Dear chocolate...

I'm sorry we have to have this conversation. I'm not sure if you know this, but I'm getting married in about 6 months. Yep, I know, it's pretty exciting! With that being said, I must give you up for Lent starting this Wednesday. Don't feel bad, I'm giving up all sweets in general. I'm also going to try to give up bread, but lets face it, it will probably be like that time I tried to give up Diet Coke. Seeing as how I'm drinking one now, it didn't work. If you could stay away for now that would be really great. I promise I'll see you at Easter.

Thanks, love you, mean it

Emily

Weekend Recap...

I didn't mean to go so long without posting! I have been super exhausted from my kids at school to the point where last week I fell asleep in the bathtub :) After an amazing weekend I am re-charged and ready to go!

Friday was an old fashioned, all-American elementary school Valentines Day. SO much fun! We decorated paper bags earlier in the week and lined them up ready to go that morning. The kids had made all sorts of sweet treats and were more than excited to pass them out to all of their friends and teachers (lucky us)... I ended up with 4 bags of amazing and creative valentines from all my little lovelies. The chocolate kept coming! But hey, that's what it's all about right? Some the cards were too funny!!

After school on Friday I immediately hit the road for Lexington VA. I couldn't wait to get away and spend a low key relaxing weekend with J. The beauty of Lexington is that you are almost forced to relax. There isn't too much to do and that's the way I like it! Its peaceful, beautiful and full of clear mountain air.

Friday night we hit up one of our favorite restaurants, The Palms. We can easily walk to downtown Lex from J's apt so it was nice to get out and go for a kinda chilly but beautiful stroll. They make this amazing club sandwich that I had been dying for so my future husband obliged me. Some sandwiches and cold pitchers of beer...perfection! 

Saturday morning the weather was gorgeous! After the grocery store and lunch out we headed home and decided to take a "nature" walk (aka I wanted to test out my new cam). Thanks Santa! What better way to spend a day? 

(PS. I love going to the grocery store with J. It's always so much fun. How dorky is that? haha I had decided I wanted to take a stab at making Coq Au Vin  for dinner and my my was it delicious)

Some of Lexington's finest....

J's apartment in an old house they converted... pretty cool

Dream house....

Gotta love the mountains....

Sunday was the most relaxing day I've had in a while! We brunched at The Southern Inn and it was so gooood! Brunch is definitely one of my favorite meals/things to do....ever. J had to work on some school stuff and draft some papers so he had DVR'd all my favorite shows so I wouldn't get tooo bored :) . Lots of Chopped, Divine Design and House Hunters!! Happy Valentines Day to me! We ventured back to The Southern Inn for what proved to be the best dinner we've had in a while. Cocktails, calamari, glassssses of wine, surf and turf, scallops, Irish Cream cheesecake AND chocolate covered strawberries? It was incredible. We had THE best time. I think we just kept ordering things so we didn't have to leave the restaurant!  Plus, I had Monday off from school so what better way to end the weekend!

P.P.S   I also baked these beauties to enjoy over the weekend....

Sprinkles, hearts, quasi mushy post and baking? Whats happening to me ;)

 EmB, please keep your commentary to yourself.

Oh life...

New post tomorrow. It's too late and Im catching up with a dear friend :) Lots to come....

Yah for Snow!

So much SNOW!!! Richmond got hit hard this past weekend! I think here at my house we got 12 inches? And lucky me, no school tomorrow!! That never happens at private Catholic school but by the grace of God ( no pun intended) we are off tomorrow!! Sooo all that means is more catching up on sleep, movie watching, and relaxing. Tough life :) I wonder how many snow days I'll get in Southern California?

     Below is a snowy pic of something near and dear to my heart.The Crim Dell Bridge at William and Mary, where we got engaged!

So helpful..

My soon to be husband has suggested this romantic arrangement for our first dance.My initial reaction is no? but I love him anyways

Things I'm loving right now...

1. Vikki, from Real Housewives of Orange County, is showing her appreciation for her staff this week at her office. How you may ask? Fruit baskets? Catered lunch? Something better. She organized a surprise Botox and spray tanning party for her hard working employees. Seriously? Yes, in fact she's dead serious. Duh, its a beauty day as she calls it. I pretend to hate it but I'm not promising I won't apply for a job at her office when I move out there. You know, just to see what its like.

2. Tory Burch Revas. Yellow patent leather. Yes please.

3. Chocolate Milk. It's delicious. End of story

4. New Food Network show!  Mexican Made Easy. It's a must watch. Ok, its a must DVR since it comes on at 9:30 Saturday mornings but I hope to get some new fav recipes.

5. That, as of today, there are exactly 7 months until I get to do this.... Well, not exactly this because a certain bridesmaid said this would be her worst nightmare :)  Regardless, time is flying by and I seriously can't wait.

                    

Why I love love love my girlfriends....

We LOVE conga lines and do them often and at inappropriate times....

We lounge by the pool...

We lived,laughed, loved, cried and played together in college ALL the time...

 seriously every minute of everyday

They make me laugh... Lauras bach weekend in particular

We love the holidays!

Christmas 06 + Progress Street + Mariah Carey = epic

We've cheered on graduations....

And definitely done some weddings...

Bottom Line:  They are the best friends/sisters a gal could ask for....

Brainstormin' and dreamin'

When we move to California its a whole new, bright, clean slate. A new house/apt/townhouse? Who knows. All I do know, is that over the past few months and as we start to register for all our lovely gifts, I've been trying to think about what style I want to infuse our new pad with. Modern, country ( no thanks), beachy, romantic, so many options! I was perusing my new fav website and finally found something I loved!

The Hamptons house of writer Erica Berry in Somethings Gotta Give.... light, bright, clean, bay window, built ins, a closet to die for? A gal can dream right.

                                     

 As I started packing some stuff up today (to make the first of 2 moves in the next 7 months) I realized how much stuff I have. I packed up over 20 pairs of shoes and those were just the winter ones I don't wear on a regular basis. Soooo basically what Im saying is I need a closet that big and magnificent right?

Gal of the day!

I wanted to introduce you all  ( well the 2 people that read this) to my fab MOH, Katheryn Cooper Schilling. For the purposes of this blog, and in life, I call her Cookie. Story to be told at a different time. One thing I know for sure, she will HATE these pictures. hahaha

From the beginning.... well the oldest pic I have on my comp. We've been causing a ruckus together since we were in pull-ups. We even wore matching clothes almost everyday of preschool. NOT on purpose.

On our fantastic "backpacking" aka nice hotel trip through Europe. It was the best graduation present and there are countless stories to tell. They involve black socks, countrysides filled with sunflowers, padded bike shorts, the Italian police, a fabulous redition of " Born in the USA" upon landing in NYC and of course some Vino.

This picture was her idea. Her " signature face" as we refer to it. We lived together in Manhattan and contrary to popular belief it was one of my favorite years thus far. We wined, dined ( too much I think), biked through the burrows, shopped, got our first big girl jobs, worked way too hard and not hard enough, had a serious dance party habit,  laid in bed with a bag too many of mint milanos, turned over some new leaves and met some hot cops from Queens. Oh your names Vinny? This is your friend Mario? Shocker.Bottom line, when it came to picking a Maid of Honor I knew she was my gal. She keeps me laughing and never lets me beat myself up too much, except about my thinning hair which she gets a kick out of.

We've "been together" for over 20 years and have so many memories and stories I cant even begin to count.  Shes been my personal DJ when I've needed a beat, my motivational speaker when I get a little blue and the best type of friend a gal could ask for. I love her dearly and am slowly trying to convince her to leave the big city and move beachside with me in Cali. Its a work in progress :)  You remember the dance moves sista? August is fast approaching!

                                

Could I beeeee a worse blogger?

What do I do with some/most of  my free time? I love to watch cooking shows, anything on HGTV, lounge occasionaly but above all... Im obsessed with reading blogs.  There I said it. Im addicted. It's not just me, a certain roomie of mine is just as bad I swear :)  I have a running tab of 10-12 I check on a daily basis. Do I know all of the people personally? No.  Do I sometimes refer to them in conversation with said roomate like we know them? Yes. If I met them in public could I carry on a conversation based on their blogs and ask them pertinent questions about their life? Absolutely. I get sucked into reading for hours on end about peoples lives, jobs, anything.  We aren't creepy, just curious. Contrary to a J's personal beliefs it's just a hobby. He does fantasy footall, I do blogs. I call it even

 On a sidenote, Yah for my wedding bouquet!! We met with the florist the other day and picked out some gorg flowers, all white of course, except for these babies. They are black and white anemones. Im in L-O-V-E!  As for the other table arrangements (all 23 of them)  we picked something a little smaller. Think shiny mint julep cups with small white arrangements of peonies and lithianthus. I take back every negative thing I ever said about flowers. So much fun!