to follow the trend, i've decided to determine how many of the below items i have successful fulfilled. i took this from bel's blog!
anything that is italicized has been completed!
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland - i've been to Disneyworld?
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - going down was horrifying for me!
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted - someone sketched my portrait once when i was a hostess at a restaurant and i didn't know until they gave it to me when they left! weird!
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason - on Monday!!! <3>64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
great - now i even have more to add to my "to do" list! just when i thought you couldn't add anything else...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
walk at home
like 99% of the population (especially girls getting married this year) i have made the resolution to get healthy and in shape. and by saying i want to be in shape, i'm really just trying to make the fact that i need to lose weight sound better! so anyways, i have started keeping a food journal to help monitor what i'm eating (based on the weight watchers system). i am also trying to train to run a 5K (another resolution!) this year. i also need to get back into the routine of going to my ymca gym. sadly, there were numerous times in 2008 that i was really getting in shape and felt wonderful, but i would get comfortable with my weight, my weight would stabilize temporarily, and then before i knew it all efforts had been lost. so this year my goal is not to diet, but to revolutionize my lifestyle when it comes to working out and eating properly.
to help me acheive this objective, i will be taking advantage of the following things:
1. the ymca's "coach approach" - an exercise support process designed to teach new and returning members how to start and stick with their exercise program.
2. classes at the ymca -with a focus on yoga (another resolution! yessss!)
3. the outdoors - enough said.
4. leslie sansone's walk at home video - i know what you're thinking - walking at home? walking indoors? i was a skeptic too, but after my [super skinny] best friend kept insisting that this video was an intense workout, i figured that i would give it a shot. to my surprise, by the end of the 4th mile, i was sweating bullets and completely worn out due to a great, low impact workout! i would definitely recommend this for those days when it's ugly outside or you can't get motivated to go to the gym. the best part about the below video is that you can do all 4 miles when you want a longer/ more intense workout (the video even includes a fitness band that is used during the 4th mile); however, if you aren't wanting to really exert yourself one day, you can only do 1 mile! 1 mile is better than no miles, right?
are there any specific workouts or exercises that have really helped you reach/ maintain your weight goals? if so, please share!
to help me acheive this objective, i will be taking advantage of the following things:
1. the ymca's "coach approach" - an exercise support process designed to teach new and returning members how to start and stick with their exercise program.
2. classes at the ymca -with a focus on yoga (another resolution! yessss!)
3. the outdoors - enough said.
4. leslie sansone's walk at home video - i know what you're thinking - walking at home? walking indoors? i was a skeptic too, but after my [super skinny] best friend kept insisting that this video was an intense workout, i figured that i would give it a shot. to my surprise, by the end of the 4th mile, i was sweating bullets and completely worn out due to a great, low impact workout! i would definitely recommend this for those days when it's ugly outside or you can't get motivated to go to the gym. the best part about the below video is that you can do all 4 miles when you want a longer/ more intense workout (the video even includes a fitness band that is used during the 4th mile); however, if you aren't wanting to really exert yourself one day, you can only do 1 mile! 1 mile is better than no miles, right?
are there any specific workouts or exercises that have really helped you reach/ maintain your weight goals? if so, please share!
second guesses
this new orleans wedding is absolutely stunning. i am this close to making our wedding a new orleans destination celebration...well not really, but this wedding makes it so tempting. hope you enjoy the fantastic eye candy as much as i did. i love the veil and bicycle ribbons! since we will be staying at the b&b after the wedding there will not be a formal exit; however, if we had an exit, hands down it would have to be a tandem bicycle!
have you seen a more beautiful bride? happiness just radiates from the bride and groom.
j has never been to new orleans and i know he'd absolutely love it. maybe we'll try to make it down there sometime this year, because after seeing this wedding i feel like a walk in the french quarter and a beignet at cafe du monde are in order!
[images by http://www.abryanphoto.blogspot.com/]
have you seen a more beautiful bride? happiness just radiates from the bride and groom.
j has never been to new orleans and i know he'd absolutely love it. maybe we'll try to make it down there sometime this year, because after seeing this wedding i feel like a walk in the french quarter and a beignet at cafe du monde are in order!
[images by http://www.abryanphoto.blogspot.com/]
Monday, January 5, 2009
it's not yellow...
so the story surrounding my wedding dress is a pretty funny one. literally about a week after getting engaged, j and i were visiting our local goodwill (a favorite past time) when i jokingly asked if i should try some dresses on. i grabbed a few and headed for the closest fitting room. i put on the first dress and asked j to zip me up. he came into the fitting room and my jaw dropped...i had instantly fallen in love with the dress that i was just casually playing dress up in just minutes before. i checked the price tag and then called my mother frantically: "mom i think i may have just found the dress!"
despite a tiny hole in the train lining (which could be easily hidden or altered), i felt that this dress completely embodied a fall garden outdoor wedding. with the beautiful lace work and long sleeves, i was head over heels. i walked out of the goodwill with the dress in hand:
vintage wedding dress = $40
extreme happiness = priceless!
i didn't bother me that j had seen me in the dress, because we're not superstituous and we had always planned on seeing eachother before the wedding to take pictures anyways. i took the dress to my parents' house and definitely did not get the reaction i was hoping for. my dad's first response was "the dress is yellow" to which i replied "it's not yellow! it's vintage!"
i was definitely a bit disappointed with the parental reception, but i held strong that this was the one and only dress for me. after some further debating, we were able to find a compromise: i would at least go look at dresses in a bridal shop, but if i felt that nothing compared, then my parents would fully support my decision.
david's bridal was having one of their typical limited* time only sale so i figured i'd go and see what my other options were (* aka not really limited). i'd always dreamed of having a dress reminiscent of the dress below, but knew my budget could never afford the hefty price tag.
so david's bridal it was. i will say there is definitely something to be said about the dress-buying/ trying-on experience. having my mom there with me made a very big difference compared to the thrift store (although the fitting rooms were sadly comparable). i narrowed down my choices to a few favorites, when i decided to do one last walk through i picked up a dress that i had never imagined that i'd like, but tried it on anyways. quelle surprise! it was perfect! and the $250 price tag was low enough to help justify being a two dress bride (gasp)! [i never thought i'd be one of those girls, but so be it] i have some people who prefer the vintage dress and some who prefer the db dress. i may wear the vintage dress to the rehearsal if i decide not to wear it during the wedding. i now owe you pictures of the 2 contending dresses - i promise to get those pictures posted asap! as for the new dress, j has to wait until the day of the wedding to see it. i guess sometimes it is more fun to be secretive!
were there any surprising decisions that you made during your planning process that you never would have pictured for your wedding but ended up being perfect?
"an open mind leaves a chance for someone to drop a worthwhile thought in"
[dress via monique lhuillier]
despite a tiny hole in the train lining (which could be easily hidden or altered), i felt that this dress completely embodied a fall garden outdoor wedding. with the beautiful lace work and long sleeves, i was head over heels. i walked out of the goodwill with the dress in hand:
vintage wedding dress = $40
extreme happiness = priceless!
i didn't bother me that j had seen me in the dress, because we're not superstituous and we had always planned on seeing eachother before the wedding to take pictures anyways. i took the dress to my parents' house and definitely did not get the reaction i was hoping for. my dad's first response was "the dress is yellow" to which i replied "it's not yellow! it's vintage!"
i was definitely a bit disappointed with the parental reception, but i held strong that this was the one and only dress for me. after some further debating, we were able to find a compromise: i would at least go look at dresses in a bridal shop, but if i felt that nothing compared, then my parents would fully support my decision.
david's bridal was having one of their typical limited* time only sale so i figured i'd go and see what my other options were (* aka not really limited). i'd always dreamed of having a dress reminiscent of the dress below, but knew my budget could never afford the hefty price tag.
so david's bridal it was. i will say there is definitely something to be said about the dress-buying/ trying-on experience. having my mom there with me made a very big difference compared to the thrift store (although the fitting rooms were sadly comparable). i narrowed down my choices to a few favorites, when i decided to do one last walk through i picked up a dress that i had never imagined that i'd like, but tried it on anyways. quelle surprise! it was perfect! and the $250 price tag was low enough to help justify being a two dress bride (gasp)! [i never thought i'd be one of those girls, but so be it] i have some people who prefer the vintage dress and some who prefer the db dress. i may wear the vintage dress to the rehearsal if i decide not to wear it during the wedding. i now owe you pictures of the 2 contending dresses - i promise to get those pictures posted asap! as for the new dress, j has to wait until the day of the wedding to see it. i guess sometimes it is more fun to be secretive!
were there any surprising decisions that you made during your planning process that you never would have pictured for your wedding but ended up being perfect?
"an open mind leaves a chance for someone to drop a worthwhile thought in"
[dress via monique lhuillier]
save the date!
so i've set a goal for myself to complete the save the dates this month! this thankfully means somewhat finalizing the guest list. i have had a few ideas, but i think we've finally got the endless ideas narrowed down!
the inspiration for the save the dates are:
i should note that our postcards and envelopes will be much more colorful! i am super excited to play around with these! i will definitely make sure to share once i am finished! the front of these will have to be a surprise. actually, the envelope idea may just roll over into the guestbook, but i'm torn because i sure do like the blurb concept too.
time just doesn't seem to be on my side lately. i have so many budget-friendly diy ideas, but making myself sit down and do them has proved to be harder than the crafts themselves! i know that once they are done, i will be able to sleep better at night which is a good enough motivator in itself. in the meantime, any suggestions on how to stay focused and motivated to get all of these necessary wedding things done?
side note - today i am finally back on track with getting in shape before the wedding - the holidays definitely took their toll this year and i am ready to get healthy. i have to remember that no one can achieve my goals for me and that if i don't make it happen, then no one will. this 64 degree weather in atlanta in january (!!!) definitely doesn't hurt the motivation to get outside and get moving!
[images via marthastewartweddings.com]
the inspiration for the save the dates are:
i should note that our postcards and envelopes will be much more colorful! i am super excited to play around with these! i will definitely make sure to share once i am finished! the front of these will have to be a surprise. actually, the envelope idea may just roll over into the guestbook, but i'm torn because i sure do like the blurb concept too.
time just doesn't seem to be on my side lately. i have so many budget-friendly diy ideas, but making myself sit down and do them has proved to be harder than the crafts themselves! i know that once they are done, i will be able to sleep better at night which is a good enough motivator in itself. in the meantime, any suggestions on how to stay focused and motivated to get all of these necessary wedding things done?
side note - today i am finally back on track with getting in shape before the wedding - the holidays definitely took their toll this year and i am ready to get healthy. i have to remember that no one can achieve my goals for me and that if i don't make it happen, then no one will. this 64 degree weather in atlanta in january (!!!) definitely doesn't hurt the motivation to get outside and get moving!
[images via marthastewartweddings.com]
Friday, January 2, 2009
it's official
so now that it's 2009 [the year of the wedding] i really have to get everything lined up! don't get me wrong - i'd say considering the wedding is set for october 10, 2009 that i still have a bit of time. since j and i got engaged last may, i felt that i had so much time that i just started collecting so many ideas. the problem with a long engagement is that i got overwhelmed and burnt out quickly before i had even really started booking anything. almost worse was that i couldn't get many people (i.e., parents and j) to take me seriously. i would consistently bring up ideas or try to move forward and all i would hear is "we can talk about it later, the wedding is still over a year away". but now that it's 2009 - it's time to check off more on the list...
as for some of the larger tasks, many have been completed. we set the date. we've put the deposit down on the venue. i have my dress. we've decided on the attendants. we've got a general theme idea. we know the color scheme. we've got our officiant. we've got our photographer! i'm sure there is more that's been done, but we still have a long way to go. checklist to come soon.
now about the date...i had always known 2 things before i got engaged - now i wasn't a girl who always dreamed of her wedding, but i knew i wanted a fall wedding and i wanted it to be outdoors. in georgia, the driest month of the year is october. by having an october wedding, i'm hopefully securing a nice fall wedding and increasing my chances for a rain-free outdoor wedding. since j asked me in may to marry him, i knew that it'd be easier to wait until october of the next year to get married. in deciding on the official date, we had to take a lot into account. for one, the first saturday of the month was the day before j's mom's birthday and since we thought it'd be better not to have our anniversary conflict with her birthday each year, the 3rd was eliminated. we also had to consider that the UGA fall home games in athens floods over into the small town where the venue is so we had to make sure that we had the wedding on an away weekend; thankfully the next weekend was safe so the 10.10.09 date was set!
now on to the venue...i didn't take me long to find the location. moreso, after seeing it, it didn't take me long to know it was absolutely the right spot. no other venue even came close no matter how stunning. j and i went out to madison, ga to visit the farmhouse inn (hence the name of the blog) bed and breakfast. we were immediately greeted by the lovely innkeeper, the beautiful oak tree, and lots of chickens! the farmhouse inn is on 100 acres of hiking trails, fishing ponds, a lake, and it is all breathtaking. even better is that you rent the whole b&b for the weekend and really get to spend time with those you love. j and i are really excited to be able to extend the celebration, eliminate any need to rush through one of the happiest weekends of our life together, and to just enjoy every second!
it will definitely be an affair to remember...
[image via http://www.thefarmhouseinn.com/]
jason and i are headed to north ga today to enjoy the weekend with some great friends. some r&r is definitely needed now that the holidays are over. i am looking forward to just enjoying the wooded views and the tranquility that it will evoke.
as for some of the larger tasks, many have been completed. we set the date. we've put the deposit down on the venue. i have my dress. we've decided on the attendants. we've got a general theme idea. we know the color scheme. we've got our officiant. we've got our photographer! i'm sure there is more that's been done, but we still have a long way to go. checklist to come soon.
now about the date...i had always known 2 things before i got engaged - now i wasn't a girl who always dreamed of her wedding, but i knew i wanted a fall wedding and i wanted it to be outdoors. in georgia, the driest month of the year is october. by having an october wedding, i'm hopefully securing a nice fall wedding and increasing my chances for a rain-free outdoor wedding. since j asked me in may to marry him, i knew that it'd be easier to wait until october of the next year to get married. in deciding on the official date, we had to take a lot into account. for one, the first saturday of the month was the day before j's mom's birthday and since we thought it'd be better not to have our anniversary conflict with her birthday each year, the 3rd was eliminated. we also had to consider that the UGA fall home games in athens floods over into the small town where the venue is so we had to make sure that we had the wedding on an away weekend; thankfully the next weekend was safe so the 10.10.09 date was set!
now on to the venue...i didn't take me long to find the location. moreso, after seeing it, it didn't take me long to know it was absolutely the right spot. no other venue even came close no matter how stunning. j and i went out to madison, ga to visit the farmhouse inn (hence the name of the blog) bed and breakfast. we were immediately greeted by the lovely innkeeper, the beautiful oak tree, and lots of chickens! the farmhouse inn is on 100 acres of hiking trails, fishing ponds, a lake, and it is all breathtaking. even better is that you rent the whole b&b for the weekend and really get to spend time with those you love. j and i are really excited to be able to extend the celebration, eliminate any need to rush through one of the happiest weekends of our life together, and to just enjoy every second!
it will definitely be an affair to remember...
[image via http://www.thefarmhouseinn.com/]
jason and i are headed to north ga today to enjoy the weekend with some great friends. some r&r is definitely needed now that the holidays are over. i am looking forward to just enjoying the wooded views and the tranquility that it will evoke.
"you cannot perceive beauty, but with a serene mind" - henry david thoreau
Thursday, January 1, 2009
little virtues
happy new year! it's hard to believe that 2008 passed so quickly. i am so thankful for all that 2008 gave me and i am even more excited for all of that 2009 promises. i ended 2008 with three of the most important positive reminders to strive for during this next year and for each year that follows:
1. volunteer! we donated a goat to a help sustain a family (via http://www.heifer.org/)
2. inspire! i wore a necklace given to me by jason with the words that i hope to always abide by (via Kathy Bransfield/ Gandhi):
3. love unconditionally! i spent the night with some of my closest friends, but most importantly, i had the best new years kiss. with the passing of another year, i further realize that the time we get with the people we love is always limited and that wasting any of that time on anything but laughter and joy is completely unnecessary and unfortunate. with the countdown of those last seconds, i promised to let any negativity leave with 2008. life is oh too good to let the bad stuff get in the way:
i have a very important [and lengthy! yikes] list of resolutions for 2009. more to come on that later! in the meantime, i've got some vegan bbq black-eyed pea collard rolls with homemade mashed potatoes and corn-jalapeno gravy to make! helping out your chances of luck and security for the upcoming year never hurts! hope you enjoy today with the things that bring you the most happiness.
1. volunteer! we donated a goat to a help sustain a family (via http://www.heifer.org/)
2. inspire! i wore a necklace given to me by jason with the words that i hope to always abide by (via Kathy Bransfield/ Gandhi):
3. love unconditionally! i spent the night with some of my closest friends, but most importantly, i had the best new years kiss. with the passing of another year, i further realize that the time we get with the people we love is always limited and that wasting any of that time on anything but laughter and joy is completely unnecessary and unfortunate. with the countdown of those last seconds, i promised to let any negativity leave with 2008. life is oh too good to let the bad stuff get in the way:
i have a very important [and lengthy! yikes] list of resolutions for 2009. more to come on that later! in the meantime, i've got some vegan bbq black-eyed pea collard rolls with homemade mashed potatoes and corn-jalapeno gravy to make! helping out your chances of luck and security for the upcoming year never hurts! hope you enjoy today with the things that bring you the most happiness.
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