Friday, September 28, 2012

500th Post + Get To Know Me!

 
 
Since this is my 500th post and I've recently hit and surpassed the 500 follower mark, I figured I should introduce myself to the new people, and provide a refresher for my long lasting, loyal readers!
(Anyone out there want to host a giveaway for my wonderful readers??)
 
 
If you're on or were on Facebook back in early 2009, there was this post going around called "My 25." Basically, you listed 25 random, interesting  facts about yourself that maybe not everyone already knew. Pretty similar to the whole "If You Really Knew Me" thing going on around blogs lately.
 
So here we go...with a few updated modifications..
 
1. To start out, I honestly don't even think I'm interesting enough to write 25 interesting facts about me.

2. Since my freshman year of college, I have had 20 different roommates, 8 different locations! And I would like to thank my parents for helping me move EVERY time!

3. When I was in kindergarten, I told my parents I wanted to work at Burger King when I grew up. And I'm still not 100% sure what I want to do, so there's always still a possibility! But hopefully not....

4. I like ALL kinds of music. And I do mean ALL. Pretty much to the point where I'm embarassed to put my Ipod on shuffle.

5. I've been told I look sweet and innocent....but I have a serious road rage problem. I try to act on my best behavior when I'm in the car with other people, but when I'm alone, I swear like a sailor, break check if someone's driving too close, etc.

6. If I want to make my parents and sister laugh, I break out my Carlton Banks dance from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air...but I REFUSE to do it for anyone else.

Since writing this, Cameron has been the only other person to see the Carlton dance.

7. In highschool, I was a pro at sneaking out of the house. I got caught red handed once, but told my parents it was the first time. I'm sure they knew I was lying though. Hi Mom!

8. I am obsessed with BIG dogs. If I could, I would own one of every kind..and probably one or two small ones as well. I've especially always wanted a Mastiff, so I could ride it around the yard like a horse.

9. Senior year of college, I won the "Night Owl" award from my sorority (while my parents were in attendance - I'm sure they were proud!), but you'd be surprised as to how much I love relaxing at home on the couch.

10. On that note, one of the reasons I like to go out so much is because I'm afraid that the night I stay in, something really exciting or important will happen!

11. My parents will be married for 30 33 years this coming April. If I am still madly in love with my husband (and he with me) after 30 years, like them, I will be the happiest girl the in world! Along with death and spiders, divorce is one of my biggest fears.
I wrote this 2 months after I met Cameron, not knowing where we would end up in our relationship. :)

12. I get my crazy, sarcastic sense of humor from my family. And I'm extremely proud of it.

13. I hate cigarettes, but love the smell of when they're first lit.

14. In highschool, I won the "Best Smile" senior superlative, but I criticize my smile in every picture. I strongly dislike my top lip, or lack thereof.

15. I LOVE being on/in any body of water, but am constantly paranoid about an animal brushing up against my leg/body.

16. As you are already aware, I am obsessed with PICKLES!!!!! Dill, not sweet. I will eat a whole jar and then drink the juice. I have had pickle martini's and will chase my tequila shots with pickle juice. Oh, and instead of celery in my bloody mary's, yep! - PICKLES!

17. I cannot stand to hear people smacking or chewing their food..along with people talking while eating and scraping their teeth on their untensils!!

18. I also can't stand when people use incorrect grammar and spelling. Especially to/too/two and there/they're/their.

19. My absolute favorite movie is Major Payne. I can recite every line and I think it's the funniest movie ever made.

20. I never had an absolute favorite singer, until I heard Will Hoge. When he got in a bad wreck last year and had to postpone his tour, I almost cried.

21. I get embarassed EXTREMELY easily. I'm sure it gets on my friends nerves. Don't talk so loud! Don't dance! Don't look! Please see photo example below from my 25th birthday when about 15 people were singing "Happy Birthday" to me in a restaurant.



22. I didn't get my ears pierced until I was 20 years old. Well I did when i was like 10, but they got infected right after so I had to let them close up. I got it done at a body piercing place that shoved one huge needle at a time in my ear, instead of a gun, because I didn't want to go to Claire's in the mall where people would watch me as they walked by. Refer to #21.

23. I'm mildly claustrophobic. I will freak out if my shirt is too tight on my arms or if someone hugs me really tightly for too long.

24. I think about my deceased relatives and friends more often than your average person. I can't help it, I miss them!!

25. I have been told WAY TOO MANY TIMES I sound like I'm crying, sleeping, or a baby when I talk normal. And to be honest, it kind of pisses me off!! I can't help I have a soft spoken voice!



Hope you enjoyed these little tidbits about me! If I missed anything that you'd like to know, ask away!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Burgundy (AKA Garnet) Skinnies.

The hot color for Fall 2012 is apparently burgundy. This is GREAT news for us Gamecock fans, but we lovingly refer to this color as garnet. You don't know how hard it's been to find garnet colored gameday dresses, skirts, pants, etc..until now!
 
Here are some garnet skinnies I wouldn't mind wearing on Saturday's in Fall..or anytime really..



1, 2, 3, 4

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Wedding Wednesday: Updated Check List!

Well, I got a few things done last month, the biggest thing being we sent out the save the dates! Since we officially hit the 6 month mark on Sunday, I feel like I really need to kick it into high gear! Cameron, his mom, and I are going Saturday to look at tuxes so we can start to narrow that down. And the bridesmaids dresses should all be ordered by the end of this week (they take up to 4 months to come in! Sheesh.) 

Now, it's all about the details! The most nerve wracking part for me...


Set a date
Book venue
Book photographer
Book band
Ask bridal party to be in wedding
Book caterer & bar
Create wedding website
Register
Book florist
Shop for wedding dress
Book ceremony musician
Book rentals
Take engagement pictures
Select bridesmaid dresses
Make sure bridesmaids dresses have been ordered  by the end of September - A few bridesmaids still have to order.
Select groom & groomsmen attire - Appointments on September 29th
 Find veil
Book cake baker
Hire coordinator
Buy cake knife & server
Order save the dates
Send save the dates
Book officiant
Pre-marital counseling – Scheduled for January
Bachelorette Party
Order guest book
Finalize guest list
Find a reasonably priced videographer - Found! Finalizing details.
Hotel room blocks
Calligraphy -
DIY!
Engagement announcement in Post & Courier
MOB & MOG dress shopping
Find wedding shoes
Find wedding jewelry - Diamond watch from Cameron’s grandma, check! Earrings - ?
Order garter
Book makeup artist & hair stylist
Menu tasting - Scheduled for December 7th
Take bridal portraits / hair & make up trial – Scheduled for October 25th
1st dress fitting
2nd (final?) dress fitting – Scheduled for September 20th
Make ceremony programs – JCB doing as a gift
Buy a "M" and "C" and paint gold
Figure out where we want to do first look
Figure out where I'm getting ready & where Cameron is getting ready
Who will set up ceremony chairs?
Order invitations
Address invitations
Mail invitations - January
Book rehearsal dinner venue
Book RD caterer
Book RD rentals
Book RD music
Buy RD dress
Order pom poms for send off
Order koozies - In the process of finalizing design
Buy bridal party gifts - Part one of two for the girls is complete!
Bachelorette party
Buy gifts for parents
Bridal shower
Purchase wedding bands
Create wedding day timeline
Put together picture list for photographer
DIY drink stirrers
DIY signs for River Rd and venue
DIY signs for reserved seating & seat yourself – Stephanie will do
Hankies for ceremony?
DIY moss letters for bar?
Get marriage license
Book transportation from reception to hotel
Book honeymoon
Get passports made
RD invitations
RD groom's cake
Final vendor payments
Music selections to band and ceremony artist
Book wedding night hotel room
Order thank you notes
Wedding announcement in Post & Courier
Walk down the aisle & say I do!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tasty Tuesday: Foil Packet Fish over Greek Orzo.




Foil Packet Fish over Greek Orzo
Recipe and photo from Annie's Eats.

Yield: 6 servings

Monday, September 24, 2012

Weekend Fun!

Whew, I am SO glad I have today off from work because I had a jam-packed weekend.
 
 
Friday night we took advantage of Avondale's Restaurant Week and grabbed some dinner and drinks with friends at Mellow Mushroom. Dinner and drinks turned into, "hey, let's get a shot at every bar in Avondale!" I was super hesitant since I had to wake up early the next morning, so instead of ordering a beer along with my shot at every bar, I ordered a water. SO responsible. :)
 
My eyes lit up when I saw "The Elderflower" on the drink list at Mellow Mushroom. I finally got to try the St. Germain liquor that everyone in the blog world has been talking about. I liked it! Tasted very light and refreshing. I think I'll finally bite the bullet and buy a bottle now.

 
Saturday morning, Emily and I woke up early and took a road trip to Columbia for the South We had a blast and wound up finding great tickets....even if they were in the middle of the visitor's section. :)

The new video board!


These guys were obviously lost.
 
 
Yesterday, Cameron and I ate at Angel Oak Restaurant....
 Then picked up some pine straw, boiled peanuts and some mums from the nearby farmers market. We spent a long day working in the yard and Brady relaxed on the front porch while watching us.
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Sorry, no menu plan this week. Busy week of events at work so I won't be cooking that much.
 
Hope you had a great weekend and have a great Monday!


Thursday, September 20, 2012

Thursday Happies.

These are the things that are making my heart happy this week...

-A note from the BFF on my windshield I found while leaving the gym. 

-A text from Cameron regarding our before-work gym date that we were supposed to have yesterday morning. We both set our alarms and when they went off, we both just cut them off without even saying anything to the other person and went back to sleep. We'll try again on Monday...

 -Pinterest and blogs for making me brave enough to wear this outfit in public. 
Is it even cute? Or should I stick to the white shirts with colored pants??
(I do realize I look like an Auburn fan.)
New favorite work pants found here. Much cuter on than online.

-My second dress fitting is tonight so I made sure I ate a healthy lunch today, along with drinking extra water. I do realize that this should be an everyday occurrence, but I'm just keepin' it real. :)

-Emily and I taking a girls trip to Columbia this weekend to see the Gamecocks play Missouri! Can't wait to see all of our Cola friends and the new Williams Brice HUGE video board!!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Wedding Wednesday: Guest Post at A.Liz Adventures

I'm over at A.Liz Adventures today guest posting about what my favorite parts of wedding planning have been so far!

Check it out here and say hi!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tasty Tuesday - Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Everyone is aware by now that Starbucks has started serving pumpkin spice lattes, but at $4-$5 a pop, they are a treat for me, rather than a regular occurrence.  I found this recipe and had pumpkin on my grocery list on Sunday...get to Harris Teeter, no pumpkin to be found. Not the brand I usually buy anyway. SO, let me know if you get around to trying this recipe and how it turns out!

Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Latte
Recipe and photo from A Year of Slow Cooking.


--2 cups milk (I used 1%)
--1/2 cup brewed espresso or 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
--2 T canned pumpkin
--2 T white sugar
-2 T vanilla (not a typo. it asks for tablespoons)
--1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
OR: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a teeny tiny pinch of ground ginger

This will make enough for 2 people to have a big mug with a bit leftover. If you are having friends over, adjust the recipe accordingly. I used a 4-quart crockpot, but as small as a 1.5 quart will work with these amounts.

Add the coffee/espresso and milk to the crockpot. Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold. Whisk again.

Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon. Add a cinnamon stick if you want to get a little fancy.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Weekend Wrap Up & Menu Monday.

I can definitely tell it's Monday. Had to scramble to get ready this morning because the person who was supposed to open called in sick. Oh well, that just means I get to leave a little early today! 

Friday night we had a couple of people over and just grilled some burgers. After they left, Cameron and I just sat on the back porch, listened to some music and chatted. 
Boomer, my parents' dog, provided the entertainment for the evening. He'll do anything for a cookie.
Saturday, Cameron and I spent the day in my hometown, Summerville. I took him to the restaurant that I worked at in highschool and made him try their famous chili cheeseburger. I, of course, had to eat one, too. With extra pickles....and a side of pickles. The owner still calls me "Pickle" when I come in. :)
That night, we attended Austin & Justin's wedding! Austin is my sister's age, and I used to cheer with her sister, but we became good friends when she worked with me last year. 
One day, we were gchatting and she mentioned how she really wanted a reception coordinator but didn't want to spend a lot of money on one. So I offered to do it for her as her wedding gift!  All I really had to do was go to the reception hall before the wedding to make sure all of the vendors were there and everything was set up properly. Then, during the reception, just made sure everything was going along with the timeline.


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Here is this weeks planned menu. I say planned because I'm sure something will come up and it won't all go according to plan.
Monday - Tilapia with Creamy Dijon Dill Sauce (didn't get around to making it last week), cheesy zucchini rice
Tuesday - Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce
Wednesday - Bangin' Grilled Shrimp Skewers with apple poppyseed salad
Thursday - Dress Fitting - Quesadillas?
Friday - Spaghetti with garlic bread and salad
Saturday - Megan in Columbia
Sunday - Buffalo chicken soup (cut recipe in half)

Friday, September 14, 2012

Prayer Request.


If you have a free moment today, please lift Tim, Jenny and their families up in your thoughts and/or prayers.
 
Tim's most recent update can be read here.
 
Thank you!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Wedding Wednesday: Wedding Party Booze Cruise.

As I mentioned in last Wednesday's post, Cameron and I took our wedding party out on his family's boat last Saturday as a way for everyone to mingle with each other and have a good time! Well, we were successful. A good time was had by all and if the boat ride was a preview of how the wedding is going to be, we are in for an AMAZINGLY FUN night! :)

The future Mr. and Mrs. B
My dad is the cutest. :)


Love my family.
Cameron and I with our parents.
I'm going from having one sister to all of this craziness! Can't wait!
All of my beautiful bridesmaids (minus Katie)
Cameron and his groomsmen
Can't wait for other wedding parties to begin! 
Today marks 200 days until the big day!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Tasty Tuesday: Antipasto Kabobs.

My mom made these kabobs for the booze cruise Saturday night and they were a huge hit! 

 
Antipasto Kabobs
Recipe and photo from The Hungry Housewife

Makes 60 skewers

1 - 9 oz package of three cheese tortellini, cooked to package directions
1 can medium or large pitted black olives
1 - 5.75 oz jar green olives
2 - 12 oz containers of marinated mozzarella balls (usually found near the specialty cheeses)
30 slices of salami, cut in half
60 pieces of pepperoni
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (store bought or homemade)
60 skewers - cut in half

Place the cooked tortellini in a bowl or large gallon freezer bag. Pour the salad dressing over the top and marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
Place each item onto the skewer using the pointy side.
Can be made a few hours ahead and placed in the refrigerator, covered.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Weekend Haps & Menu Monday.

Rise & shine! A new week is here and the temperatures have started falling!
 
On Saturday, I treated myself, my Maid of Honor (my sister) and my Matron of Honor (Emily, the bff) to manicures as a way of saying "thank you for planning the best bachelorette party EVER!" I would take a picture of my nails to show you the color I got, but you can barely tell there's any color on there! Only reason you can tell I even got one is because they're shiny. Manicure fail.
 
After that, Stephanie and I headed to the Kickin Chicken in West Ashley to watch the Carolina and Clemson games with a group of friends. Alicia & Dallas came (another house divided couple) and brought Baby Dallas! I got to snuggle with him for a bit to cure my baby fever.
He was clearly disgusted by watching the Clemson game. ;)
 
After the game, we went home and got changed for the wedding party booze cruise! I'm going to save all of the details for Wednesday's post, but we'll just say a good time was had by all!
Here's a sneak peek of Cameron and me with our wonderful parents.
 
---------------------------------
As requested by Emily, I'm going to try and start posting what I plan on making for dinner the following week on Monday's. I know I always like to see/hear what people make for dinner so maybe y'all do, too?
 
Monday - Pork chops, cottage cheese salad
Tuesday - Angel chicken with rice, salad
Wednesday - Sweet potato crusted fish with spinach salad
Thursday - Baked chicken parmesan, salad
Friday - Hungry Girl's buffalo shrimp ...what side?
Saturday - Wedding in Summerville
Sunday - ? (Sunday's are usually always up in the air and 99% of the time, we always eat out somewhere.


Friday, September 7, 2012

My dad received some great news yesterday and I am over the moon happy for him!
Hopefully I'll be able to share the details with you soon.
 
 

 
Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Thursday's Thoughts.

-Last night we were invited to a shrimp & grits cook-off at a friend of a friend's house. It was an intense cook-off and both dishes turned out to be amazing! No one could quite pick a winner, but it was unanimous that #1 was more of a dinner style s&g, and #2 was more of a brunch style s&g.

Presenting the awards
Celebration almond champagne - so good!
-This morning I jumped on the PSL bandwagon and stopped by Starbucks on the way to work. Worth it.

-Alyssa & Chris welcomed their little boy, Owen, into the world yesterday around 4pm. He has a head full of hair and is so precious!!

 -Speaking of babies, last week I mentioned that Kady & Kyle were doing their gender reveal on Saturday! After about an hour of stalking FB, a picture was finally put up!
It's a..........