My first award!

Be Write There was so kind and just gave me my 1st blogger award (Neno's award)! How fun!

The goals of this award are:
1)As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
2)To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.
3)Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.
4)Don't forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
5)Answer the awards question by writing the reason why you love blogging.
6)Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.
7)Don't forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.

I have come to love blogging because it allows all of my random thoughts to get out of my head and onto "paper". I became a wedding blog junky when planning my wedding day, stumbled onto A Preppy Wedding and from there a whole new world was opened to me. I am so glad that I have found cute outfits, new recipes, great interior design photos, travel itineraries, and amazing people while blogging, and I hope my blog brings some enjoyment to other's days as well. It's amazing how blogging has expanded my world and allowed me to examine my life more closely as well.

I would like to pass this on to
MMM
Queen Bee Swain
Hound, Horse, and Home
Le Petite Blog
and
Mom X 2 (almost three!)


Weekend was great, work was crazy today.......informative post tomorrow!

My First Giveaway!!

So, this is my 101st post!! Who knew that in January when I started blogging that I would like it this much and that I would find this much to write about. There are so many kind and generous bloggers out there who have hosted giveaways, I thought I'd host one as well for this milestone. I got an amazing email yesterday stating that one of my favorite etsy artists finally was able to start her own website for her jewelry. To celebrate her accomplishment and my 101st post, I am doing a giveaway in her honor.

Stella's jewelry is incredible! The pictures on her website are great, but even they don't do "real life" justice. I ordered my best friend and matron of honor the Catherine earrings as part of her bridesmaid gift, and she loves them. Stella's jewelry is delicate, pretty, and easily wearable for day-to-day wear as well as dressier occasions. Since summer is almost here, I've decided to give the Sea Breeze Necklace (pictured below) to one lucky reader. The color will be perfect for all the white tops and dresses that come out of hiding this time of year, and it will look great against tan skin as well! Plus, it's so delicate, it will still be wearable even on the warmest of days.


The giveaway will end next Wednesday, April 29th at 5 p.m. I'll pick the winner that night. Rules are as follows:
1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite item off Stella's site for your first entry.
2. Become a follower or let me know you are one, for two extra entrys.
3. Post about this on your blog or on your sidebar for 3 additional entrys.

This gives everyone a possible 6 entrys into the contest. Good Luck! It's definitely something I would want to win, and I hope you all feel the same way!

Also, Stella is offering 20% off all purchases on her website through May 31st with the code TWENTYOFF, and free shipping for orders over $100. If you know anyone getting married this year who is looking for something extra for her girls, or you yourself have fun gift giving opportunities coming up, this is a great opportunity!!

A few of my favorite items from her line include these below:






Gorgeous, huh?? Good luck to all and enjoy your weekends!!! I'll chat with you all again once I'm back from FL!

Giveaways!

Sweet Tea Diaries has been incredibly generous during this month of her birthday, and she's at it again. This time for a gift we all want, need, and use regularly- a boat and tote bag and flip-flops. Perfect for the weather that is soon upon us!! As you know, I love boat and totes and think they are completely necessary in day to day life. She's offering your choice of color and monogram in a size medium. I'm thinking foilage with a pink monogram or canyon gold with a navy monogram.


Be Write There, a relatively new Michigan blogger, is also hosting a giveaway- her first!! If you're not reading her blog already, hop on over, enter the giveaway, and add her to your google reader! She's joining in with Preppy Paper Girl to give a Scout Cooler (awesome for trips to the beach!!) and adorable ribbon tumblers.



Head on over, give these bloggers some love, and perhaps win a gift!!

PS- This is my 100th post!!!!!!! I can't even believe it. I suppose it's time for me to do a giveaway myself. Let's see what I can come up with!!!

Thank Goodness for Sunfest!!

Stephen Bonanno is gearing up for their $20 off Sunfest sale! The sale runs from April 29th- May 3rd, and their sales only happen twice a year. So, get in while the getting is good! I ordered my monogrammed Emma's last year for my wedding reception (navy with white), and I'll be placing another order this year. I will probably be getting the white on white since I don't already own a pair, but I'd love a pair of yellow with white or white with pink! The color choices are endless, ladies. Their truly is something for everyone over there! Head to www.stephenbonanno.com to check them out!!

PS- if you have tried on Jack's in the past and felt they were too narrow, I give you my word that SB's sandals fit much better!

Packing for Florida

B and I are leaving at 0600 on Friday morning for a quick weekend getaway to see his parents, brother, sister-in-law, two nieces, and nephew. We haven't seen them since our wedding in August!! It's going to be a great weekend with incredible weather. B's parents live in Ponte Vedra (near Jacksonville) and his brother's family lives in St. Augustine. The beach club his parents belong to is fantastic- the beach just stretches on for miles and miles. I haven't seen hide nor hare of a beach since the end of August, and this girl is itching to get her body some sun!! Plus the kids are at really fun ages, and they love to swim in the ocean and the pool. I'm not as bikini body ready as I'd like to be, but I'm not letting that stop me at all!!

Here's my packing list so far. I have to pack during the day on Wed since we have dinner plans Wed. night and Thursday is a long workday for me. We'll see how much things change between now and then! I always have to try on all my outfits during the packing process to make sure I love them enough to take them on the trip and make sure I'm not missing any accessories/appropriate undergarments/etc. Do any of you do this as well or am I just weird?

Friday- 81 Degrees (day), 68 degrees (night)
Day (Plane, lunch with parents, seeing museum where his mom is docent):Aqua dress, gold flip flops, gold sand dollar pendant, white cardigan
Night (Cocktails at club, dinner at beach club): White capris, Navy and white J Crew blazer, white tee, monogrammed Bonannos, pearl earrings, gold clutch

I'm trying to decide if I'll be too warm in the blazer while we're at dinner. Everything is air conditioned to the hilt, so I feel like I'll need it. What do you all think? I don't just want to wear white pants with a white tee if I get too warm, you know?

Sat- 81 degrees (day), 68 degrees (night)
Day (beach!): Bathing suit, gold flip flops, pink tunic (worn as dress) or white long cotton dress
Night (Dinner downtown St Augustine): Jeans, white and gold j crew tee, white BR short sleeved jacket, gold heels, gold bracelets, gold clutch

Sunday- 80 degrees
Day (church and lunch)- Lilly dress, gold heels
Travel home- Jeans, white tee, yellow ruffle cardigan, gold belt, gold heels, pearls

Great Success!!!

We just got back from the Wrigley Start Early 10K!!! B wanted to let everyone know that I ran 10,000,000 millimeters!! That doesn't sound very long- I think 6.2 miles sounds a lot longer! Anyway, I did it! I ran the whole thing without walking and without dying (a feat in and of itself). We completed the race in 1 hr 27 seconds. I'm kind of bummed that it wasn't under an hour, but it was still under 10 minute miles. Per B's Garmin, we tracked it at 6.3 actual miles which put us at 9 min 36 second miles. Not bad for my first race!

Toward the end of this race, the walkers met up with the runners, which was slightly annoying because we had to run around lots of strollers. I don't think it would have changed much, but it was frustrating. It was, however, really cool to see so many people up and at em on a gorgeous Saturday morning and fun to see the dogs that were running with their owners for the 5K. I have doggy fever so badly!!

We're just home and showered, so it's time to get ready for our lunch date!! We're going to sit outside somewhere- it's gorgeous here in Chi town!!

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend. We did take a few pics before and after the race, so if I have time tomorrow, I'll get them up here so you can see me in all my sweaty glory. I'm sure you're dying to see it :)

In Honor of Tonight

When B was at Miami University, he sang in their Men's Glee Club. I have come to adore the friends he made in Glee Club (many who live in Chicago) and love when we can get to Oxford for spring or fall concerts. Due to numerous reasons (one being the 10K), we can't get to Oxford tonight for the Spring Concert. We are bummed because the spring concert is always full of the "greatest hits", and quite a few of his friends will be there.

In honor of tonight's concert, I thought I would post a few of my absolute favorite glee club performances off of YouTube. The first is Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen (which you would know from the Shrek movie) and the Second is Beibl's Ave Maria. The Ave Maria was sung during communion at our wedding by five of our Glee Club friends- it was one of the most complemented moments of our wedding, and I will forever cherish that they did that for us.

Enjoy!!

My economic stimulus package!

A few new purchases............
A new Land's End Tote with our last name monogramed in script across the front. I got it in the large size to use as a beach bag.

A few outlet purchases today.... A new dress (aqua), pink button down, and sandollar necklace from JCrew, a striped sweater from the Gap ($13!), the pink and green headband from RL, and a gold belt from Banana. The dress is super duper comfy and will be great for casual summer weekends and to wear to and from the beach.




I picked up these Lilly bow ties the other day at TJ Maxx for $19.99!!! B is trying to decide which one (or two) he is going to keep. He looks great in a bow tie, and we have a few weddings he could wear them to this summer. All are pretty sedated for Lilly but also bright and fun! The one that is harder to see is pink with navy anchors. Anybody want to help us decide?? I'll be returning the ones we don't pick this weekend.

It was so nice to have the day off today and shop for awhile. I also got in my last run (3.5 miles) before the race this weekend!! Back to work for the rest of the week....... Are you guys getting this gorgeous weather where you live?? It could be as high as 70 here on Friday!! Wow!

Heirloom Clothes for Children

Yesterday while I was at the outlets, I walked past the Strasburg Children's store. They are having a going out of business sale, so I stopped in to check out the sales. I think it's so sad that they are going out of business because they have the most beautiful, heirloom quality clothes for kids. I wanted to let the moms out there know that the outlets that are going out of business are currently marking things from 30%-75% off. They had fall and Christmas merchandise that was orginally over $150 that was marked down to $20-$30. Gorgeous black velvet dresses and rompers, adorable plaid longalls with pumpkin embroidery for boys, school dresses for girls, etc. Most of their summer dresses were marked at 50% which made a lot of them $40-$70. If you have a few special events coming up or want to buy next year's Easter dress in advance, I would highly recommend visiting or calling one of the outlet locations to see what you can pick up. The smocking on the dresses is impeccable, as is the embroidery. I don't think you can beat the quality anywhere. Our flower girls wore a blue and white check dupioni silk dresses with a blue sash from Strasburg, and they looked so adorable!

If you can't get to an outlet, here are a few outfits from their website that I think are adorable and reasonably priced.

Plaid dress for $65.58

Yellow and white boy's outfit for $49.79 (would look so cute monogrammed)

Little boy's sailor suit for $35.99

Floral bishop dress for $57.78. I had a hard time walking out of the store without this (and I don't even have kids!). It's gorgeous in person!!

White two piece outfit for $34.16. Would look gorgeous for summer pictures on the beach.

Last week in pictures

Decorating Easter Eggs
I haven't done this since I was a little girl. It was SO much fun! Having the plastic tablecloth really helped me feel more confident about cleaning afterwards. Definitely something I'll have fun doing with my own kids someday!





Build-a-Bear and a trip to the Mall
Miss Cutiepie and I got to go to build-a-bear together (I have never done this), and it definitely was a cool experience if viewed through the eyes of a little one. We also shopped a little and found this fantastic hat for her. She looks SO cute in it!!