad inside during that moment. We said bye to the helpful people at the shop and while we were walking to my mom's car I felt my eyes fill up with tears. We got a few blocks away and my mom could tell I was not ok. She pulled the car over and asked what was wrong and I started sobbing! The kind of sobbing where you can't control it and you make awful noises. Oprah calls it, "the ugly cry." I explained to my mom that I'm so sorry but I got the wrong dress. My mom and Audrey calmed me down and told me to sleep on it. I didn't get much sleep because I was worrying about the dress I was now stuck with but didn't want to get married in. I thought I was doomed. I thought I would just have to get over it and wear the poofy dress that is SO not me.

This story has a happy ending...well so far that is. Luckily, we are purchasing the other dress from the shop. It is a sample dress that has been tried on by other brides so cross your fingers that it's in good shape. I'm going up this evening to try it on and have a fitting. When I think about getting married in that dress I feel really excited and beautiful. That's how I know it's the one for me. Looking back at this whole dress search I feel like it was obvious that this other dress was "the one." When I tried it on it made me smile and I pictured Neill loving it. We are stuck with the poofy dress, but I plan on selling it and getting at least some of the money back for my dad who will have bought me 2 wedding dresses now. Sorry dad! I have definitely learned my lesson the hard way. I should have never listened to anyone else, and I should have trusted my gut instincts. Thank goodness the problem can be resolved!

Bride-chilla has lots to do!

2009-04-20T08:35:00.003-07:00

I have a lot to do, and not enough time to do it in.

order groomsmen gifts (something monogrammed...who knows what)
figure out a good flower girl gift for Coco (maybe a jewelry box?)
order bridesmaid shoes (girls if you are reading this, pick a freaking shoe!)

buy lots of votive candles from Hobby Lobby
go try on my dress and schedule a fitting if I need one
schedule practice hair and bridal portrait session
find a dress and shoes for my rehearsal dinner
get a tan
order a new swimsuit, coverup and maybe some new clothes for my honeymoon
print photos of Maggie, Jonah, and Tina for the reception, and buy frames for them

If you are wondering what that last one is all about, we will have a small display set up next to the guest book with a framed explanation that we are donating $ to the HSO in lieu of favors. Next to that frame we will also display a framed photo of each of our dogs. I know this is a little cheesy, but tiny boxes of mints with our initials on them are way more cheesy (and a waste of $). Since we can't have our dogs at our wedding this is a way for them to be included.

"Love grows best when surrounded by family, friends, and pets."

Oh good grief...wish me luck! Wedding planning hasn't been very fun for me. I'm just not one of those girls who had my wedding all planned out since I was little. I also have a groom who says, "Yeah, that sounds good," to almost everything I say! I'm glad he is so laid back, but I can be really indecisive so sometimes I need help when it comes to making decisions.

Bella Vita Jewelry

2009-04-17T08:01:00.003-07:00

I'm so proud of my friend Brandy for following her passion. Brandy and I were classmates through 4 years of design school. We studied for countless tests together and every time a professor announced a team project we would look straight at each other. I can't tell you how many times I called Brandy to figure out what our homework was, and vice versa. The funny thing is...we both have other goals that have nothing to do with interior design!

Brandy has been making jewelry for a very long time. She has an eye for beautiful things and she uses lots of really unique vintage beads in her designs. Brandy is now turning her passion for beads into a jewelry business! Please check out Brandy's awesome new website Bella Vita Jewelry.

My Wedding Dress is Here!

2009-04-14T12:02:00.003-07:00

I just got a phonecall from Blake at She Said Yes and guess what.....my wedding dress is here! Now I just need to go have it fitted. Neill if you are reading this go away now! Anyone else...click here to see my dress. I love it.

What Diet?

2009-04-12T20:10:00.003-07:00

It seems like every bridal magazine I have bought has at least one article about getting in shape for your big day. My big day is about 6 weeks away and I just don't feel the need to starve myself and exercise until I drop. Is that weird?

Instead of getting in tip top shape for my wedding day, I decided to try and live a healthier lifestyle overall. I have traded in pop-tarts for a banana in the mornings. Instead of fast food, I've been eating turkey sandwiches, baked lays, and grapes for lunch almost every day. I have been walking the dogs more often, sometimes several days in a row if the weather is nice.

No drastic, pre-wedding lifestyle changes for me. My wedding dress sucks me in pretty good, which is a good thing because I ate a cookie while typing this. :)

Just for Fun

2009-04-11T21:56:00.003-07:00

I enjoy blogging about my photography business but I have lots of things to say that have nothing to do with photography. I wanted a fun blogspot blog so here it is! I was inspired by my friends Jamie and Jonnie. This is an exciting time for Neill and I and this is a place for me to share what we are up to.