Last Days in Tally

How has it already been over a month? As we have moving boxes up to our ears, I can't help but think how fun the past few weeks have been for us. It is so nice to be able to spend all of the daily adventures and quirky trips with my love. Even though I have been having so much fun and relaxing almost 24/7 (I have the tan and completed book list to prove it!), I am so excited and ready to be starting our next adventure together! Pennsylvania, here we come!

Despite our weekend of packing, we've taken time to enjoy ourselves too. Friday, we went for a date night at Hasu Sushi (mostly because we tried to use the groupon at the wrong location last time and still had a groupon to use!) Matt had his first Saki experience. I think you can tell by his face whether he enjoyed it or not...I, however, did enjoy it and got more because Matt didn't like it!

We took another break to go and grab our other remaining groupon...Froyo. We had $20 in froyo that we had to use in one use, so I went a little crazy and got the most froyo I've ever gotten in one container! It lasted the whole weekend, though! What goes best with froyo and How to Train your Dragon on the DVR? Brewopoly afterwards with some cold beers!

Sunday was our last Starbuck-Sunday Paper trip in Tallahassee! As we used the paper to pack the dishes and glassware, it sunk in that we were really moving again and we wouldn't open these boxes until we got to Bloomsburg! 

Today was definitely my last lazy day! We are hoping to hit the road home tomorrow so I'll have to trade in my lazy, pool lounging day for a 14 hour car trip to Pennsylvania. We did get to celebrate Matt's last day at work and our new adventure over Lofty Pursuits ice cream (an amazing ice cream shoppe with many, many vegan ice cream choices and toppings when Matt first moved down here!) Matt got his traditional go to: Guinness ice cream and I got Vegan Vanilla with vegan caramel sauce, vegan whip cream, and oreos. Yes, I went a little nuts, but it is not everyday you find an ice cream shoppe with plenty of vegan options so I needed to go crazy on our last lofty visit! :)

Our Last Lofty Visit!

Weekend Away: Jacksonville, Florida

I know I haven't written a blog in a while, but it's because we've been having so much fun! Plus, I was absolutely exhausted after our weekend trip. How do I recognize when I'm exhausted? Well, "sleeping in" is when I miss GMA..."exhaustion" is when I miss the entire morning lineup of morning shows and sleep in until almost noon and sleep a few hours in the afternoon, too.

Even though I'm living in vacation mode here in Florida, I still think it is fun to get away for a weekend and spend some time exploring a new place. I bought tickets for the Florida Country Superfest in Jacksonville a couple months back as a graduation present to myself. For those of you who know of my love of country music would understand why I was SO incredibly excited for this two day country music fest! But, it is important to think about your concert buddy and plan some fun adventures for them too (especially when country music isn't their preferred genre of music).

So, in order to get the weekend started, I left an itinerary on Matt's pillow in the morning. Although this was really cute and got us started for the day, Matt knew that there would be one on his pillow on day 2. Being the snoop that he is, he went around the apartment trying to find the note and teasing me. When he found the book that it was in, I had to quickly snatch it off of him and hide it for the rest of the morning. Even though this is his "fun," he didn't get the note until day 2! (*I'm also really excited that I made these in InDesign for the first time since college...almost 4 years ago!)

Our first stop was Starbucks to grab some fuel for the day. Then, we made our way to Jacksonville Beach (one of the top 10 beaches in the country!) for a few hours. The beach was GORGEOUS, even though it drizzled a little bit of the morning. We stuck it out and the rain cleared rather quickly. The beach has always been and continues to be my favorite place to be. Nothing beats the sand between your toes, the hot sun on your skin, and the ocean water washing over your feet as you walk along the coast.



But, that was just the start to our trip. After spending a few hours at the beach, we made our way to Intuition Ale Works. Intuition is a local Jacksonville brewery (Jacksonville has almost 10 breweries!) that we went to for some midday beers and snacks (you are able to bring your own food, but since there wasn't much food stops around we had to empty our cooler and eat up most of our snacks). We both got a flight of beer (6 beers) which allowed us to try almost the entire beer list (all but 3!). It was such a nice way to get our of the heat and get ready for a night of music. Plus, one of our favorite things to do is check out local breweries and try new beers.




Next, we headed to the hotel to get ready for the concert at EverBank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. But, it we ended up getting crazy thunder/lightening storms and almost 2 hours of a rain delay. We hung out in the main area to avoid getting rained on until they allowed us to head to our seats. Once they allowed us to get to our seats, we made our way to the upper section, row X (about 10 seats from the very top of the stadium...). The seats were covered with water, but Matt sat down in my seat and got his shorts soaked so mine didn't (he really is wonderful). The concert started with Little Big Town, who sang Matt's (least) favorite country song Pontoon! His face was priceless when they started playing (I knew he'd know a few songs!) After LBT, Eric Church took the stage followed by the main headliner, Jason Aldean! Because of the rain delay, the concert went later than expected, ending around 12:30. It was an AWESOME first day of country music and got me even more excited for day 2. I never thought I'd be sitting in the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium listening to 2 days worth of country music!!

We woke up early to get breakfast and ready for day 2! I knew Matt would be SO excited to see the itinerary that I grabbed the piece of paper almost immediately upon waking up. He saw the Zoo themed photo and knew we were going to Jacksonville Zoo, but didn't know that one of his dreams of feeding giraffes would come true until reading the words on the paper. I'll never forget the excitement on his face after reading those words!! We were both SO excited to feed the giraffes and see all of the animals at the Zoo! As soon as we walked in, Matt was looking at the map and jumping up and down with excitement! It was literally the cutest thing I've ever seen him do...well, until we made our way to the giraffes and Matt was able to feed the them. It was so exciting and the giraffe that we got to feed was so adorable! After the giraffes, we made our way around the rest of the zoo, making sure to see every animal AT LEAST once! We were more like little kids than adults in their twenties. But, it is good to act like a kid every now and then and experience things through child-like excitement!

After a day spent at the Zoo, we were in need of food and air conditioning before going to day 2 of the concert. I swear that the Chipotle we had was the best Chipotle I've ever experienced (which may have been due to the fact that it was the first real meal we had in 2 days). We had some fuel for the remainder of the day and were ready to rock (but not before walking around some stores in the town and having beers at BJ's Brewhouse). It worked out as a perfect pre-concert activity because we were able to spend some time in AC and experience BJ's Brewhouse, a chain we've seen around Florida and have wanted to try since spotting the first one in Tallahassee. It was similar to a Granite City (midwesterners will know this comparison) and had pretty good beer. 

Day 2 at the concert was definitely the better line up: Joe Nichols, Easton Corbin, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, and headliner Luke Bryan!!! I was SO pumped to see all of them, but mostly Miranda and Luke! Miranda got the main party started with her kick-ass songs and attitude. She is such a badass, even though most of the people around us didn't even recognize her songs. You know that most of the crowd is bandwagon country concert goers when they jump up and dance around to Kesha, but not to Miranda Lambert or old school country covers by Luke Bryan! It just made me laugh and think about how country music has changed since I was growing up (I grew up singing along to classic Loretta Lynn and Reba songs).  

But when Luke Bryan came out shakin it in those tight jeans, the crowd went wild. He really got the fans on their feet, dancing with beers in their hands. After a few songs, Luke brought out last night's headliner Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert! They sang a couple classic country songs together, which was absolutely AWESOME! During these songs, I sat back and remembered all of the times I've heard these songs...driving in my Dad's truck, rockin' out on the beach with my family, singing along during karaoke with my Dad, and many other times. That's the thing about a country song... it tends to take you back to a time you'll never forget. So, if you find yourself at a country concert, remember to sit back, take a big sip of your beer, and think back to the first time you heard that song and the way it made you feel months or years ago. The one song that we waited for was "Drink a Beer," which my Dad is in love with and got us hooked on. Luke sat down on a Pier on stage and sang the awesome song before making a toast to all the Dad's on Fathers Day and drinking a beer for someone who has passed (which is what the song is all about). I even took a video of this song and sent it to my Dad! It made his whole day... but, he doesn't know that I waited in line for the last Luke Bryan can koozie (don't tell him though, it happens to be his belated father's day gift). All in all, it was an AWESOME weekend and one that Matt and I will remember! 

Weekend Bliss

Weekends are meant for you to recharge, relax, and reconnect. Matt and I often try to find balance on the weekends: doing things, yet spending a majority of the time relaxing. This weekend was no exception. (I'm proud that we actually crossed off quite a few items on our to-do list!)

We kicked off the weekend with some tasty sushi at one of our favorite sushi places in Tallahassee (mostly because they always have Groupons or LivingSocials). It is always fun to go out to dinner for date night because we often eat things that we are either too lazy to make for ourselves or that we are really in the mood for. Sushi is often one of those things we eat out. Although we've made our own sushi before (and plan to make it more if we get the sushi dishes we have on our wedding registry), nothing beats a good sushi restaurant. A bonus is that I can eat at most sushi places, too! Skeptical of what you can eat as a vegan at a sushi restaurant? I've found that almost every sushi place has at least a few veggie rolls, which happen to be vegan, and salads. My favorites are sweet potato rolls and those with asparagus and avocado, but other veggie rolls are good too.


Since I refused to shut up about The Fault in Our Stars, it was a must see this weekend. We went to the first show on Saturday morning, which was nice because the theatre was not overcrowded and it was only $6 admission (versus the $10.50 per person for the evening shows!). The movie DID NOT disappoint at all! I'm always skeptical about novel-to-movie productions, but this was definitely one of the best ones I have seen. It follows very close to the book, with little variation. The only person in the book I pictured different was Van Houton. I pictured him a bit older in the book, but definitely is not a deal breaker. I don't want to spoil anything major on here. You definitely should go see it, but read the book first if you think you have any interest in reading it. If you're going to see it, take tissues!!


As many of you know, I've been working away on our wedding to-do list. With only 124 days until the wedding and a little over 2 weeks until we move back to PA, I need to get some time consuming things done. If you've planned a wedding, you know that it is stressful and requires a lot of trips to craft stores (and thrift stores, dress shops, etc.).

So, when looking for wedding items for crafts or centerpieces or shower thank you cards, it is important to get in a few laughs. Matt LOVES going shopping with me...especially when I spend 30+ minutes looking at the clearance when we went to the store for two other items nowhere near the sale signs (sarcasm, folks). I can't help it that Im drawn to the discounted items and clearance signs, though. As I was rooting through the 50 cent bins, I look up to find my goofy fiance wearing "It's My Birthday" shades and just being silly. Even though he hates shopping, he always finds a way to make me laugh with his silliness (usually out of boredom).

Do you live far away from the majority of your close friends? Looking for a cute gift for a newly engaged friend across the miles? Since you can't send wine or champagne to celebrate the big news, you'll have to find the next best thing!

Nothing helps a friend get through wedding planning better than coffee (the coffee keeps you awake when you need to get things done AND crafts actually come out perfect, unlike when you drink one too many glasses of wine). Send a coffee gift card so she (and her fiance) can grab at least a few coffees along the engagement and wedding planning journey. Pair that with a bridal magazine. These are usually pricey and a bride-to-be may not want to fork out money getting all of the new bride magazines when Pinterest exists. Even though Pinterest is AWESOME for wedding planning, I still think that these magazines DO have some useful information within them and feature real dresses (with REAL websites/designers, unlike some of the ones on Pinterest).

Poolside Read: Still reading Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern. It is really good and a very interesting idea (a blood donor's blood--and memories--end up in someone who needed a blood transfusion). It is a little science-fictiony and not my usual read, but I am still enjoying it.

Reading for Pleasure: Books, Books, and More Books

Why haven't I written a blog in a few days? Well, I've been too busy reading, friends. The proof is on my arms, as I officially have sun reading arms. Unaware of what this is? Well, it is when you get a distinct tanline at the crease of your arm due to holding a book out in the sun for hours upon hours!

After being in graduate school and having to read assigned readings or readings for assignments for two years, I can finally indulge in a book wish list that was listed on my computer as "Books to Read When I have a Life Again." Now that I have a "life" or one that is currently free of graded assignments and degree dependent requirements, I can read and read and read. Sure, I can analyze these books or think critically if I want to. But, I also don't have to. But that's the thing about getting a degree in Gender and Women's Studies: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT CRITICALLY ANALYZE EVERYTHING (yes, everything from the Sunday paper to morning TV shows to novels).

Anyways, here's what I've been reading: 

Love, Rosie

Tuesday, I finished Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern, Irish author of one of my favorite novels PS I Love You. The unique thing about Love, Rosie is that the entire book is written in letters, emails, messages, cards, etc. I've never read a book quite like it before, but I enjoyed it because you got different perspectives from different letters over a 50 year period. Although it is kind of sappy at times, it does make you think about love, sacrifice, tragedy, happiness, and friendship. From the opening letter to the very last, it is difficult to put down. I like a book that moves quickly and constantly provides cliffhangers, making it difficult to put down until you've finished it. Although I loved this book, I know it is one that I probably won't re-read. I'm not really a novel re-reader anyways. So, I needed to send this one off to someone who also has an old soul like me and shares a love of letters, books (in print, of course), and a good story. Christine, this book is coming your way, so keep an eye on your mailbox! 

*OMG...JUST DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS BEING MADE INTO A MOVIE...due out October 24, 2014, hopefully not just in the UK...crossing my fingers it makes its way across the pond.

The Fault in Our Stars

Yesterday I did something I haven't done in, oh, years I'd say. I read a book from cover to cover in a mere matter of hours. I was so caught up in the book that I spent the entire afternoon (11:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.?/whenever Matt came home from work and met me there) reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It is an amazingly wonderful, tragic, heartwarming, heartbreaking, raw, and passionate story about love, loss, friendship, living, and dying. Although based around teenagers with terminal cancer, it is not a cancer book (the foreword, opening pages, and various times throughout will remind you of this incase you don't believe me). It is a beautiful novel and one that everyone should pick up this summer. You will probably be in shock quite a few times and angry, too. Although you may not expect to laugh and cry and smile at the beautiful progression of the story, you will indeed do these things throughout the novel. I'm going to stop talking about this book in fear of sharing something important. Just read it and experience the magic for yourself.  I'm not ready to part with this one yet (I may only be able to lend this one, actually). 

*This has been made into a movie...in theaters TOMORROW...really wanting to see this one and hoping it is at least half as amazing as the book! I knew that this movie was coming out before I read the book so the enthusiasm about this movie release isn't as dramatic as Love, Rosie, but I'm still super excited to see this one! 

Next up on my Summer Reading List? Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern

An Easy-Like-Sunday-Morning Type of Weekend

MMMMM... Sunday dinner = delicious!

This weekend was a very lazy, enjoyable one. It is always more enjoyable to be absolutely lazy when your partner has converted to partner in laziness for the day(s). Another wonderful thing about laziness is that you often find your inner kid and try some things you haven't done since childhood or things you wish your parents let you do as a child (like eat froyo for dinner or staying up late playing xbox kinect until the power unexpectedly goes out by a storm...not that either of these two things happened).

Weekend Movie Top Pick: Frozen...this may have been by default (the other movie we rented with our BOGO ended up going nowhere and I don't even remember the title) but Frozen was great and definitely worth watching! After hearing about this movie for weeks at Girls on the Run, I probably should've watched it a while ago. The one benefit to watching it weeks after the buzz was that we had no problem renting it at Redbox! I'm sure if we tried to watch this weeks ago, we'd have to travel half way around the county (maybe further) to actually find it available. 

Latest Style Obsession?: Crop tops! I'm absolutely OBSESSED and in love with them. I'm not exactly sure why I like them so much but I do. Crop tops are so summery and fun and pair nicely with high waisted shorts and skirts. I also discovered that my crop top goes nicely with my London Heart Skirt that I got years ago while studying/interning abroad (*at the time I had a difficult time finding the PERFECT top to go with it). Matching my nails to my skirt also makes me incredibly happy... mostly because it NEVER happens (because, well, I usually have more important things on my agenda than matching my nails to my skirt on a Saturday afternoon). 

Weekend Highlight: When I asked Matt to go on a walk Saturday morning, I was surprised to get an enthusiastic yes! We left the house to walk to our (my) favorite place to walk/run...The Lake! The last time we went walking we saw so many baby and teenage ducks at the lake, but we didn't have anything to feed them. This time, Matt made sure we were more prepared. He brought along his leftover popcorn to feed the ducks. This was something that I hadn't done since I was about 10 at Lakewood park in my hometown. It was so fun to relive a little childhood memory this weekend and I'm sure we'll do this again before we leave...especially because the fluffy baby ducks are adorable!

Just your average duck-feeding-lake-walking trip

Vegan Recipe Favorites: Today I'm posting two vegan recipes that I absolutely love (one breakfast and one dinner) to prove that vegans CAN indulge in yummy comfort foods!

Vegan French Toast: 

Pairs nicely with Coffee and Sunday Paper

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved breakfast foods! French toast was always one of my favorites. So, when I went vegan, I made it my mission to try to replicate french toast. I tried substituting apple sauce for eggs, nondairy milk for milk, and vegan bread for regular bread. The result was that it worked! Try it for yourself:

Vegan French Toast Ingredients:

1/2 cup natural apple sauce (*I always buy the individual natural applesauces to have around the house)

1/2 cup vanilla soymilk (*can substitute other non-dairy milk; if not vanilla flavored, add vanilla extract)

1 tbsp Sugar Shaker Mixture (*organic brown sugar, organic sugar, ginger, and cinnamon)

2-4 slices of your favorite vegan bread (*I used organic whole wheat vegan bread from Trader Joe's)

Vegan Butter

Maple Syrup 

Bananas and Powdered Sugar (*optional)

Vegan French Toast Directions:

-In a bowl, whisk applesauce, nondairy milk, sugar shaker mixture, and about a tablespoon of maple syrup until well blended 

-Melt vegan butter on skillet at medium heat (*for electric stove)

-Completely soak vegan bread in bowl until well coated

-Cook bread on stove until the bread is no longer soaked, but cooked to a golden brown

-Serve with maple syrup, bananas, and powdered sugar

Pittsburgh Salad Vegan Style: 

Can you believe this is vegan?

One thing that Pittsburgh is known for is adding french fries to salads (and sandwiches!) If you've never indulged in this wonderful treat, you're missing out! When I first when vegan, I thought that I would never be able to have these wonderful comfort foods again. I'm so happy I was wrong!

Pittsburgh Salad Vegan Style Ingredients 

Your choice of lettuce

Mixed Veggies (*Trader Joe's has a chopped, mixed container that is fabulous!)

Red Onion

Sweet Potato Fries

3 Vegan Crispy Faux-Chicken Strips (*Trader Joe's Brand OR Gardein Brand, sold at Target)

Goddess Dressing, or desired dressing (*Trader Joe's Brand or Annie's Brand is awesome!)

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil

Pittsburgh Salad Vegan Style Directions

-Bake Faux-Chicken Strips and Sweet Potato Fries to desired time/heat on packaging (approx. 30 min)

-Mix lettuce, veggies, and onion

-In a small bowl, mix goddess dressing with a tbsp of balsamic vinegar and olive oil to thin out goddess dressing. (*Goddess dressing is pretty thick and can be used on salad on it's own, but I prefer it a little thinner on my salad which is why I add the vinegar and oil)

-Once baked items are done, place on top of salad, add dressing, mix, and enjoy!

Running, Soy Yogurt, and Postcards...Oh, My!

The best part about having time away from school and work is being able to clearly think, experiment with new things without a time crunch, read for pleasure and actually enjoy reading, and have some seriously amazing creativity breakthroughs! No wonder companies in some other countries enforce a "mandatory holiday" policy for employees...to refresh, revitalize, and relax. Not only does it force you to slow down and enjoy the little things in life, but allows your creativity to literally get out of control. Things you've tried thinking about or making decisions about for months (yes, months), come so quickly that you are confused as to why it took this long to have that "ah ha!" moment. Without the stress of a million other things, you can concentrate on the current agenda fully and dedicate time to completing the things that got pushed to the back burner. For me, this is mostly wedding related to-do's. And, Matt also helps me make decisions (I'm literally THE WORST at decisions...However, this is only for small, rather insignificant decisions...Big life decisions? Decision made...The envelope for wedding invitations to go in? Hours...Ok, Days). 

A few days ago, a friend shared a photo with me on Facebook which referred to my love to singing in the car (because, where else do I sound EXACTLY like Celine Dion?). I literally laughed out loud at this photo, which allowed me to continuously laugh because of the commentary that followed. Anyways, I went for a run yesterday and just when I was about to cool down and finish my run, a good song came on and I was all like: 

When Kenny Chesney's "I Go Back" (probably my FAVORITE Kenny Chesney song..but really, there are so many good ones its practically impossible to choose just one) came on and I started rocking out while running, I immediately thought of this photo and started laughing (not in my head but out loud, making fellow runners at the lake give me the "who told this crazy singing-dancing-laughing runner lady about this running location?" look). You need a good playlist, or an Ipod-mind-reading-genie, while running because, inevitably, you will hit a want-to-quit-and-walk-home wall and you will need some pump-you-up-like-you've-just-started-running songs to keep you going. 

It is actually really nice and easy to run here in the mornings. Unlike Minnesota, it is warm early in the morning and you don't need capri's or a hoodie at the beginning of your run. However, you do need sunscreen. Also, the scenery is beautiful. Just the other day, when I looked down to make sure my key was still tied to my shoe (yes, this is a great way to carry your keys with you while running..simply double or triple knot your keys to your shoelaces), I found a beautiful flower by my feet. Obviously, I picked it up, put under my hat for safe keeping, and finished my run home. Obviously (see below) the only hat acceptable to wear on a run while listening to your Kenny Chesney playlist is a concert hat from Kenny Chesney circa 2011.. it's also a nice place to store flowers while running to keep them looking absolutely fabulous and flawless.

I also finished Tina Fey's Bossypants Memoir yesterday. When I reached the end, I was confused. It's over? How? Didn't I JUST start this? It was so funny ("funny" is an understatement.. it is more like laugh-out-loud-almost-pee-your-pants-people-staring-at-you-when-you-laugh-in-public FUNNY) and easy to read that I reached the end before I wanted it to end. If you enjoy laughing until your cheeks hurt and thinking "me too!" on repeat for entire book, then you should immediately go to the store and purchase this book (or, ask me to borrow it...not sending this one because, when I need a quick laugh, I want to be able to pick this golden text up again). I only wish that I was HALF as funny as Tina Fey.

Current Poolside Read: Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern (Irish author who also wrote P.S. I Love You)

Most Recent Vegan Discovery: SOY Yogurt at Trader Joe's...I've only ever had the Coconut Yogurts from Trader Joe's (absolutely AWESOME, but more of a dessert yogurt because it doesn't have much protein). When we were grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, I discovered they didn't JUST have the coconut yogurt I was used to eating. They also had the Soy Yogurt in two flavors: Peach and Strawberry (with 6g of protein, yippee!) If these turned out to be good, I could enjoy these at breakfast and save 50 cents off the coconut yogurts (or about $2 off of similar soy yogurts at the co-op). 

The verdict? Great! Good flavor and thickness, almost as thick as greek style yogurts. Want to try it? Trader Joe's, 99 cents. 

Highlight of Yesterday: I received a postcard from my lovely friend Brittany from her Hawaiian vacation. In my 24 years, I don't think I've ever received a postcard from Hawaii! This one is definitely a keeper (come to think of it, all postcards and lovely notes from friends are keepers). This is because I ABSOLUTELY love receiving and sending letters, postcards, etc. (if you didn't know this already). Not like a, "Oh, cool I got a letter" love. Definitely more like a, Blues Clues Mail-Wag-Your-Tail Sing-a-long (don't know this one? YouTube now and return to this blog in 3 minutes) and jump up and down excitedly until you've expended enough energy to finally grab your letter opener and open those letters up! Okay, maybe that's just what happens in my head. But, I do ALWAYS grab my letter opener before opening letters to keep the envelopes intact (in a pinch, a butter knife will do). Yes, I keep envelopes intact because I can then keep my letters in my letter box. Years down the road, when even fewer people send letters and stamps are a premium, I can look back and reminisce on what friends and loved ones sent me years ago. When I moved from Mankato, I wanted to "go through" my letters and get rid of a few to make the box lighter. I got rid of about 5 letters (maybe), but found priceless words and memories that I actually hadn't thought of in a long time. That is the great thing about holding onto letters and cards, you can go back and look at them years later and get a warm, fuzzy feeling all over again (sometimes it makes you feel even more warm and fuzzy to read them years down the road when you actually appreciate things a lot more). Think I'm crazy and letters/postcards/notes aren't anything close to what I'm cracking them up to be? Try it and see. If you're a real suspect, try a note first and spy on the receiver to see their reaction or hand deliver a letter to a loved one to see their reaction. Most likely, they'll love it...unless you write something cray-cray in there and scare the poop out of that person. In the case of the latter, seek help.

My very 1st  oh-so-lovely Hawaiian postcard courtesy of Brittany

Two is Better than One: Spending the Long Weekend Together

Wandering around Downtown Tallahassee, Florida

It's been almost 2 years since Matt and I have been in the same place! Yes, we spent a few weeks and weekends here and there while apart, but the fact that we never have to be apart again is starting to sink in. This was our first weekend together, on our own and it was wonderful!

It was so nice to relax and lazily decide what we wanted to do for the day, not really having any plans whatsoever. Although we watched a lot of movies (because we had so many Redbox promo codes!) and sat by the pool for hours, we also got quite a few things done for the wedding (once again, not revealing anything here just yet!), solidified our wedding registries (finally) and started our moving back to PA plan, too.

Ready, Set, Register (again)

I don't know if other engaged couples feel this way, but getting your wedding registry in order is difficult. You need to decide the (general) colors you want, items you need in multiple rooms of a house/apartment (that you may or may not have yet), random wishes in different price points, and what stores you'll build registries at. I swear, I've gone back and forth on multiple different things--including dishes, silverware, bedding, and kitchen wishes.

Here's some of my thoughts on wedding store registries:

1. Bed, Bath, and Beyond - Really easy and the staff was nice! The online registry is easy to use as well. Reasons to choose this store: guests can use a 20% off coupon when shopping for your registry and enjoy free gift wrapping. The couple receives coupons after the wedding date to purchase remaining items.

2. Target - I'm just a little--okay, a lot--obsessed with this store. So, obviously we HAD to register here. The in-store registering was really easy but managing the registry online was extremely difficult for me and I had to call the 1-800 number to get assistance deleting items (we really didn't need 4 different sets of dishes). Reasons to choose this store: Targets are virtually everywhere and guests can use Cartwheel and coupon combinations to save money on registry items. The couple receives coupons after the wedding date to purchase remaining items.

3. Pottery Barn - I signed up for our registry online and it was really easy. The difficult thing about Pottery Barn is that there may or may not be a store close by, leaving guests to shop online. However, the quality is great and I'm really excited about the bedding (and random drinkware) we chose here. It is a classic style that will withstand trends.

4. The Pampered Chef - My friend Sam helped me get this set up! I absolutely LOVE Pampered Chef and wanted the majority of our kitchen supplies to come from here. The only downfall is that you either have to have a party OR find a consultant to get you set up for this registry. Benefits: lifetime warranty on all products and quality products that withstand the test of time. Also, the couples get rewarded for purchases through this registry.

5. Kohls - We didn't register for too much for this store, but it is a good store to register at. Couples enjoy 10% back on all registry items purchased AND coupons up to 6 months after the wedding.

6. Anthropologie - My obsession with Anthro is a little excessive, but everything is SO adorable and pretty much a MUST HAVE. This is expensive, though, and doesn't technically have a "registry" (although they should!). So, I created a "wish list" filled with random wishes that I would love. I also told my Mom about the items I wanted so she could tell different shower guests about these wishes.


Most Exciting Weekend News:
Even though Matt and I had some fun times this weekend, nothing could beat the news I got Saturday night! My best friend since I was young (we "met" at the wavepool when we were 15 months old...well, our Momma's met and started our friendship) got engaged!! Cassie is my best friend and Maid of Honor in my wedding this October! I am SO thrilled for her and her fiance, Brian. I am SO looking forward to celebrating with the amazing, newly engaged couple in July when we're home!

I wish I had a picture on my computer of when we were little, but this one will do. 

Our Current Top Movie Picks:
1. Monument Men (*Matt would argue that The Hobbit tied with this, but I went thrifting while he watched it so I can't lend my opinion on this one)
2. Dallas Buyers Club 
3. American Hustle 


Current Poolside Read:
Bossypants by Tina Fey.. I'm only about 1/4 of the way through this read, but it is laugh out loud funny. If you fear laughing out loud in public settings, I suggest reading this in the privacy of your own home. If you're like me and really don't care about disturbing the silence at the pool, in a coffee shop, etc. then indulge in this fantastically funny memoir.

Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.. I finished this last week and loved the fact that it was set in London. I often buy novels that are set in London or England so I can think back to my own time in London. Sometimes I get so caught up in my memories of London, I stop reading for a while. Unless I'm really attached to a book, I usually think of a friend who would enjoy the book as much as I did and media mail it to them (*for those of you unfamiliar with the amazingness of Media Mail: send books or magazines via Media Mail, through USPS and save a ton!) Who would like this book as much as I did? Well, my good friend Tabitha, of course. Tabitha recently reminded me that it was 4 years ago (almost to the day!) that we met in Washington DC and embarked on our summer abroad in London. Now, 4 years later, Tabitha is one of my closest friends and a bridesmaid in my wedding.

Throwback to London, Summer 2010

Favorite New Poolside Drink:
Friday night, we decided we wanted margarita's. Since we didn't have any of the supplies, we decided to venture out to the store. On our journey, I discovered that Kenny Chesney's Blue Chair Bay Rum was 50% off. Obviously, I needed to buy it--it was such a good deal. Plus, the Coconut Spiced Rum was tasty. When we went to the pool Saturday, I was determined to make a new drink with this Rum.

Want to learn more about Kenny Chesney's Rum, find more recipes, AND watch a cool documentary about the process?
Visit: http://www.bluechairbayrum.com/

Blue Chair Bay Poolside Sipper
1 part Blue Chair Bay Spiced Coconut Rum
Splash or two of Dark Rum (*We used our Rum from our Punta Cana trip!)
1 part Paradise Blend Juice (*Dole)
Splash or two of Coconut Water

*Add ice and ingredients above to martini shaker, shake and pour over ice (*if taking outside)
*Garnish with pineapple or other tropical fruit slice and enjoy poolside

Newest Vegan Recipe Try:
I couldn't remember the last time that I made pancakes so I decided Sunday morning was the perfect time to try a new vegan, pinterest inspired recipe for banana blueberry pancakes! Besides, what goes better with a Sunday paper than yummy pancakes? We also discovered that the same recipe works well for waffles, too, because Matt wanted waffles instead of pancakes. The recipe below yielded 1 waffle and 8 small pancakes. Need to feed a lot of mouths? Simply double or triple the recipe.

Banana Blueberry Pancakes, Ingredients:
1 cup flour
Dash of baking powder
Dash of Cinnamon
Dash of Ginger (*I swear, I use ginger in just about everything...so many health benefits!)
1 1/2 Very Ripe Banana
1 cup non-dairy milk (*I used Organic Vanilla Soy)
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
Fresh Blueberries (*I used what we had remaining in the fridge, but this is up to you!)

Banana Blueberry Pancakes, Instructions:
-Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger
-In a separate bowl, mash banana and mix in non-dairy milk, maple syrup
-Add to flour mixture and stir until flour mixture is completely mixed in
-Add desired amount of blueberries
-Heat pan on medium (*for electric stove)
-Let cook until the middle begins to bubble and flip, cook until golden brown
-Serve with maple syrup and powdered sugar with a side of coffee and a Sunday paper