In Good Faith

the little things that make you a "grown up"

2012-01-24T09:42:00.000-05:00

Good morning, all!

Lately I've been thinking about the little things that add up to make you an adult. I've felt like I was an adult for a long time (anyone else have those screaming fights with your parents at 18?-- "you can't tell me what to do... I'm an adult!!!") but not until recently have I really noticed some changes in myself that have made me feel like I am ... sigh... a "grown up."

For example:
- Filling up the gas tank in my car. I never did this because I didn't want to put out $50 at one time. I would just stubbornly put in $15-20 dollars and have to get gas twice as often because $50 felt like soooo much money.
- Buying furniture that cost more than $200 and will last more than 2-3 years.
- Not wanting to go out on a friday night because I'm tired from working a full day. Related: getting tired and going to bed between 10 and 11 every night.
- Being around people who are 22 or 23. This is especially disheartening.
- Actually saving money and designating it for things like a house, retirement (!), furniture, etc.
- Hiring a college student as my dog walker (this was really weird, let me tell you!!)
- Consulting with another person about how to spend money/what you are allowed to buy (although this is more about being married)
- Waking up "early" on the weekends, even when you don't have to work and want to sleep in

Do you feel like you're a "grown up"? What makes you think so?

weekend

2012-01-22T20:07:00.001-05:00

Hey all!

Coming to you from R's laptop! I've been sort of absent here because I spilled an entire cup of coffee on my mac. Yes, an entire cup... so it's ruined. We're currently trying to figure out if we should buy me one or just share one for the time being.

Anyway, we had a nice weekend. On friday we met up with another couple for dinner and beers, which was nice (even though the weather here in NC was disgusting!). Then yesterday we went to our niece's 2nd birthday at a gymnastics gym. Here are a couple pics:

the birthday girl!

holding a cake ball in one hand and a cheese curl in the other!

On Saturday night we watched Drew Peterson: Untouchable on lifetime.

I thought it was good! And sad :( Rob Lowe was totally scary as Drew Peterson. Yikes.

Then today R put together our new entertainment center/bookshelves:

I'm currently toying around with what to put on the shelves. There's definitely one print I'm ordering from etsy that's an 8x10 that we'll be framing and putting on one of the shelves. I also might get a plant and some (fake) hydrangeas to stick in a short glass container. I have a feeling I will keep changing things around slightly for a long time!

Hope you had a good weekend!

a truly easy diy mani

2012-01-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

Morning, all! Hope you're enjoying a leisurely Sunday.

On Friday I went to R's new company's "after-holiday holiday" party. I got out of work a few hours early and ran around to a few stores to try and find something new to wear (new dress? new clutch? something!). I didn't find anything worth buying, which was a little frustrating, so I decided to run to Target and pick up a new nail polish to give myself a quick DIY manicure.

Over the holidays my sister introduced me to Sally Hansen Insta-dri nail polish. She told me it was super fast drying and that it had a brush that made it easy to do yourself. I was very skeptical. I rarely paint my fingernails because I do such a poor job on my right hand that it's embarrassing. But I thought, what the hell, I'll try it out.

Turns out she was right! The brush is very thick and flat-- so basically you do one or two swipes on your nail and your whole nail is covered. This leaves very little room for error. It also dries super quick. We're talking like a minute or 90 seconds. Not semi-dry but still tacky. DRY. completely.

So far I've used silver and a bright fuchsia and made no mistakes. It's amazing! I'm going to buy it in several more colors.

One drawback is that I think it's a little more matte looking than other polishes-- but this could probably be remedied by adding a clear topcoat if you really want a shiny finish. It doesn't really bother me and I appreciate the ease of just swiping on the color and getting on with life, so I just left it as is both times.

Check it out!

*this was not a solicited post. I really just like this product and wanted to tell you about it!*

bringing home the bacon? or cooking the bacon?

2012-01-13T09:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, y'all!

Today I have a smug married confession for you.

As you know, R and I are both lawyers. We're equals. We've always seen ourselves as partners... and although I sometimes struggle to do my half of the chores (as I've admitted before), we have always had distinct domains that we took care of.

This past fall, while R was doing some part-time work and looking for full-time jobs our roles began shifting. He was doing nearly all of the chores at home. I couldn't find anything around my house because he was doing all the cleaning and tidying up. He was even making dinner some nights (and doing a great job). Cooking had always been my job, one which I loved doing. I was starting to feel like my only contribution was my salary. I felt kind of useless. The things I used to do, he was now doing, and he was doing it BETTER than me. For a Type-A person, this is not a good feeling.

I found myself just getting lazier. What's the point of doing X, Y or Z if he does it better? I felt like our equal partnership was turning into a 1950s marriage, only backwards.

Now that R got a new job and is working more hours than me, things are shifting again. Now that he's not around as much I know that I have to pick up the slack around the house. I come home from work everyday and have dinner ready for him, on the table, when he gets home. I put in the laundry. I sort the mail. I feed the dog and take him out and get him settled before R gets home.

And I have to admit.......it feels good. It feels really good.

Is this because I'm a woman and I get an innate satisfaction out of taking care of my husband? I don't think so. I think it has more to do with the fact that we all need to feel needed. We all need to feel like we are bringing something to the table.

For me, cooking a good meal makes me feel good. Better than just bringing home a paycheck. I don't think I'm cut out to be the breadwinner. Work will never be my "thing"... so having that be my main contribution to our marriage is not satisfying to me. But everyone is different...

How does your partnership work? Do you share everything equally? Does one of you have the primary career and is one of you the CEO of the house? Do you like it how it is or do you wish it was allocated differently?

upgrading our decor

2012-01-10T09:29:00.000-05:00

Good morning, all!

R and I are slowly buying new pieces of furniture, art and other decor. As I have mentioned before, we have done a pretty good job decorating with hand-me-downs and photographs for the past three years... but now that we're married and have actual incomes, we feel it's time for some upgrades.

Here is our most recent purchase....

The Sloane leaning bookcase/media center from Crate & Barrel

We love love LOVE this and can't wait until it comes in the mail. I'm already dreaming about how to outfit the shelves....which brings me to the next picture:

Custom State picture via Redrobe Designs on Etsy

I saw this print on Preppy Girl Meets World and knew that R and I had to have one of our homestate- Delaware- with a heart over Wilmington where we grew up and met. This will definitely go on the bookcase.

Then lastly, I came across this sign:

via the Shabby Sign Shoppe on Etsy

Well this is actually three of them together to show some of the different color options. We would get it in a cobalt blue most likely because our kitchen (in our next place which we'll be moving to sometime this year) will have blue and yellow accents. The saying means "the kitchen is the heart of the home" in Italian. Italy and anything Italian remind R and I of our study abroad during law school in Italy where we got engaged, so I think this would be a great addition.

What do you think?

go easy on the resolutioners!

2012-01-04T09:16:00.000-05:00

Hey all!

With the start of a new year, a lot of people make resolutions. Losing weight and getting in shape tend to be one of the most common. As a result, come January 1 there are a lot of newbies flooding into gyms and fitness classes everywhere. I've noticed that every year, this year included, my facebook newsfeed has been splashed with statuses such as "you're just going to quit by february anyway, get out of my gym!" and "waited 30 minutes for a treadmill because of the resolutioners...kill me."

image via fitsugar.com

Today I wanted to write this post to say-- give the resolutioners a break! We all have to start somewhere. It's true that some, even many of these people may give up on their weight loss and fitness goals... but some won't! Some of them will make a life change. Some of them really WILL make this the year that they start running, or get in shape, or lose that extra 15 lbs.

I know, because last year I was one of them! In January I started the Couch to 5k plan having never run more than a mile in my entire life. I began week one alternating running for 60 seconds and walking for 90 seconds... and believe me, it was tough! Now I run 2 or 3 miles without stopping and have completed 2 5ks. Running has become a hobby of mine. I never went more than a week and a half or so the entire year without running. Even during finals. Even during bar studying. Even during the first month of my new job.

So, go easy on the resolutioners and remember when you were a gym newbie! They're trying to do something good for themselves... not take your favorite elliptical.

2011 and 2012 goals!

2012-01-03T12:47:00.000-05:00

Hey all!

Sorry for my absence. The holidays were busy and exciting and then unfortunately I spilled a whole mug of coffee on my mac yesterday. Yikes. But, I'm back!

I love New Year's because it gives me a chance to reflect on the past year and to get a "fresh start" as well. In 2011, my goals were:

1) Run a 5k
2) Pass the Bar Exam
3) Find a job as a lawyer
4) Eat more veggies
5.) Learn to cook new things
6.) Control my messiness

I am proud to say that I am 5/6!

1) Run a 5k: I ran a 3 mile race in March with friends for St. Patty's day. Then I ran a 5k for MS over Thanksgiving weekend and another 5k for Arthritis the day of my 25th birthday. I am so excited and proud that I was able to do this!

2.) Pass the bar exam: As you know, I passed the bar on the first try. This was a huge relief and I'm still very proud of that milestone.

3.) Find a job as a lawyer: I got a job offer in March and began work as a state appellate judge's law clerk. I LOVE my job and will be staying on for next year as well.

4.) Eat more veggies: This year I fell in love with bell peppers. I still put them on everything. I also discovered a love for jalapenos and red onion.

5.) Learn to cook new things: Although I think I could've done more, I learned to cook several new things this year. I've perfected how to cook a chicken breast and know its done without cutting into it. I learned to make awesome chili. I cooked a beef tenderloin and a brisket for the first time. Not too bad!

6.) Control my messiness: This one was, to be honest, a fail. I've blogged several times about how R is the neat one in our house. I'm ashamed to say I still do not do 50% of the chores and that he is more than pulling his weight. I need to work on this for real in 2012.

And now... my goals for 2012!

1) Take as many weekend trips as budget/jobs allow (whether it be 2 or 10! whatever is doable!)
2) Run an 8k and continue to complete more races
3) Do my share of the housework... for real this time
4) Continually strive for excellence at my job

That's it! I feel pretty good with where I'm at, but I want to focus this year on being a good partner to my husband, being a good employee, continuing to run and enjoying these married-with-no-kids-yet years!

Cheers to 2012!

life.is.so.beautiful !

2011-12-30T21:48:00.000-05:00

I just need to take a moment to gush over the fabulousness that is the end of 2011 in the K household:

R and I shared our first married Christmas with my family in Richmond, VA. It was the best Christmas I've had in years! It was nice to be surrounded by family, love, and happiness for the holidays. I feel blessed.

My sister is coming down tonight to spend NYE and the weekend with me! I'm so excited :) !!!

Bestie S, got engaged to the love of her life tonight! I knew this was coming for a week because her fiance told me...and boy am I excited that it finally happened! I am so so excited for her!!! I am truly thrilled :)

R is starting a new job on January 4th that he is super excited about! I'm so proud of him and can't wait to see what the future brings in his new endeavor.

As I wrote about here, 2011 has been a fantastic year for me. I can't say enough. After having such a shit-tastic 2009 and 2010, this year was a breath of fresh air and a reminder that life is beautiful and that everyday is a gift.

Cheers to a great year!

oreo truffles and chocolate pretzel treats!

2011-12-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

Hey there!

This week I made some sweets to bag and give to my coworkers. For my first year as a working lady I wasn't sure what type of gift was appropriate-- so I thought homemade treats were a safe bet. Plus, everyone in my office has a sweet tooth! Here's what I came up with:

Nothing too fancy, but cute!

And here are the ~~embarrassingly easy~~ recipes:

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

- 1 package of oreos (I used Trader Joe's Jo-Joes that are peppermint flavor)

- 1 package of low fat cream cheese

- Baker's dipping chocolate in white, milk or dark chocolate

Directions:

1. Put all oreos and cream cheese in a food processor and pulse until totally combined in a sort of batter.

2. Form oreo mixture into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place in fridge until firm.

3. Melt chocolate until it's a pretty thin liquid.

4. Use a skewer to dip each oreo ball into the chocolate.

5. Place each ball on cookie sheet on foil or parchment paper.

6. Refrigerate until chocolate has hardened.

Chocolate Pretzel Treats (for lack of a better name)

Ingredients:

- small pretzels (in the normal pretzel shape... whatever you call that!)

- hershey's kisses

- m&ms

Directions:

1. Place pretzels on a cookie sheet and warm in the oven for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, unwrap hershey's kisses.

3. Remove pretzels from the oven.

4. Place a hershey's kiss on each of the pretzels.

5. Place an m&m on top of each hershey's kiss, pressing down slightly.

6. Put pretzels in the oven on a plate or cookie sheet for the chocolate to harden.

first night of hanukkah

2011-12-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Hanukkah, friends!

Last night for the first night of hanukkah I made beef tenderloin with a balsamic vinegar and red wine sauce and latkes with sour cream. It ended up being awesome!

beef tenderloin, latkes and champagne

we lit the first candle

In case you have a craving for latkes, here is my recipe. It's nothing special, but it gets rave reviews from R!

K Family Latkes

Ingredients:

- 3 lbs of russet potatoes, washed and peeled

- 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

- 1/2 cup of flour

- 2 eggs, lightly beaten

- salt and pepper to taste

- canola oil to coat bottom of pan

- sour cream or apple sauce

Directions:

1. Grate potatoes and onion (if possible) in a food processor.

2. Squeeze water from potato and onion mixture (pick up clumps of the batter, ring it out, and put it into another bowl). This is very important.

3. Add eggs, flour, salt and pepper, and mix.

4. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Take a handful of the potato mixture and form into a ball (about golf ball size or a little larger) and place into the oil. Press down on the ball with a fork to flatten.

6. Cook until browned on both sides. Remove and place on a brown paper bag to remove the excess oil.

7. Serve right away with sour cream or apple sauce on top and enjoy!

Happy Hanukkah!

2011-12-20T13:23:00.002-05:00

Hello there!

As you probably know, we celebrate Hanukkah at the K household!

At this point I am slowly (and begrudgingly) weeding out my red and green holiday gear in exchange for some blue and silver decor. Seeing as it will only be the two of us celebrating tonight at home, I won't be pulling out all the stops, but here is some hanukkah decor inspiration that I will certainly use for next year, when maybe we will have a get-together!

via the Jewish hostess

via West Elm

via Southern Living (yes!!!)

via Casa Diseno

Chag Sameach from our home to yours!

table for six

2011-12-15T19:14:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday, R and I also recently upgraded our dining room table. For the last 3 1/2 years we had a cute 2-person bistro table from Target. It served us well, but we realized we needed to get a larger table if we ever wanted to have people over.

We had been looking at the Bjursta table from Ikea for a long time. We ended up getting the $199 model in brown which has two leaves which go in the center to expand the table. We got six Borje chairs, $59.99 each, in the brown/gobo white.

Here's the old table

and...

here's the new one!

We also got a cute silver and white plaid runner at Target for $14.99 for the holidays. I love it!

Now we just need to decide what to do with the old one. Maybe sell it on craigslist?

becoming a grown-up one piece of furniture at a time...

2011-12-14T21:46:00.001-05:00

Good morning!

As you may know, R and I lived together for three years before we got married during law school. Seeing as we were just out of college at the time, we didn't have much furniture. We were lucky enough to get a lot of hand-me-downs from our families, so we didn't have much to buy. The things we did buy were from Ikea and Target, and while there is certainly NOTHING wrong with either of those stores (we just bought a new table from Ikea which I'll show you tomorrow), we are excited to add a few nice, substantial pieces to our home.

This is the "before" picture featuring his mother's ~~heinous navy and pink bird patterned~~ couch which we covered with a slip cover:

While it doesn't look too bad here, we had to straighten the cover all the time, which was annoying. When I say "we" I mean R, by the way...

and here is the awesome new couch:

Isn't it just gorge? We were able to pick out two fabrics for custom pillows and I chose this maroon-red and brown/tan paisley (it looks green in this picture for some reason, but it's brown)

of course, our little man didn't waste any time making himself comfortable on the new couch!

It's so exciting to start picking things out that we like and that fit our style. More decor updates to come!

wedding gallery wall

2011-12-14T18:35:00.002-05:00

Happy hump day, everyone! We're halfway there...

Today I wanted to share with you the gallery wall of some wedding pictures we hung up at the top of our stairs. We got the set of frames as a wedding present from Bed Bath & Beyond. The center picture is 8 x 10 and the rest are 5 x 7. We chose to do mostly black and white with two soft, vintage colored pictures (one of me looking at my bouquet and one of his bowtie), and I really like the effect. We also didn't want the pictures to be an overload of people--- we wanted it to be more artistic. As a result, we decided we'd only do pictures of the two of us. Here it is:

I know I still haven't shared my wedding pictures on the blog... I really need to do that but I also kind of want to submit them to a few wedding blogs and am unclear as to whether posting it on my own blog would render them ineligible.

Since it's kind of hard to see, the picture all the way to the left is R at the bottom of the stairs and me at the top of the stairs before our wedding-- we couldn't see each other. It was kind of a spin on the pictures people do on either sides of a door. The one to the right, below that one is a picture of our wedding rings balancing on a door handle.

I love how it came out!

(mid)town atlanta, big city, bright lights

2011-12-13T22:09:00.002-05:00

Hey there!

R and I had the best time on our weekend in ATL! Neither of us had ever been there, but we ended up having a great time. We stayed in midtown near the High museum of art and thought it was a great area to stay. We were able to walk to dinner on both Friday and Saturday night, which was great. Here are some pictures:

My favorite four pictures from the Picasso to Warhol exhibit at the High

Our hotel:

My handsome hubs drinking a cucumber mint mojito

At Tin Lizzys for insane margaritas and (multiple) beers

Alcoholic slushies at Flip Flops (also, we saw Ace from the real world....random!)

A random type of cola in Latin America called Delaware Punch

(since we are from Delaware we liked this)--- saw this at Coke World

Me in front of Coke World

Sea Horses at the Aquarium!

Beef skewers at Spice Market (thai food) at the W hotel in Midtown

Me and my man enjoying each other's company

We had a great time! We also hit up the Flying Biscuit Cafe for breakfast on Sunday...but the food was too good and we were too hungry to take any pictures.

Overall, great mini-vacay!

atlanta outfit ideas

2011-12-07T09:59:00.001-05:00

Hey y'all!

R and I are leaving Friday morning for our little trip to ATL, so I'm already thinking about what I need to pack. I hate having to bring a big bag, so I try to plan accordingly so that I don't need to bring too much excess "stuff." I'm no fashionista... I wear what works for me and mix in little trendy touches here and there... but here are some looks I put together:

Instead of the JCrew Brompton hobo (which is gorgeous, but I don't have it) I will be bringing my new gorgeous JCrew Marlow hobo :) So pumped!

Wknd in Atlanta 1 by misstypea featuring long sleeve tops

Instead of this top the one I have is all gold sequins, but it is similar and also from Old Navy

Wknd in Atlanta 2 by misstypea featuring platform pumps

Yes, the same Old Navy jeggings are in each outfit. I have two pairs of those and one other pair of skinny jeans and so I will probably take a combination of 2 of those with me. So that I don't need to bring anymore shoes, I will probably wear jeans and boots home on Sunday with some type of comfy casual sweater. I will also probably wear a dress on Saturday night with the same patent black heels pictured above.

I can't wait!

Wknd in Atlanta 3 by misstypea featuring star jeans

weekend getaway: ATL

2011-12-04T15:25:00.001-05:00

On Friday R and I are leaving to go on a little weekend getaway to Atlanta. Neither of us have ever been there, so when I saw a fantastic hotel deal on Living Social I just couldn't say no!

Included with our hotel are two tickets to the Picasso to Warhol exhibit at the High Museum of Art. We're going to do that, go to Coke World (my pop pop worked for Coca Cola for like 30 years, so Coke is really special to my family), and the Aquarium. We also plan on doing a lot of eating, of course!

I've heard fantastic things about the restaurants in Atlanta. Anyone have a "can't miss" restaurant they can recommend?

Jingle Bell 5k

2011-12-04T15:05:00.001-05:00

Hey all!

Yesterday to kick off my 25th year I ran the Jingle Bell 5k for Arthritis in Raleigh with my husband. I was super excited about this race because I felt basically terrible during my first 5k over Thanksgiving (I ran much too fast and tired really quickly), so I was pumped for the opportunity to slow down and do it "right."

This race was a lot of fun because they encouraged people to dress up in festive holiday outfits and gave everyone bells to tie onto their shoes. Here is me before the race, ready to go:

Don't mind my blinding white face sans makeup!

The course was decent-- it didn't have any large hills up or down-- but it did have long periods of slight inclines and declines. Some of the slight hills up seemed to go on forever!

My plan was to just run slower than I felt like I needed to so that I could run as long as possible and feel comfortable while doing so. We ran at about an 11 minute-mile pace, which was very comfortable for me. I only stopped once, for about 20-30 seconds, and that was around mile 2.5. Our final time was 33:59... a little longer than my time over Thanksgiving (33:44), but I felt a MILLION times better. I already can't wait to do my next race!

I'm thinking of doing an 8k on March 3rd and, if selected in the lottery, the 5k associated with the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in DC on April 1st (my girlfriends are going to run the 10-miler but I am just NOT ready for that yet!).

reflections on my 24th year

2011-12-02T09:12:00.001-05:00

Wow, time flies, huh?! I can't believe I'm turning 25. I still sometimes feel like I'm 16 years old. Of course, sometimes I feel 30, so I guess it goes both ways.

I must say, 24 was perhaps my favorite year to date. So many incredible things happened this past year.

- I got my first job offer in March

- I went on my Bachelorette weekend with my girlfriends

- I graduated from law school in May

- I took and passed the North Carolina Bar

- I married the love of my life in August!

- R and I went on a fantastic honeymoon to Mexico

- R and I moved to a new city

- I started my legal career as a law clerk and was sworn in as a big girl attorney

- I started running and did my first 5k

I can't really ask for more! I feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world. Here's hoping 25 is even half as good!

It's Ok Thursday

2011-12-01T12:21:00.001-05:00

I've seen this on a few blogs (and I always love this feature in Glamour magazine, too!) so I decided to give you my take on "It's Okay" on this Thursday.

It's ok to still say "rabbit rabbit rabbit" for good luck on the first day of the month (my Mom made my sister and I do this growing up... every. single. month)

It's ok to get totally drunk on your birthday (I intend to this Saturday for my big 2-5!)

It's ok to get inexplicably emotional during certain Christmas songs. For me, it's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

It's ok to nod, smile and giggle nervously when someone tells you a ridiculously long, pointless story.

It's ok to feel a sense of relief knowing your boss isn't coming in today, even if he's pretty much the best boss ever.

It's ok to get mad and yell at the tv when you realize one of "your" shows is randomly a rerun this week (how I met your mother, I'm looking at YOU!)

It's ok to make an excuse to leave the office in the afternoon (go to the bank? get a coffee?) just so you can walk around and get some fresh air. It's no wonder Americans are obese! Sitting all day at my job drives me nuts.

It's ok to admit you've had enough "family time" and be excited to return home to your own house and own bed after the holidays.

It's ok to blog during your lunch hour at work.... right?

Have a good day!

keeping up with the k's

2011-11-30T20:50:00.001-05:00

Not the Kardashians... us! Yes, since I'm a married lady now, I am a proud member of the K household (members include me, R, and our dog Sam).

Things have been busy lately We have been making an effort to get out there and do things to explore Raleigh, meet people, and enjoy our married-without-kids time (which, I might add, will likely persist for the next 4 or 5 years!). Here's a few things we've been doing:

I went to a BYOB painting class with my friend from work. It was a lot of fun and I think my painting came out nicely (despite the fact that I made my ballerina's boobs a little too big...)! It was great to do something using the other side of my brian after doing legal research all day.

R and I went to a tailgate at Duke with friend E's roommate's family. We had never been to Durham (besides for a Bulls game) and had never seen Duke's campus, so it was a good experience...even though I accidentally wore the other team's colors...oops

Last night we got invited to go to a Carolina Hurricanes game with L and her boyfriend. It was a lot of fun! Her roommate works for the team, so we got free tickets and the seats were GREAT! The Canes lost, but we had some 24 oz beers and enjoyed the atmosphere!

Now, off to catch up on some couch-and-tv time!

my very first 5k race

2011-11-28T21:10:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Last week, on Thanksgiving, I ran my first ever, real, live race! I did a turkey trot benefitting MS in my hometown. After the 5k my friends and I signed up for in May was cancelled and not rescheduled, I almost gave up on doing another race-- since I got distracted by graduation, the bar exam, my wedding and finally, my new job. But as I was struggling to remain committed to running and working out this fall I stumbled upon this race, and decided to sign up about a month ago.

I ran a few days a week for about a month, consistently, but never got to the point that I could run more than about 1.5 miles without stopping for a short walk. I realized that if I was afraid to do a race for fear that I would have to stop and walk I might never do one, so I said, the hell with it, I'm doing it!

R and my sister-in-law also signed up to run. My sister-in-law is an awesome runner who has done a few half marathons, so needless to say, she ran ahead of us... and even ended up winning her age group! R and I just hung back and did our best. I was running much faster than I normally do (I guess because of adrenaline), so I only made it about 1 1/4 miles before I had to stop and walk for a bit. I continued to run/walk/run/walk for the remainder of the race, finally finishing with a time of 33:44.

Here is a video I found on youtube, randomly, of the start of the race:

I felt pretty good about my time! For a first race, where I was running faster than my normal pace, on a route with hills you had to go both up and down, I can't really complain!

I am very proud I finally did it and can't wait for my next race which is...

This Saturday! Otherwise known as....

My 25th Birthday!

I'm very glad I will have done two 5ks in 2011, and hope to do even more in 2012!

Holiday entertaining: brie en croute

2011-11-27T18:49:00.001-05:00

Hey there! Hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving and long weekend! I certainly did.

As my contribution to the Thanksgiving meal, I made Paula Deen's Brie en Croute:

my beautiful baked brie!

Ingredients:

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup of walnuts
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 8-oz wheel of brie
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
Crackers, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Defrost puff pastry to get it to room temperature-ish.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
Pour in walnuts. Saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add cinnamon and stir until walnuts are fully coated.
Lay puff pastry out flat and place the wheel of brie in the center.
Cover the top of the wheel with the walnuts. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the walnuts.
Gather up the edges of the pastry and tie together with a string or piece of kitchen twine.
Brush beaten egg over all sides and the top of the puff pastry.
Put brie on cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Serve with crackers and enjoy!

*I followed this recipe exactly, except our brie was slightly larger. To compensate, I used a rolling pin to stretch the puff pastry a little bit.

This is such a great dish to make if you are having company over. It's delish and looks fancy, but it's pretty easy. Try it out!

a cute but thanksgiving-friendly outfit

2011-11-22T19:52:00.001-05:00

Hey there!

As I was packing tonight I chose an outfit to wear to Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws house. Of course, comfort is important (room for stomach expansion is a necessity), but that doesn't mean you have to wear stretchy pants. Here's what I chose:

Lilly Pulitzer Blayney Ruffle Dress in Navy & White "It's a Lilly" print

Normally $268 but got it on sale on Rue La La for $99

Here is a look at the print close up. It's actually navy and white, not cream, but the color in this photo is off.

and I'll be wearing it with nude heels

The dress is perfect. It's a soft silk and cotton blend that is super comfy and a little stretchy (for a belly full of turkey and all fixings). I think I will probably add a cranberry-colored lipstick as well just to complete the look.

What are you wearing to Thanksgiving dinner? Does your family dress up, or does comfort dictate the dress code?

lets get real about the holidays

2011-11-22T08:44:00.001-05:00

I don't often get that personal or deep on this blog, but it's time to get real and admit something:

I simultaneously love and hate the holidays.

I had many, many years of happy Thanksgivings and Christmases as a child. No matter how much money my parents had to spend on us, it always felt like a plentiful Christmas. We went to my grandparents house for Christmas eve, where we all listened to Christmas music and opened presents. Then Christmas day we opened presents with our parents and traveled to have Christmas dinner with my Dad's family. It was fantastic. I had lots of people around me who loved me and I knew it.

I also had several horrible Thanksgivings and Christmases. In fact, after a particularly awful, emotionally draining Thanksgiving in 2008 I told R that I wouldn't be going home the next year. Of course, that turned out to be my last holiday season with my Mom, and of course, I went home the next year and every year after that.

So now, as an adult, who is married and beginning to make my own holiday traditions, I struggle with how to feel during this time of the year. I vividly remember the feelings during those bad years of "why aren't I happy? Why isn't my family normal? Why aren't I excited to go home for the holidays? Why do I just want to sleep until January to avoid this?" Seeing the happy commercials on TV and your friends happy statuses on facebook only made those feelings worse. It makes you feel alone.

After thinking about it, I've decided on a few coping strategies I thought I'd share with you, if you find yourself conflicted or in one of those "bad" years:

1. No one's family is normal. Everyone has at least one person they don't want to see during the holidays, who is a mess, etc. Some people have many of these people. Some people don't even have a family and would die to have a crazy, messed up family to spend the holidays with.

2. You never know if this is your last holiday together. This is a morbid thought, but having had my last holiday with my mom in 2008 and my grandma in 2009, it is at the forefront of my mind. I try to soak up the time with my family and remember that we are lucky for ALL of the time we spend together.

3. Remember the good. I try to think about my childhood christmases, putting carrots out on the lawn for the reindeer, that feeling of excitement on Christmas morning, and about the love I felt from my parents. I sing along to my Mom's favorite Christmas song and I think about her in only a positive way. I also think about how awesome my life is now-- how I have a husband who loves me and how he and I together are making new holiday traditions.

4. It's only for a few days. And then it will be over and you will continue the life you are living day in and day out.

5. New Years-- and a fresh year-- is right around the corner.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

my christmas list

2011-11-20T21:06:00.001-05:00

Dear Santa,

I don't want a lot for Christmas... I feel pretty lucky that I married the love of my life this year. But, if you're so inclined, here is my wish list:

J Crew boot socks in "salsa," $22.50

Urban Decay "Naked" palette, $48.00 courtesy of Sephora

Old Navy Ruched Compression Capris, $23.99

Old Navy hooded running top, $29.94

Banana Republic grey lightweight wool suit, jacket $198.00, pants $98.00

J Crew Marlow Hobo, on sale, $199.99 (this is a dream item!)

Victoria's Secret thermal sleepshirt, $39.50

Clarisonic face brush, $119.00

What's on your list?

what i would wear: winter black tie event

2011-11-14T20:44:00.001-05:00

Today on Rue La La there was a Badgley Mischka sale and I saw this beauty and I just thought I'd share...

$259.00 on Rue La La

Isn't this just lovely? The sheer sleeves and sculpted bust are just gorgeous I think. I would love to wear this to a winter black tie event along with:

J Crew glitter purse, $59.50

J Crew Viv pumps, $298.00

and a swipe of Nars Heat Wave lipstick

Now if I only had a place to wear this outfit (and the money to buy it)!!

it's my friday!

2011-11-10T14:06:00.001-05:00

Hey friends!

Today is my "friday" since I am a lucky State employee with Veteran's Day off tomorrow! I'm so pumped! This evening R and I are headed up to the DC area to visit with some of our college friends, my sister, and some lovely law school besties too! It is sure to be a whirlwind weekend, but a fantastic one.

For lack of a better post topic today, I wanted to share with you some things I'm digging today:

Charlotte Russe Leopard Loafter-ish Flats $22.50

Yes, Charlotte Russe... don't hate. I bought these flats like two weeks ago (and the same ones in grey fake suede as well) and am totally obsessed with them. I love the loafer trend going on right now but didn't want to invest too much money in fake suede and leopard print ones that are rather trendy right now. These fit the bill! I love pairing the leopard ones with skinny jeans or dark flare jeans for a casual but cute look.

Pentatonix performing "Love Lockdown" on the Sing Off

I hate to admit this... but I have to come clean. I normally hate a cappella music. When I say this, people usually go, "omg! why! It sounds, like, so much better than the real song!" Normally my response is... "um, no it doesn't. Those sounds they make are annoying and distracting." However, I was eating my words when I caught a glimpse of this performance while channel flipping one night. After a couple weeks I still remembered it and even downloaded it from itunes. Honestly, it puts Kanye's autotune version to SHAME.

www.corporette.com

I found this blog somehow this week and totally love it! It's geared towards lady lawyers and other professional women and gives great advice about etiquette and fashion problems we face that our male co-workers don't necessarily deal with: i.e. is it ever appropriate to wear a sleeveless top in the office? LOVE it.

Alright well I'm off! Have a great weekend!

great running songs hiding on my ipod

2011-11-08T22:17:00.000-05:00

Hey all!

I've been trying to up my running game the past few weeks and so I've been trying to switch up my music a bit. I normally run to a mix of hip hop and pop, but recently I've been shaking it up as I've discovered some songs on my ipod that I hadn't thought of as running songs which are great! Here are some faves:

Give it Away by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Such Great Heights by the Postal Service

Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon

I'm Shipping up to Boston by the Dropkick Murphys

Have you recently discovered a song you already knew was great to workout to? Do you have a "power" song that gets you to push through when you want to stop? I always need suggestions!

there's a place for us

2011-11-06T19:14:00.000-05:00

Y'all... I had to share this exciting news with you. West Side Story is coming to a movie theater near you for one night only on Wednesday, November 9th to celebrate it's 50 year anniversary.

I have always had a soft spot for West Side Story. It was my Mom's favorite movie of all time. She had the soundtrack and we used to listen to the music- which is fantastic. We went and saw the play a few times growing up, and I always loved it. It is so sad but it's a truly beautiful story.

Rita Moreno as Anita in "America"

Crazy, cool, crazy, go!

Tonight, Tonight...such a beautiful song!

Luckily R agreed to go with me on Wednesday night to see the movie. I'm so excited!! Although I think he is a little nervous that I might sing through the whole movie. I will try my best not to!

If you are a West Side Story fan, go! If not, check it out sometime!!

bad dog!

2011-11-05T09:56:00.004-04:00

The other evening I came home and went to let our dog out of his crate and saw this...

this was a suit jacket of my husband's

Apparently it was hanging over the back of our dining room chair a little too close to Sam's crate and he was somehow able to pull a piece of it in, and well, this happened.

a whole arm is gone!

We won't be making that mistake again!

Playing dress up

2011-10-30T11:33:00.002-04:00

Hey all!

As I mentioned, Halloween is my favorite holiday, and so it's only natural that I looovveee to dress up! This year, after many ideas were kicked back and forth, we decided to be Don and Betty Draper from Mad Men. Check it out...

in my Betty costume

my hubs as Don

I ordered the wig online and I think it was pretty perfect. I had to wear two dresses on top of each other in order for the skirt to puff out, but I think the overall final product looked great!

What are you being this year?

2011-10-29T08:15:00.002-04:00

Happy Hallo-weekend, everyone!

Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I love to decorate and host get-togethers around this time of year. On Wednesday I had a few friends over for pumpkin carving, and it was a lot of fun! Here are some spooky pictures of my decorations:

Have fun and be safe this weekend!

PSA: do NOT buy one of these costumes for halloween

2011-10-24T19:08:00.002-04:00

Last year I posted some of the most WTF costumes here. This year I have two to add to the my "who-the-hell-would-wear-this" list of the worst adult costumes...

a giant lady fish

I admit, I hate fish...I don't eat any seafood and hate the smell and thought of seafood...so maybe this bothers me more than others, but STILL.

a creepy lady turkey

Would you have to walk around bent over like this?

What's the most ridiculous costume you've come across this year?

*photos courtesy of the Frisky

2011-10-23T09:11:00.003-04:00

Morning, everyone!

Last night I ordered our holiday cards for this year and got a great deal- so I wanted to share! Now, for paper goods related to our wedding I used Wedding Paper Divas and Tiny Prints-- which were truly fantastic-- but out of our price range for holiday cards. I also spent some time perusing Snapfish, Shutterfly and Kodak, but couldn't find a cute budget card saying what I wanted-- happy new year!

I stumbled upon walmart.com and realized that they have holiday photo cards for GREAT prices! I settled on this card with a picture from our wedding and little message below:

Cute, right? And they were only 64 cents a card! If you want to do your holiday cards on a shoestring- head over to Walmart.

*Walmart didn't pay me to say this, I just wanted to share the deal I found!

routine

2011-10-19T08:52:00.000-04:00

Morning, all!

Lately I haven't had much to post because, honestly, I've fallen into a daily routine that is rather boring. My days consist of:

a pumpkin coffee from Dunkin (not a latte, just the coffee)

doing (LOTS) of legal research, all day long, with my friends Westlaw and Lexis

hitting the treadmill

coming home from the gym and promptly enjoying a beer or glass of wine...

This week it's been Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale from Trader Joes ($5.99/6 pack)--try it if you like pumpkin spice lattes-- this beer is very spicy!

watching (a LOT) of Mad Men with my husband every night

I'm currently obsessed with Don Draper and his sunglasses....

What's your routine?

a (reconstructed) irrevocable act

2011-10-12T21:34:00.006-04:00

Hey all!

As you might remember from my two years of wedding planning, R and I had a civil wedding ceremony (we were legally married at the court house and then his brother "married" us at our actual wedding) but we embraced many jewish traditions.

One of such traditions was the breaking of the glass at the end of our wedding ceremony. If you aren't familiar with the tradition, there are several meanings that have been attributed to the breaking of the glass. One is that the breaking of the glass is an irrevocable act-- as are your marriage vows. It is often also said to serve as a reminder of the frailty of marriage.

R's parents were nice enough to send off our broken glass to a company that reconstructs them and puts them in a glass cube with your names and wedding date. It is a really nice memento to have of our wedding that we can display in our home.

Here it is:

Sorry for the crappy phone picture... but you get the idea!

**Wedding pictures should be coming soon! We have almost all of them but my photographer is getting married next weekend so she has been a little preoccupied...

apples and ravioli? YES.

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

Ravioli with Apples and Walnuts

via Real Simple

Ingredients:

1 lb. cheese ravioli
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 crisp apple cut into matchsticks
Parsley
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup of parmesan

Directions:

Cook the ravioli as directed
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and saute for 4-5 minutes until toasted and fragrant
Toss apples, oil, walnuts, salt, pepper and parsley. Add in ravioli and sprinkle parmesan on top.
Enjoy!

I used mozzarella cheese instead because that's what I had and skipped the parsley. The ravioli I used was from Trader Joe's and contained parmesan and arugula. I really liked this dish! It was something different for when you have some pasta but don't feel like Italian food or want something fall-inspired. Try it out!

While at Trader Joe's I picked up some of my favorites-- Joe Joe's! I am obsessed with their peppermint ones around the holidays and these look just as delish and festive :)

Can't wait to eat these!!!

tailgating and tailwagging!

2011-10-10T19:22:00.003-04:00

This past weekend R and I went to our old law school stomping grounds to meet up with a couple friends who were in town. We went to tailgate on Saturday morning and then spent the afternoon watching football and grilling out. It was a lot of fun!

me and the hubs at the game

bestie A and her man

Then on Sunday R and I went to a SPCA fundraiser in Raleigh. It was $10 to get in and then you got a cup to get delicious draft beers. There were tons of booths set up with different dog food and treat samples, live music, a picture booth for you and your dog, and lots more. We had a really nice time and I know our dog Sam did too!

We got a slice of pizza from this food truck and it was amazing!

they also had baby pools filled up with water for the dogs to splash around in!

our little man having a blast!

We also got our dog a harness at the pet store nearby. As you can see from the picture above, the hair on his neck by the front of his collar is essentially rubbed off because he pulls so hard when he walks on a leash. I think the harness might be a good change.

Hope you had a good weekend!

fall food: spicy chili!

2011-10-02T21:49:00.004-04:00

Are you all as excited about this fall weather as I am? On Sunday I decided to make R and I spicy chili. It was SO good! R even went back for seconds. Definitely try it out!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped (carefully!!!)
1 clove of garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
3/4 cup of red wine
Salt to taste
1 (16 oz) can of black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
Corn chips/cubes or slices of day old bread/pita chips

Directions:

In medium soup pot, on medium heat, cook ground beef with thyme. Drain fat off and set aside.
In the same pot, add oil, bell peppers, jalapenos, onion, and garlic. Cook until slightly browned, 7-10 minutes.
Add cayenne and red pepper flakes and stir.
Add in red wine. Allow to bubble and reduce by half.
Add tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Add black beans and beef, reduce heat, and allow to simmer on low heat for about 1 hour, partially covered.
Serve with corn chips, bread or pita chips.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Food Network online.

BEST chocolate chip cookies!

2011-10-02T10:45:00.003-04:00

Over the last few weeks I've been experimenting with my brand new stand mixer (!!) and baking things from scratch (for the first time ever!). I made these this week and I think they came out really good! I brought a bunch into my office and they got great reviews! Try them!

Flat and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies via the Essential New York Times Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 scant tbsp kosher salt
2 sticks of softened butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups of bittersweet chocolate
2 cups chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add the eggs one at a time.
Add the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture all at once and blend until a dough forms.
Fold in the chocolate and walnuts.
Refrigerate the dough until chilled.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Roll about 2 tablespoon lumps of dough into balls, place 3 inches apart on baking sheet.
Flatten the balls into 1/2 inch-thick disks.
Bake until edges are golden brown, about 14-16 minutes. Let cook slightly and then transfer to cooling rack.

Note: I didn't use walnuts, because I didn't have any, but that would be delish. I only used 1 1/2 sticks of butter because that's all I had left, and I thought that it was enough. I substituted splenda for sugar and it tastes great. Also- I didn't let the dough chill quite enough because I was impatient and my husband really wanted cookies, but I recommend doing so. It will make rolling the dough and putting it on the baking sheet much easier. Otherwise it's hard because the dough is so buttery.

Enjoy!

To my 16 year-old self:

2011-09-30T18:19:00.001-04:00

I saw this on The Roaring Twenties (mine that is) today and thought it would be nice to reflect and share some of the things I would tell my 16 year-old self back in 2003:

Lighten. Up. Not everything that seems tough right now is the worst thing ever in the whole world. Don't sweat the small stuff. Most of the times you spend crying and worrying about things aren't worth it, and you will wish you spent more time enjoying life.
Be confident in how you look! No one is looking at your hair or teeth or skin as much as you imagine. Besides, everyone else is just as insecure as you are!
Stop starting from a place of "no" and start opening yourself up to new experiences and people. Not everyone is as bad as you think they are. Being negative only makes you unhappy.
Take care of yourself. Don't run yourself ragged. Listen to your mother and take time to relax. Your health is the most important thing in the world. Without it, you have nothing!
You're smarter than you think you are. In college you will realize that those stupid math and science classes that gave you headaches will never matter to you again. ever.
This boy you're dating? Cut him some slack. He is going to grow into a great man-- who you are going to marry someday!!

things they don't teach you in law school: office candy jars

2011-09-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Y'all. I have a problem. It's called the office candy jar.

You know, the bottomless candy jar which is replenished every.single.time.it.runs.out.

After about a week or two of observing the sociology behind the candy jar (who eats it, how often, who replenishes it?), I realized that the true candy addict in the office is my boss, the judge. He must eat 4 to 5 pieces a day. Then when it's out, he promptly brings in a new bag and refills it.

This is a problem for me.

I have very little self control when it comes to sweets. I don't buy candy very often solely because I can't NOT eat it.

How do you avoid the perpetually full candy jar? Any advice to a candy addict?

Meal Monday: Creamy Pesto Pasta Sauce

2011-09-26T19:47:00.002-04:00

Hey, friends!

A week ago I went to the farmer's market (in downtown) during the workday with my new work friend (yay!) and bought a bag of fresh basil. I had a bunch left on Saturday and needed to use it up before it went bad. I decided to make a creamy pesto sauce for dinner that night, so I just sort of winged the recipe and it came out great! It's not figure friendly, but honestly, it's okay to splurge sometimes!

Ingredients:

1 cup packed basil leaves

1 clove of garlic, diced

~ 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

~1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped (or any other kind of nuts you have handy!)

1/2 cup of half and half or light cream

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Pasta of your choice (I recommend tortellini, penne or rigatoni)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Throw 1 cup of basil leaves into food processor with garlic, walnuts and 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella. Pulse until throughly chopped up.

2. Add olive oil a little at a time (pour a little in, blend, check consistency, pour more in, blend, etc. until it forms a buttery consistency). The 1/2 cup figure is a total estimate. I did it like I described, pouring in a little at a time until it got to the right texture.

3. Set pesto aside

4. Cook pasta as indicated on the box. Drain, and set aside in the stock pot.

5. Meanwhile, heat a skillet to medium or medium-low heat.

6. When skillet is warm, add pesto and half and half. Whisk until combined. Allow to bubble and reduce a bit.

7. Turn down the heat some to low or medium low and add the rest of the mozzarella. Whisk until cheese is totally melted into the sauce.

8. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

9. Pour sauce in stockpot with pasta, stir until evenly coated.

I put this sauce on spinach and cheese tortellini. Next time I would probably add chicken and maybe some cherry tomatoes, halved.

Try it out!

good luck, k!

2011-09-19T08:23:00.001-04:00

Today I want to wish my sister K good luck...

K and I before my law school graduation

It is my sister's first day of work as a feature's reporter at a newspaper! She just graduated college this spring and was able to get a job in her field- rare these days!! She is relocating to MD and is starting her life as a big girl. I am SO proud of her!

She is such a talented writer, and I know she is going to do a great job and grow as a professional in this position.

Welcome to the big girl world, K! You are going to do a great job! :) I love you!

farmer's market excursion

2011-09-18T14:29:00.002-04:00

Hey y'all!

Today R and I went to the local farmer's market only a few miles from our house. It was awesome! There was tons of stuff! We will definitely be going back weekly to get our produce.

huge delicious peppers!

soft pretzels!

diet cheerwine in a glass bottle!

our haul- red pepper, orange pepper, jalapenos, a bag of mixed apples, mini orange and white pumpkins and an assortment of mini gourds!

If you like gourds like I do, you have to read this courtesy of my friend G. It's hilarious.

Hope you had a fun Fall Sunday! :)

the joy of free weekends!

2011-09-17T13:51:00.003-04:00

Hey all!

Hope you're enjoying your weekend. Here in NC it is rainy and about 60 degrees... perfect for getting things done around the house. I'm still not used to the idea that my weekend is totally free. No homework. No tests coming up. No real work to do (I work for the state, not a private firm, after all!). It's FANTASTIC :)

R is sick (he has a fever and headache) so I ran out to do some errands for us this morning. I went to Target to get a bunch of random things and ended up with some cleaning supplies, a fall scented candle (with layers of pumpkin spice, caramel pumpkin and cinnamon stick), a blanket for our bed, a couple ingredients for dinner (I'm making this-- as seen on Pioneer Woman's show today), and....

Missoni for Target flats!

Y'all I have to admit. I was not that interested in Missoni for Target. It's cute, but I honestly wouldn't wear a rainbow colored chevron dress, shirt or other piece of clothing. It's just not me. And I wasn't about to rush out and fight people for things I didn't really need.

However, when I went today I walked by the shoe section and they still had some of the chevron flats! The pair on display looked like they were my size but said that they were girl's size 5. I tried them on, and they fit! Not like "oh I really want these so even though they don't exactly fit" fit... like they FIT. I wear a size 7. If you are dying for these flats and you are around my size you should see if they still have them in Girl's 5. I'm telling you!

So, I'm pretty excited. I think they'll look great with jeans and a tee or khakis and a crisp white shirt for work.

Did you get anything from Missoni for Target? Did you buy into the hype or not?

2011-09-12T21:51:00.002-04:00

Happy 25th Birthday to my husband...

the BEST and most handsomest guy I know...

I love you, baby!

10 years

2011-09-11T17:11:00.004-04:00

I couldn't let today go by without saying a few things about the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

On 9/11 I was a sophomore in high school. I walked into my spanish class during second period and saw the tv on. The first thing I thought was that someone had bombed the white house (seeing the pentagon on fire and not knowing what happened). I quickly realized what happened, and found out that the second plane had just hit. I sat and watched with my class while the towers fell. I remember vividly one of the women giving news commentary was talking when they started to fall and she just started screaming. It was one of the scariest, most unnerving experiences of my entire life. We left school early that day. Four or five days later, a plane finally flew over our town (we were in a common flight path just south of the Philadelphia airport) and everyone jumped and looked up. No one had even realized how silent it was for the last few days. I knew that nothing would ever be the same.

And it's not the same. I grew up for 15 years before 9/11 thinking that America was the most powerful country on Earth. I didn't think anything like this could ever happen. I never once felt vulnerable to a foreign attack. It wasn't even on my radar.

Today, 10 years later, we live in a country that is economically weak... but we are also resilient. We don't give up. And we may not be the America we were in the 90s, but maybe we are in a more honest place, a more aware, safe place.

Today my heart aches for the families and loved ones of those who were killed so senselessly. I still don't like to think about the attacks or see the news coverage from that day. I don't think I am healed from it yet and don't know that I will ever be.

God Bless America!!

2011-09-11T11:37:00.002-04:00

Hey there!

For our wedding, R and I ended up getting very few presents but many many checks. This ended up being pretty nice-- since now we can pick and choose what to buy off of our registry. One of the things we really wanted but didn't get was a bar cart. If you remember, our friends threw us a stock the bar party last spring, so we have lots of liquor and accessories, but nowhere to put it.

This is the one we bought:

Pottery Barn Norwood Mini Bar

And this is how we set it up! The top has the liquor, our vinturi wine tower, reidl champagne glasses, a book on bartending, and our new stainless steel cocktail shaker. Shelves 2 and 3 have glassware-- pint glasses, reidl stemless wine glasses, and martini glasses. We also have a bucket with a bunch of coozies, a vase with a bunch of wine corks, and a vase with a bunch of wine stoppers. The bottom rack has bottles of wine and champagne.

I absolutely LOVE it! I can't wait to have some friends over and make cocktails :) Well, I guess we have to meet some friends first.

Also, coincidentally, R and I just started watching Mad Men-- which has many MANY bar carts! So far we love it!

The fashion is just to die for! I know I'm like a million years late on this, but oh well. I wish men and women still dressed like this!

Well I'm off to watch the Eagles game! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! :)

how to make friends in your mid-twenties?

2011-09-08T19:09:00.003-04:00

Hey all!

So as I've mentioned, R and I just moved to a new city-- Raleigh, NC. His brother and sister in law live here, which is great, but they have two kids and thus are in a different phase of their life than we are. We hardly know anyone at all. We don't have even one other couple to hang out with. Bottom line: we need friends!

Thus far we've been brainstorming. We found a group on meetup.com (don't judge!!!) that watches the Eagles games every week at a bar in downtown Raleigh that we are going to check out. I'm sure it will be a mix of ages and more older people, but it will just be fun to watch the games with other fans and who knows!

R has been looking at a coed sports league for us to join. I'm reluctant to get involved right away for the fall season because I think things are going to be super busy at work at first and I don't want to overextend myself....but we may try and do that in the spring.

I'm also flirting with the idea of doing Junior League. I know a lot of other bloggers do it in their respective cities. I may check out a meeting with a friend that is already a member from before who is transferring to the Raleigh chapter.

As far as work goes, I haven't met anyone yet that seems like they will be my new BFF, but I guess you never know.

Any other ideas?

brain dead

2011-09-06T19:57:00.003-04:00

Turns out, being a lawyer doing research and writing for a judge is way scarier than researching and writing for a professor in law school...

I'm currently in the "omg am I smart enough for this job"/"what the hell do I do"/HELP!!%*()&*( phase of my clerkship. I already have (several) deadlines to meet, things to write, and answers to come up with. I spent all day today searching one picky little issue that I just couldn't figure out. I left work still not knowing the answer to the question I was trying to figure out. I told this to one of the other clerks and she said that it means that I'm doing my job. I hope so! Basically, though, it feels like this...

Deep down I know that the judge wouldn't have hired me if he didn't think I could do it and that I CAN do it... it is just intimidating! I just want to do a good job on this first assignment to gain a little confidence in myself and show the judge what I can do!

In other big girl news, my new silk top from Banana Republic is wrinkly and I dont know what to do to fix it. I can't iron it, right? I don't own a steamer and don't really want to buy one when I only have one or two silk items in my closet. I also don't want to pay to have it dry cleaned before I wear it if I don't have to. Anything I can do to fix it? Or do I have to suck it up and do one of the above?

labor day randoms

2011-09-05T10:13:00.006-04:00

Hey there! Hope you are enjoying a relaxing labor day with your family and friends!

So much stuff has been going on lately that I feel like the only way I can get my thoughts down is in random blurbs, so here it goes...

We finally got our new dishes (and awesome new knives too!) I am so pumped to have good quality things that are from places other than Target and Ikea (not that I don't still love Target and Ikea, though)

My inlaws finally brought my stand mixer I got from my bridal shower down to NC! I am so excited to use it!! I'm trying to decide what to make first...

Also, I need your help with this one--- I have been buying up some work clothes as I find them on sale and ended up buying both of these work dresses:

$34.00 from H&M

$29.99 from Marshalls

They are similar, so I'm not sure if I should keep them both or return one. I like them both and I think they're a good buy because they can be worn now with a cardigan or jacket over top for work and can be worn in the winter with tights. What do you think? Keep both? Return one?

As a wedding present from a friend from home who works for Saucony, R and I both got new matching running shoes (well, his have red bottoms!). I wore them when I ran the other day and they're great! My running is at an all-time low (well, since I started) but I'm excited to work my way back up to 3 miles and (hopefully) run in a 5k in October.

Today I plan on having a few of these to celebrate labor day! R and I drank (many) Pacificos on our honeymoon and promptly bought some when we got back. Today, R and I are going to dinner at his brother and sister- in-law's house later, which should be a lot of fun. It's so nice that they are only 15 minutes away now :)

Hope you have a fab labor day!!!

first day recap in numbers

2011-09-01T20:54:00.005-04:00

Good evening, friends! It's almost the (holiday) weekend! woooo!

Today was my first day of work as a law clerk. It was pretty damn cool to walk up to the chambers and see a sign outside with my (new married!) name on it! I felt so legit! Here is my day in numbers:

15: minutes that it took me to get to the office, even with a coffee pit stop (Dunkin)

30: minutes that I sat in my car before heading into the office because I was early

12: the approximate number of forms I had to fill out because I'm a state employee

3: number of clerks, including me

4: hours spent completing the above paperwork

5: block walk from the office to where I get to park (helloooo flip flops)

2: cases that I was already assigned

1: sandwich I had for lunch at a cafe by the office while feeling like a big grown-up

42: approximate number of times I couldn't believe I was actually a real lawyer

Overall, it was great! I am a little overwhelmed but I think it will be fantastic. I'm so thankful to have a job, and one that I am so excited about too!

Also, today I came home to a clean house and these:

What a great husband I have!

Hope you have a smooth friday to kick off the holiday weekend!

the times, they are a changin...

2011-08-31T14:17:00.004-04:00

Hope you all are having a great Wednesday afternoon!

Tomorrow morning I will begin my big girl job as a law clerk for an appellate judge! I'm thrilled to finally embark on my first "real" job as a lawyer. It feels like it has been so long coming, and I guess that's because it has. It will feel really good to walk into the office tomorrow morning and know that I have what it takes to do a good job.

That's right, friends, I passed the bar exam!

So I can go in there, hold my head up high, and know that I can do it!

This, of course, does not mean that I'm not nervous. I know that the fear I had writing every memo and brief in law school that there is a case out there I did not find will become a daily worry. I know that it will be hard to trust my instincts at first. But I think eventually it will come.

Importantly, I picked up a few new things to wear to work:

I got this blouse in a pretty coral color

and this button back shirt

Wish me luck!

Mr. and Mrs. K !!!

2011-08-30T17:42:00.004-04:00

Hey yall!

I am proud and excited to say I am a married lady!

The wedding went off perfectly, without a hitch. It was fantastic and everything I hoped it would be! Here are a couple pictures courtesy of facebook--

saying our vows

first dance to "Like You'll Never See Me Again" by Alicia Keys

me and my dad dancing to "The Way You Look Tonight" as performed by Rod Stewart

me during hava nagila... yes, i fell off that chair. FELL! haha

There will be much, much more to come when I get the official pictures from my photographer, but for now, I'm off to get my house in order. I start my big girl job on Thursday... eek!

wedding day!!!

2011-08-20T13:56:00.002-04:00

it's the day of the wedding! ill be walking down the aisle to r! so far everything is on schedule and i'm ready to do this. this moment has been over ten years in the makibg...and im soooo happy today to be marrying my best friend in the whole wide world!!

tomorrow we have a brunch and then welre off to mexico on monday! recaps will certainly follow!!!

our love story, chapter 7

2011-08-19T13:02:00.000-04:00

The first semester of law school was just what you would imagine--- full of studying and anxiety ---but also, to our surprise, lots of fun. We met the best people at Wake and felt that we were truly at home. School was hard, and I battled perhaps the worst anxiety I had ever felt, but R and I leaned on each other and ended up doing well.

Second semester was in full swing when I got a call from my sister saying that my mom was in the hospital. She had an ulcer that had burst, and was in a coma. A few days later I made it home and spent my spring break, the next full week, in the ICU with her. I was terrified. My mom had some medical problems that made this very serious. There was much uncertainty about what was going to happen. When she woke up and seemed to be okay towards the end of my spring break, I headed back to NC, still scared, but feeling like she was out of immediate danger.

When I got back to NC, that night I got a call from my dad that shook me to the core. He told me that the doctor said I needed to come home, right now. My mom wasn't doing well. Stunned, I booked a flight home for first thing the next morning. I climbed into bed with R and tried to sleep. After trying to fall asleep for ten minutes we both started crying. We clung to each other, fearing what was going to happen.

The next day I went home and only a day later my mom died. R got on a plane the next day and spent the next week at home with me. This loss would have felt unbearable to me if it wasn't for him. I knew that he was going to be strong for me and that he was going to be there for me through my grief. I knew I could count on him. It helped me get up out of bed and go through the motions of my life for the rest of that semester. I couldn't have done it without him.

That summer, while in Venice studying abroad together, we finally got engaged. We were over the moon and thrilled that it was official that we were going to spend our lives together. Read about it here.

our love story, chapter 6

2011-08-19T08:04:00.000-04:00

The second two years of college were a blast. We loved each other's friends. There were many date parties and formals. But there was lots of studying too. Both R and I had aspirations to go to law school. We both strived to get the best grades possible, often caring about our grades much more than our sorority and fraternity peers.

The summer before senior year, we enrolled in a LSAT prep class 45 minutes away from home. We each worked 8 hour days at a law firm and then drove together to the class for 3 hours several times a week. It was grueling. This time was full of anxiety. I couldn't sleep well for months, worrying that I wouldn't do well on the LSATs or that one of us would do much better than the other, making it impossible to attend the same law school. I felt like my stomach was perpetually in knots.

Finally, the LSAT came and went, and R and I scored a 163 and 164. Only one point apart. He got the higher score, which he still likes to remind me. We were extremely relieved and threw ourselves into applying to schools up and down the east coast, knowing that we could probably get into the same school now. When we got into Wake, we both felt it was right for us. His brother lived in NC and we felt like it might be the right place for us for the future. We decided on Wake and with R's parents permission, prepared to move in together.

This was such an exciting time for us. We would finally be going to law school together and, after so long, would finally be living together. We were thrilled, but we had no idea some of the obstacles we would face in the next three years....

our love story, chapter 5

2011-08-18T15:23:00.000-04:00

College began in a mix of excitement and fear. Both R and I jumped right in, meeting people and exploring what college had to offer. That first semester was hard. Neither of us were able to have a car on campus as a freshman, so we didn't see each other for six weeks at one point.

Those long separations were hard. Missing him so much made me pick fights with him. If I didn't hear from him, I got nervous. Neither of us knew what the other one was doing, and it was new and scary. At one point, R confessed that he found himself attracted to other people at school and felt that he needed to tell me that. I felt crushed. But the days went on and we made it to the holidays.

After that first semester things got easier. I joined a sorority and he joined a fraternity. We were busy and had less time to worry about what the other was doing. I brought my car on campus sophomore year. Life was good.

It was hard some days to see couples out to dinner or walking hand in hand on campus, but mostly it was nice to each have the opportunity to have the best of both worlds--- we were essentially "single" and free to be with our friends at school, all the time. But, we also had each other to confide in, talk to daily, and see on the weekends when possible. It was nice to have things that were each of ours, alone, for the first time since we met in high school.

Exactly half way through college, the summer before our junior year, R and I hit the time in our relationship when decisions had to be made. We had been (back) together for almost four years and we knew that we needed to decide if this was something that was going to be permanent, or if we needed to move on.

It was that summer that R says he realized he wanted to marry me.

R went abroad for six weeks that summer. It was hard being away from each other and not able to talk, but he was having a fantastic time and I was thrilled for him. While in Paris, R visited the eiffel tower, and while on top, looking out over Paris, he realized that he wished that I was there, experiencing it with him. At this point, he says, he knew he wanted to marry me.

When he got home, he gave me a ring with three small diamonds. I hated the idea of a promise ring, finding it corny, but that was essentially what it was. It signified our renewed commitment to our relationship going forward into the last two years of college and beyond...

our love story, chapter 4

2011-08-18T08:12:00.002-04:00

The last 2 years of high school went by in a blur. We spent our days and nights laughing, making out and driving around in his car. Before we knew it, we were facing down graduation and college. I only applied to one school, the state university twenty minutes from home. R applied to many schools, and after much (of my) anxiety, finally chose to attend a large university two hours from our home. I was relieved that he was not too far away, but terrified all the same that the reality of college was nearing.

The summer before college came and went and we never talked about the future. We knew that no matter what we said or did, August was coming, and we would have to be separated. I spent every night laying in bed with knots in my stomach, scared for the future.

Finally, as we were sitting on my mom's couch, we had to have the talk. We decided to stay together and see how it went. We both burst into tears and cried and cried and cried. We just weren't ready to be away from each other. The prospect of facing college without each other was scary and the possibility that we might break up in the future was even worse. But we held each other and cried and hoped that everything would be okay...

our love story, chapter 3

2011-08-17T07:07:00.002-04:00

For a year a 3 months, R and I fell in love. We were young, only 14-15 years old. Things got very serious. We spent all our time on the phone, talking for hours. I thought about him all the time. I was jealous and possessive. We were very immeshed in one another in a way that couldn't sustain itself for a long time.

One night in March I could tell that something was wrong. R told me he thought we needed a break from one another. For a month I went to school everyday, hanging tough, and then would get in my Mom's car at the end of the day and burst into tears. I missed my friend. I hated him for breaking up with me. I didn't even understand why. I hated him even more when he started dating someone else only 3 weeks later.

The summer came and I resigned myself to get on with life. But R and his new girlfriend broke up. He wanted to spend time together. I simply couldn't do that. I didn't want to be friends if I couldn't have him, because I knew it would be too hard.

Then one day he wrote a letter, pouring his heart out, and delivered it to me at my front door. He told me he loved me and that he was wrong and that he thought he needed to see what else was out there. Looking back I knew he was right and that we had needed to break up. But I just wasn't ready to trust him again, not yet.

I began to spend a little time with him, finally agreeing to go out with him ona date a few weeks later. We went to see a movie, and while in the darkness of the theater our hands brushed against each other, and we grasped hands. I felt electricity go through my whole body and knew that I still loved him. I knew that I could forgive and forget. I knew that he was just what I wanted and that this type of chemistry was not easy to find.

On August 31, 2002, on my mother's couch, I told R that I would take him back. From this moment forward, my heart has never doubted this decision...

our love story chapter 2

2011-08-16T08:07:00.000-04:00

Fast forward two years to August 2000. R has joined the marching band while J has joined the color guard at their new high school. Two weeks before school began, practices started, and R and J's paths crossed again. They had been part of the same group of friends in middle school, but never really interacted much themselves. They quickly became friends, chatting on breaks and eating dinner together along with J's new best friend, C.

Throughout the fall, R and J became friends. When marching band season was over, R joined the swim team. He had been a swimmer for many years as a kid and it was natural to continue in high school. J, on the other hand, found herself interested in R. Now that band was over she didn't get to see him as much and was disappointed. She was beginning to have feelings for him and wanted to see if something could potentially come out of it. J decided to become the swim team manager so that she could attend practices and meets, and as a result, run into R more often.

By the end of November, R and J were hanging out more, and he finally asked her to go see a movie with him. J was so excited! After that, they became inseparable, falling quickly into puppy love...

our love story, chapter 1

2011-08-15T08:18:00.004-04:00

It's September 1998. R is beginning his first day of public school at Springer Middle School. He spent the last 6 years in a small private school, and this was going to be a big change.

Meanwhile, J is excited and nervous to start middle school. She bought brand new bell bottom jeans for the occasion and thought they looked perfect. She is a little insecure, a result of her fluffy, frizzy hair and braces. But she has lots of friends at this school and is ready to meet new people.

The classes are arranged in "teams," so you have your math, science, history and english classes with the same students. R and J are on the same "team." R notices her in history class on that very first day of school. Later that night, R's older brother asks him if he saw any cute girls on his first day of public school, and he says yes, a girl in his history class-- J.

Ten years later they'll be moving in together, but at this time, they have no idea...

diy shelve-backing

2011-08-14T11:41:00.003-04:00

Hey there!

Sorry it's been a while since I've been around these parts. Last week was our big move to Raleigh. It has been nonstop since then. We have been painting, unpacking and doing lots of wedding shizz. My sister and Dad were here helping out, and just went home today.

My sister helped me with this project:

backing on these shelves (sorry for bad lighting on my phone pic!)

We used the big moroccan print stencil I won from a giveaway on Just Lovely to paint poster board. My sister did a great job with the painting. Then we cut it to fit and taped it inside the shelves with double stick tape. I think it came out great! Now I need to work on filling the shelves so they look nice!

rehearsal dinner outfit + earrings

2011-08-04T22:04:00.004-04:00

Hey there!

After searching long and hard (and getting much useful help from some IRL friends) I decided the best option for statement earrings for the rehearsal dinner was to rent some from Rent the Runway. I saw several pairs on Etsy that I liked, but with moving on the 10th shipping is tricky right now. Not to mention that I've had items from Etsy take a long time in the past, and I just didn't want to chance it.

These are the lovely earrings I ordered from Rent the Runway:

Kendra Scott- Danielle Emerald Earrings, $60 retail, $10 rental

I am so excited for these earrings! I would have just bought them but I'm heinously broke seeing as student loan money is no more and my big girl job doesn't start until September 1st.

I'll be wearing them along with this dress:

Lilly Pulitzer Betsey LWD via Rue La La (on sale for $99!)

and shoes similar to these:

Nine West pumps

I'm very excited! The rehearsal dinner is only 2 weeks and 1 day away! :)

r's big weekend

2011-08-04T08:58:00.003-04:00

Good morning! Almost the weekend...

Today R is taking off with his buddies for his Bachelor party in Dewey Beach, DE. There will likely be lots of this:

and this:

and generally a lot of bro-ing out:

Have fun, guys!

Can't wait to marry this guy in only 16 days! WOOO :)

for sale

2011-08-02T12:29:00.004-04:00

Hey there!

As you know, I'm moving in 8 days to Raleigh to start my big-girl life :) I'm very excited, but I have a LOT of editing down to do around here. I've been selling a bunch of my law books on Amazon, and I also have an item for sale if any of you are interested:

I received this Vera Bradley All in One Wristlet as a gift, but I know that I won't use it. It is brand new, never been used, and still has tags attached. It looks exactly like this:

It is in the Folkloric pattern, pictured above. It has a place for an ID, credit cards, change, and for your cell phone. It usually sells for $34, but I will sell it for $25, with shipping included.

Let me know if you want it!

painting help

2011-08-01T09:46:00.004-04:00

Good Morning, everyone! Hope your week is off to a smooth start.

R and I will be hitting up Home Depot today to get some supplies needed to fix up our apartment and avoid as many repair costs as possible. Meanwhile, we are wondering what to do about a painting dilemma in our new place.

Our new townhouse has a very open 1st floor. You walk in the door and you're in the living room, which then turns into the kitchen. It is all one very large room, that shares a common wall. Like this:

this is a view from the opposite way, looking from the kitchen into the living room. This is NOT our stuff...the girls who live there now are messy and there is little to no thought put into the decor.

How do we paint our living room to be its own room without having to paint our whole kitchen (which would be a massive pain in the ass)? Can we just paint up until our cabinets start and have a crisp line above them where the paint stops? Do we need to put up a divider, like a piece of molding, to separate the rooms on the wall?

Any advice?

20 days til I do!

2011-07-31T08:53:00.004-04:00

Hey there! Hope you're having a good weekend.

R and I have jumped right in to packing/throwing out/trying to sell things online in prep for our move in 10 days. We're also doing a lot of the little things for the wedding:

I ordered this hair comb for my hair. I think it's really pretty and classy and will look fantastic peeping out under my veil. Purchased from Etsy, BridalJewelryByJudy.

I'm also working on DIY'ing jars like these to use as our guestbook. They are labeled 1, 5, 10 and 20 years--and the guests write a note to you for one or a few of them. Image via Style Me Pretty.

Next weekend is my hair trial and I'm super excited! I'm thinking something like this:

a low, simple chignon. I'm not looking to re-invent the wheel here. My look for the wedding is simple and classic and I think this fits the bill perfectly. Plus, it is absolutely essential that I have my hair all up since it will be August in North Carolina and consequently, like 90 degrees (hopefully not 100+ degrees like it has been!!).

I'm also looking for some earrings just like this (knock-offs of course) to wear with my white rehearsal dinner dress. I don't want to look too bridal, so I thought some colorful jewelry would be fun. Any ideas where to find this? So far I've been unsuccessful.

I'm so ready to get married! I cannot wait for it to be here already!

back to life, back to reality

2011-07-29T08:55:00.003-04:00

Hey all!

I am officially finished with the Bar Exam! :) It hasn't completely sunk in yet. I thought that when I finished the test I would feel ecstatic... I felt more like terrified and exhausted. I did manage to have several of these:

However, it's starting to hit me that it's over and I can move on to the exciting things coming up--- namely, my move to Raleigh in less than 2 weeks and my wedding in 22 days!

On the itinerary today is a trip to Ikea to look at dining room tables and browse around. We're also headed straight to the post office to send back our barbri books so that we can get a refund. I will be so excited to get those books out of our apartment! I cannot tell you how annoying it was to have 2 sets of barbri books littered around our apartment for two months.

Also on the t0-do is the start of the great moving purge of 2011. Last night we recycled all our magazines. I cleaned out my desk (which was a mess!). R sorted through old papers. We have a lot of editing down to do before we move so that we can have a fresh start. I'm very excited!!

Thanks for your support during studying and the bar exam! I appreciate it! I will now continue on my normal blogging schedule :)

2011-07-25T13:12:00.001-04:00

On my way to Raleigh to take the NC Bar exam on Tuesday and Wednesday.... wish me luck!

I'm about to go do it on em...

Let's hope I make this one and done

a pick-me-up steal!

2011-07-18T14:52:00.005-04:00

Hey all!

R and I had to run over to the Gap today to see if they had khakis for the wedding in his brother's size in stock. While he was doing that I wandered over to a pile of 1969 jeans that were on sale and found my size in the "curvy" jeans in a dark wash. I tried them on and they fit great! I'm so pumped! I love their curvy jeans because I have a problem finding jeans that fit in the thigh/butt that aren't huge in the waist.

The best part was... they were on super duper sale for $10 !

YAY!

Okay, back to studying!

its the little things

2011-07-16T18:45:00.004-04:00

As the dreaded bar exam gets closer, I find myself clinging to whatever makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Including:

I bought these cookies at the grocery store. I don't think I've had them for years, but I ate them all the time when I was a kid. I think maybe they'll be comforting?! I also bought...

chocolate chip waffles. I never buy stuff like this, ever, but for some reason I was craving them. btw, the ones that I bought don't look as good as these. They're generic brand and cost $1.79 (because I'm broke).

I'm also pathetically excited about True Blood tomorrow night. In fact, its basically the only thing I have to look forward to besides studying for the entire weekend. blah.....

Only 10 more days [panic: only 10 more days!?!!] and then this will be over, hopefully for good.

P.S.- I really want to make this courtesy of Pioneer Woman, but don't have the time or money to buy all the ingredients and make it right now. Make it and let me know how it is!

if you haven't seen this yet...

2011-07-12T21:51:00.003-04:00

Please do yourself a favor and watch it right now. I promise, it will perk your day right up!

Among my favorite parts-- the random cameo of Hanson (I used to be a super fan back in 5th grade) and Kenny G (random!!!)

Enjoy!

good muscles/bad muscles

2011-07-09T21:42:00.003-04:00

Just dropping in to make an observation for you all...

Joe Manganiello a.k.a. Alcide from True Blood:

Good Muscles

BAD muslces

Step.Away.From.The.Gym.Quick.

temporarily signing off... probably

2011-07-05T08:43:00.006-04:00

Hey all!

Today marks 3 weeks until the Bar Exam. Taking the day off yesterday felt good. Too good. And now I need to force myself to buckle down and push through the next 3 weeks. This realization makes me feel basically like this:

grumpy and over this whole studying thing

I may pop in with a post here or there if I feel inspired or need to clear my head. I might not. I will, however, still be reading and commenting on your blogs during my study breaks.

Alright, now I'm off to

Hustle hard.

XOXO!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T12:52:00.002-04:00

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Today I'll be drinking poolside, but I'll be wishing I was in MD at my family's summer house with the whole fam.

Next year, I guess!

Hope you enjoy some drinks, food and good company this Fourth! xoxo

raleigh recap

2011-06-29T07:25:00.000-04:00

Hey all!

Monday R and I didn't have bar class, so we scheduled a bunch of appointments in Raleigh to handle wedding stuff and moving stuff. It was a BUSY day, but we got a lot done, so it is a big relief!

Meeting with Coordinator: We met with our coordinator (provided by our venue) to go over every single little detail of the wedding. This included things like the timeline for the whole day, where we'd place favors, the cake, our ketubah, the programs, etc etc etc... It was great to get a lot of things figured out and confirmed by the reception site. It also helped to narrow down the list of things I need to do before the wedding.

Meeting with Rehearsal Dinner Venue: R and I went to meet with the event person at our rehearsal venue to select the final menu. We are SO pumped. We are going to be having lots of delish bbq favorites, craft beer and yummy appetizers. I hope that our wedding party loves it!

Visit to our new townhouse: R and I got a chance to go into our townhouse that we'll be moving into in August after the bar exam. We wanted to take pictures and just see it again so we could get a better idea of how much space we had in each room and what furniture should go where. We realized it is a lot of space! It should be a great place for us and I can't wait to move and get settled in!

Linen Rentals: We went to a linen rental company to pick out linens that were included in our package with our venue. I originally thought I wanted navy linens (our colors are navy and peach), but my venue pointed out that the chairs are a pretty dark brown wood, and that a light color would show off the chairs and have more of a contrast. Seeing exactly what they meant, I decided to go with a pale blush linen for the guest tables. It looks just like a paler version of the peach we're using and will blend perfectly. Then we are going to use navy for some of the other tables (cake, cocktail hour, etc). I think it will look great!

I'm relieved that I got this stuff out of the way so I can go full steam ahead on bar studying until after the exam.

Only 52 days to go!

cooking as procrastination

2011-06-28T21:15:00.002-04:00

Look what I've made lately...

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Piccata, recipe here

The picture is low quality because I'm no photog and it was taken with my android...

but trust me it tasted awesome!

Oh, and by the way, I made this lemony pasta recently too (for the second time) and it was similarly awesome and summery. Try it!

I also made this red velvet cake and decorated it with

the initials TB to celebrate the premiere of True Blood.

Made from a Duncan Hines box ... don't judge, It's bar exam studying season!

What have you made lately? Anything I just HAVE to make?

true blood is BACK!

2011-06-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

It is FINALLY here! The season 4 premiere of True Blood airs tonight at 9 PM on HBO! I can hardly wait!

If you do not watch True Blood but want to start, here is a 5-minute video recap of the whole series. In this concentrated video it seems really out there...and it is... but I swear, if you just suspend your disbelief (like with LOST or any fantasy-type shows) you will be HOOKED. And then don't forget to go back and watch the first 3 seasons-- especially the first-- because they are awesome.

Tonight I'll be watching with R and a few friends, drinking red wine (closest thing to tru blood!), maybe eating some red treats, and soaking in all the awesome-ness. WOO!

Here's hoping that Sookie and Eric finally do it this season!

the barbri blues

2011-06-23T21:26:00.003-04:00

Hey all...

Coming to you today from a bar prep-induced blues.

Hopefully I'm not alone in the cyclical range of emotions I've had while studying for the bar. It goes something like this:

Monday: Ok, it's a new week, and I don't feel like studying... but I can totally do this!

Tuesday: Well, I have a lot to learn, but I can definitely do this! I improved in X subject and I got a lot of work done today. Go me!

Wednesday: oh. my. god. WHY CAN'T I LEARN THIS? WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER ANYTHING?! I'm never going to pass this exam!

Thursday: Oh, I get what I was doing wrong...well sort of. I can totally do this, though! I just need to keep going!

Friday: Ugh I give up. I JUST studied that! Why can't I remember something I JUST studied? I need a beer....

etc etc.

Am I alone? Am I just losing my mind? More importantly, am I going to pass? To anyone out there who has done this before, what advice to you have for me at this point?

HELP!

lilly summer wants

2011-06-22T07:50:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the Lilly Summer 2011 collection? Lots of adorable summery stuff. I can't afford any of this right now...but a girl can dream, right?

Here were my three favorites:

Esmeralda Dress, $164

Cameron Dress, $268

Sullivan Dress, $148

Have a great day!

bad teacher, good style

2011-06-21T07:25:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, I am not a huge Cameron Diaz fan. Sometimes I like her in movies and sometimes something about her just annoys me. However, I can't deny that her recent fashion choices have been spot on as she's been out and about promoting Bad Teacher:

Chic and light for summer

fun and sexy for a night out

timeless and classic

Gotta give credit where credit is due!

2 months

2011-06-20T07:06:00.000-04:00

Y'all...

There are only 2 months until my wedding! TWO MONTHS!

This past week I ordered the hydrangeas for my DIY centerpieces, we sent out the invitations, and booked a bunch of wedding-related meetings for next Monday when we have a day off from Barbri and can sneak away to Raleigh.

We also found out something quite interesting. R's brother, who got ordained on the internet to marry us, can't do so legally in NC. We found this out reading our Barbri family law outline. Yes, really.

I bet you're thinking, why didn't you check this out sooner, like prior to 2 months before the wedding...right? Well my brother-in-law checked with the Clerk who told him it was okay. Also, we consulted the trusty internet, which made it seem like it was fine.

Not so much. Apparently there is case law from 1980 in NC that says online ministers cannot legally marry you in NC.

Thus, we will probably be heading to the courthouse a few days before the wedding to technically get married so that we are legal. The problem that we're encountering is knowing when to go and who to bring with us. We need two witnesses, but we are struggling to decide who they should be. We are hesitant to invite our families because we don't want the courthouse wedding to be "a wedding" at all. We are just treating it as a formality that we have to do before the real wedding. Thus, we don't want it to become a "thing"... ya know?

We have half a mind to just sneak off and go at some point and not really tell anyone to avoid this. But I'm not sure.

Any advice?

love you, dad!

2011-06-19T16:47:00.003-04:00

Hey all! Hope you are enjoying your weekend and Father's Day!

Unfortunately my Dad is in VA and is working today, while I'm slaving away studying for the bar here in NC, so I don't get to actually see him today.

I thought instead I'd share five of my favorite memories of me and my Dad...

1.) Eating Tastykake KandyKakes [the peanut butter kind] sitting against the wall in our kitchen when I was a little kid as a bed time snack

2.) Sitting with my Dad in our kitchen and talking while he made me pasta for dinner throughout high school and college

3.) When I was sick, looking over in the hospital and seeing my Dad sleeping in a chair, just because he knew I needed him there.

4.) Knowing that my Dad and R met at a Dunkin Donuts when R asked for my Dad's permission to marry me (DD is very important in our family and there are TONS of them where I'm from!)

5.) Our daily phone chats

I love you so so much Dad! You have been there through lots of dark times and I can't wait for you to walk me down the aisle in 2 months!

summer switch-ups

2011-06-16T18:37:00.004-04:00

Hey, friends!

I don't know about where y'all are from, but it has been H-O-T HOT in North Carolina lately. The premature (very) hot weather has turned me away from some of our normal dinner staples in search of lighter alternatives.

Every week we usually have homemade pizza one night and some type of sandwich (usually chicken sandwiches or meatball subs). This week, I made a few tweaks to summer-ize these easy staples, and I was very happy with the results!

On Monday we had pizza made with whole wheat dough, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with mozzarella, red peppers and cold arugula drizzled with olive oil. It was really good!

whole wheat dough, $0.99 at Harris Teeter

Then tonight we had chicken pita sandwiches with tabouli, tzatziki, and red peppers (for me)/tomatoes (for R). They were really good and easy!

Tabouli from Trader Joe's

mmm!

What have you been making "light" for the summer?

weekend odds and ends

2011-06-13T08:11:00.003-04:00

Hey all!

Hope you all had a great weekend. I know I did!

On Saturday I went to Charlotte to visit my girlfriend A who just moved there a few weeks ago. R and two of our other friends came along, too. We went out for a fabulous italian dinner and ended up having a few too many cocktails! Let me tell you, after a week of bar studying that included mortgages, property and contracts-- it was SO necessary!

This week was sort of a bust on the fitness front. Here is the recap:

Monday & Tuesday: planned rest (I was having some ankle/heel pain)

Wednesday: Ran 2.6 miles

Thursday: unplanned rest

Friday: 30 day Shred Level 3

Saturday: unplanned rest (I wanted to run this day and never got there)

Sunday: 30 minutes on EFX, sit ups (yes, y'all, full sit ups. wooo they are killer!)

I'm still trying to figure out how to balance working out, studying for the bar and having some semblance of "me" time (for my own mental health!). It's been harder than I thought!

Here's to another week...

master bathroom buys

2011-06-10T07:08:00.001-04:00

As a little detour from studying yesterday, R and I went to Target. You know the drill. You go into Target optimistically with a list (or, horror of horrors-- with no list and enough time to purchase hundreds of dollars of random stuff) and come out with all kinds of stuff NOT on the list...and sometimes not even with the things you came for...

Well today we went with a list and ended up also purchasing this stuff for our new bathroom (which we won't be moving into until mid-August).

Check it out!

a shower curtain, $24.99

I love the beige and white combo with the geometric pattern!

Basket with matching fabric inside, on sale, $9

This will hold my excess "girly" clutter which drives R nuts

Now I just can't wait to move!

perfection.

2011-06-09T08:18:00.004-04:00

I must interrupt bar studying to share the perfection that is Kate Middleton [or are we calling her Catharine these days?] at the Epsom Derby...

How cute is that little hat? She also has a killer tan. Why am I not her? sigh...