readingCreativity Inc.by Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar on creativity and inspiration in business. It’s one that I have wanted to read for awhile having worked in the animation industry for 8 years. Now with running my own business, I figured it would be a good read.
writing Content for my next team call I am leading for my coaches on time management. So many people ask how the heck I have time to do everything that I do…I am no magic fairy. I have the same amount of time as everyone else. Some days I have it together…and some days I am a crazy person. It’s all about prioritizing, making the most of your time, and nixing things in life that are huge time wasters!
listening To the rain falling down on my window pane…and also, the laundry machine.
thinking About the holidays. Can’t believe it’s all right around the corner. Although it can be stressful at times, it’s definitely my most favorite time of the year.
smelling You don’t want to know…but I have two kids in diapers at home…so take a wild guess. (GROSS, Gina!) I know, but that is my life 😉
watching I don’t watch a ton of TV anymore, but I do allow myself a bit here and there. I have been watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix, and I am a fan!
wishing A lifetime of happiness for my BFF who got married last weekend. And for my cousin who is saying “I do” on Saturday.
hoping For sunshine tomorrow.
wearing Another pair of jeans from my pre-pregnancy closet. SCORE! Loving this 21 Day Fix! Also a flowy top, striped cardigan, and red rainboots.
loving This personalized bar necklace from Brickyard Buffalo. Thinking about this as an updated “Mommy Necklace” to have both of my boys close to my heart.
wanting A raincoat. I can’t believe I have lived in NYC for over 8 years now, and have never owned a raincoat. What is wrong with me? What do you all think of this one?
needing Some hot tea with honey. It’s feeling like fall today.
feeling Energized. Healthy. Strong.
craving Something sweet. Hence why it’s time to go make that hot tea with honey.
clicking Through some healthy recipes and yoga moves for my upcoming Namaste November Free Challenge. There is still time to join if you are interested! Let me know in the comments below.
A few weeks ago, we were fortunate enough to spend good times with great friends at the Discala Wedding watching the beautiful couple, Nick and Alie, tie the knot. The outdoor ceremony was just gorgeous with the sun going down, we enjoyed the amazing food, and danced the night away. Yes, even me with my prego belly. Congratulations to the happy couple! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness together!
What a night to remember!!!
This past weekend we celebrated my son’s 2nd Birthday about a month early (because my due date is 2 days after his REAL birthday), and we had a blast. I will be sharing photos from the event soon, so stay tuned. I hit 36 weeks of my pregnancy on Monday, and we are headed to the doc today for our check up to see how things are going. Cue the psycho nesting mode right about now as we need to get this house organized and ready STAT.
We attended the wedding of this beautiful couple in Upstate NY/Bronx a few weeks ago. I went to high school with the groom, Marcin, and we continued along similar paths heading to the University of Maryland for college, and eventually New York City in our early 20s. It was so nice to have a friendly face from home when we (my now husband and I) first moved to the Big Apple. We didn’t know how long we would stay, but it’s crazy to think we all just came upon our 8th anniversary here. I was so honored Marcin and his fiancé (and now wife), Dana, asked me to be a part of their ceremony by doing a reading at the church. I couldn’t have been happier to support this couple as they spoke their vows on that beautiful day. Not only have I remained close with Marcin and his family throughout the years, but it’s been a blessing getting to know Dana as well as Dana’s incredible family. To see two amazing families unite is truly a wonderful thing. Marcin and Dana make each other so exceptionally happy and you can just tell from these photos how much they light up when they are around each other. From day one, I could tell these two had a strong bond, and I know they will continue to be blessed and happy together for many many years to come. Congratulations Marcin and Dee…you are truly meant to be!
These photos bring me back! What a great day and night it was…and you can truly see the love!
Hope you are all having a great week. I have been playing a lot of catch up…both with work and with home life (laundry, grocery shopping, etc. – you know all the fun stuff). We got back on Monday from a trip to the Finger Lakes for the 4th of July holiday. We spent some time on Seneca Lake, in the Ithaca area near Cayuga lake, and exploring around the outdoors. I have a lot more to share from our trip, so stay tuned to the next couple posts to view our adventures!
Since becoming a mom, I sometimes feel that I have neglected to be a very good friend. I have always been the person who remembered every single birthday of friends and family members. I remembered to call. I remembered to go out of my way to do something nice on an important day for them. Nowadays, I am lucky if I even know what day it is, let alone that there is something special going on that day. I love my friends and want them to know that I still love them. I know being a mommy is not an excuse to forget about my friends, and I hope they know that I do still think about them often, even if I don’t always remember to call.
One particular instance of me being a bad friend…my bestie from high school called me up one night when I was particularly exhausted from lack of sleep. I felt bad for not answering, but I just didn’t have the energy to have the catch up session that we needed. The next day, she called again when I was in the middle of watching both my son and another child at the same time for the first day. I figured since she called again, that it was important, but again it was just a bad time. I answered, but immediately said, “Hey, can I call you back. I’m watching two babies and it’s a little insane.” She said “ok” but sounded like she really wanted to talk, so I said, “What’s up?” and she follows with “I’M ENGAGED!!!”
Oh. Em. Gee!!! No wonder she was calling so much! And here I am blowing her off, because I’m too crazy and tired on one of the most important days of her life! What a jerk! I said, “Congratulations, and I will definitely call you back later to hear the story.” To which I did follow through. Upon calling her back, she says, “Did you remember today is also my birthday?”F@#$!!!!!! Ok, I am officially the worst. friend. EVER. I knew her birthday was coming up, but when the actual day arrived, I didn’t even know the date. I felt AWFUL.
Luckily, she is an amazing person and has forgiven me. And I know gift giving totally doesn’t erase the fact that I am a nincompoop. HOWEVER! It’s cannot hurt, and I totally owe her one. So I have spent a lot of time trying to come up with some creative engagement gifts to send her way, and here are some of the ideas that have crossed my mind:
Wedding Planning Basket: As a new bride-to-be, it can be really exciting to think about planning your wedding, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. A wedding planning basket will give them a little boost to get started and fill them with ideas and organization tips. Include bridal magazines, a planner, pen, thank you card, ideas for local vendors, to-do list with typical budgets, wedding-themed movies to put them in the wedding planning mood, and more.
Personalized Champagne Glasses: Nothing says celebrate like champagne! I love the idea of personalized champagne glasses with the names of the couple and the date of their wedding. They can use them for the big toast on their wedding day, and toast again with them year after year on their anniversary. Include a nice bottle of champagne for the win.
Take Them Out/Send them Out: Take them out for a night on the town, a nice dinner, or a fun activity you know they will enjoy to celebrate the new journey they will take together. You could also get them a gift certificate to send them on their own adventure together. A couples massage to relax before their big day would be one of my favorites to suggest!
Create a Slide Show: Gather photos from friends and family members to compile an adorable slide show for the future bride and groom. The thought and effort put into the project will mean the world to the engaged couple. You can include photos from their childhood with family and friend or include photos of solely the couple themselves on their many adventures together. The slide show can be used at an engagement party, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, etc.
Photography Session: Speaking of photos, a professional engagement photography session could be an amazing gift for a couple. With all the insane amount of expenses that come along with planning a wedding, a couple might not have it in their budget to include an engagement session as well. The photos could be used for their future “save the dates,” thank you cards, at the wedding, or framed and hung in their home.
Personalized Art Work: My husband and I received a piece of art work for our wedding, and we still have it hanging in our home. Something sweet to hang as a reminder of their special day will always be appreciated. I really enjoy this simple Happily Ever After piece from Etsy. Artwork is also not limited to the wall! A personalized platter, ring holder, pillow, or anything else for the home could be a great gift and beautiful reminder of their special day.
Wine Box: If the engaged couple is into wine, a wine box could be a really fun idea. Choose about 6 bottles of wine or so and label them with tags for different milestones that they will reach in their lives (First Anniversary, 10th Anniversary, First Home, First Christmas, etc.) Make sure to ask someone at the wine store for advice as they may be able to suggest wines that age well. You could also include a bottle of sparkling cider to toast their First Child. If they have a different drink of choice, you could do a similar box filled with beer, mini liquor bottles, or something else that would interest them.
Personalized Greeting Card: Sometimes it’s the simple things that mean the most. A personalized greeting card is an inexpensive, yet thoughtful way to let someone know you are happy for them. I absolutely love the greeting card options available at Treat. They have lovely designs, deliver right to the recipient’s door, and they can also include photos or a gift card inside if you wish.
I cannot divulge what option I ultimately decided on because said friend might be reading this post, and I haven’t presented her with my gift yet. 😉 Hopefully one of these ideas will speak to you. I know I will definitely be returning to this list for future friend’s engagements.
Hope you all had a great weekend. I have a short week here in New York, before I head off to my longtime friend and pen-pal’s wedding in Arizona! I haven’t seen her since our Tucson reunion last year, so I am very much excited to see her and her awesome fiancé tie the knot!
Celebrating 3 years of mutual weirdness marital bliss today. Tomorrow will also equal 9.5 years together.
To my partner in crime:
Thanks for shaking my hand awkwardly at that frat party. Thanks for accepting my terrible Nextel phone clip. Thanks for the letters from Nevada. Thanks for listening and taking me to The Melting Pot for our first date. Thanks for awkwardly introducing me as your girlfriend to someone before we had had “the talk.” Thanks for being persistent. Thanks for understanding me and my quirks. Thanks for forgiving me after we fight. Thanks for supporting me in chasing my dreams. Thanks for moving to New York with me. Thanks for building a life with me. Thanks for sharing a tiny apartment without killing me for 4.5 years. Thanks for being the best travel partner. Thanks for complementing me in a way that opposites attract. Thanks for laughing at my terrible jokes. Thanks for taking my photos for this blog, even though we get strange looks on the streets and sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Thanks for listening to me. Thanks for taking long walks. Thanks for being open minded. Thanks for working hard for us. Thanks for being honest and trustworthy. Thanks for being an amazing father.
I love you to the moon and back, and I cannot wait to see what the following years of mutual weirdness will bring.
Let me set the scene. It was a beautiful sunny day in Annapolis. We headed over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by shuttle for a lovely church ceremony, followed by a gorgeous reception on the water at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. We watched Kurt and Tiffany say their long-awaited “I do’s” and the love was radiating between the two of them all day and night long.
I have known Kurt since college. He was roommates with my high school friend Mike at St. Joseph’s University in Philly, and my cousin Marisa and I took many of those two hour trips throughout our college years up from the University of Maryland to visit them as well as another one of our besties at UPenn. We really got to know all of the St. Joe’s guys, but especially Kurt as he and Mike stayed roommates and best friends for years to come. We spent many crazy summers in Dewey Beach fist pumping, dancing to techno, screaming Taylor Swift at the tops of our lungs and taking a gazillion photos. We also spent many fun nights hanging out in Baltimore in the off season for all different kinds of events or just random weekend nights. I remember when Kurt first met Tiffany, and her first trip to Dewey Beach. I think I may actually have it on video. She seemed a little nervous (because let’s be honest, my friends are crazy), but she was sweet as could be and fit right in with the gang. I knew she would be sticking around for the long haul.
Kurt and Tiffany have such a special relationship that you would have to be blind to not notice. I hope the photos below capture the beautiful and awesome wedding day that June 29th was. They are a wonderful couple and I am happy to call them my friends. Congratulations Kurt and Tiff, and I I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together!
Hope you enjoyed the photos from this magical day. Doesn’t Tiff just look stunning in this last photo?
This week has been a good one…been busy with multiple errands, catching up with blogging and e-mails, and enjoying a little peace and quiet around the house. I have a doc appointment for Little Monkey today for our 7 month checkup. I still cannot believe we are almost there! Things have been piling in for the nursery…he is already spoiled thanks to my family and friends. We are getting super excited for his arrival, and I’m pretty sure the “nesting” bug is going to hit me soon.
