Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The interview

Yesterday, Nilsa posted an interview that she did with another blogger. She received and answered five questions.

Here are the simple rules,
1. If you want to participate, leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” (And your e-mail address, please.)
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Be sure to link back to the person who interviewed you. So here are Nilsa's questions with my answers:

(1) Name only one blogger you really respect and tell me why.

Ok this was a toughie because I have such respect for all the bloggers whom I read but if I have to pick one, it will be the one that I have read the longest, Diana. I find her humor and honesty refreshing. She takes a good, honest and sometimes hard look at herself and then comes up with the ways that she can and will tackle the situation. She makes no excuses and has such strong will power that I can only wish I had. She has taken the time to grow and evolve in such a way that makes me aspire to. I have been fortunate to meet her and she is one amazing friend. She rocks in so many ways.

(2) If you had to pick a non-urban, U.S. destination in which to vacation for a week, where would you go?

I would actually like to go RV'ing to the western states like Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. I really would love to see the plains and the Rockies. I would also like to see the Dakotas. However it will have to be in the spring or summer there is no way I would go in the winter.

(3) If you had $500 to spend on housing, food and entertainment for the trip mentioned in (2), how would you spend it?

Well mostly food and gas. I would also use it for park admission and the occasion meal. I would probably do a lot of grilling and cooking. As for entertainment, I would have my books and the BF but looking at the stars is not a bad thing either.


(4) Tell me about one person with whom you've lost touch. If you hope for a reunion, how would you like that reunion to take place?

I lost touch with my friend and his wife who moved to Scotland. We used to be really close and then he moved and we lost touch. I have gone to Edinburgh to attend their wedding a few years ago and I am going to invite them to mine. I would love to re-connect with them, the two of them are such incredible people.

(5) In 2008, what was your biggest achievement and your biggest failure/disappointment?

My biggest achievement was being able to afford a condo. It was somewhat of a spur of the moment decision after hobo guy issues but when we look back it was the best thing we could have done. I love my place and experiencing the whole process made me grow up in a way. My biggest disappointment was not getting the photographer we wanted. I had to let that one go.

If you want to participate drop a comment.

To each and every one have a very happy 2009 may this be a year where all you find is happiness.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego going on her honeymoon?

So the BF is off this week and has been working on some things that are on our wedding to do list. Specifically, DJs, tuxs, save the date ideas and finally honeymoon stuff.

Early on (even before we got engaged) we were always talking about where we are going to go, what we are going to eat, what we want to see. The list is ever expanding and never is short of ideas.

After the engagement, we were narrowing down ideas. Early this year, before the hobo breaking into the building issue that made us buy a condo, we wanted to go to Paris. We looked at flights, hotels and what we would do for a week. Then we decided to go for broke and purchased our place so Paris was shelved.

We we also talking about Spain, the food, the culture, the country. There were lots of travel shows and Specifically this one. One day out of the blue, the BF informed me that he wanted to go to Barcelona! So we were set, we were going to go to Barcelona.

I've been to Barcelona once in high school and since we were there for a short time (two days) I have a few memories. So I am excited to go especially with the BF!

We have decided to take two weeks for our honeymoon since we have the vacation time and after dealing with the craziness of the wedding and mostly dealing with my mother (a source of stress for me at most times of the year). However, two weeks in Barcelona might be too much for me. It is not a large city so the activities are limited after a few days. Sure the food will be awesome but I can't eat iberico ham all the time...oh wait yes I can...never mind.

So I mentioned that perhaps we can split up our weeks, spend one week in Barcelona and another somewhere else. Perhaps Madrid, Seville or another area. Last night he mentioned that he wants to go to Paris and Barcelona.

I've been to Paris with the high school group and had a great time. But, I really want to see more of Spain and after reading the guide book we got from my brother, I want to spend a few months exploring Spain. However, the BF has never been to Europe and wants to make the most of the opportunity.

So here are the options:
1-Paris and Barcelona
2-Add another week to our honeymoon (we both can do this but this leaves me with 5 vacation days left)
3-Another part of Spain and Barcelona.

We really do not want to spend a lot of time traveling from one location to another. We are also wanting to be centrally located so we are going to get an apartment for each week.

So what would you do in this situation? I look at it as we can't lose!

Friday, December 26, 2008

A mellow merry

We spent the day with the BF's fam yesterday. We finally got out of our iced in parking spot and headed west for the day. It was very mellow and quiet, the girls got a Wii so they were busy with the games and their toys so they were kept very busy. The food was delish and I made two dishes

One was this easy cheese puff appetizer that was just made with butter, flour, Guyer cheese, salt and some Cayenne pepper. It was so easy, if anyone wants the recipe let me know. The second was the chocolate crinkle cookies that I made this past weekend. Both were hits.

Before Christmas I went to the Chopping Block and it was one of the best, the food that they made was so delish. They made awesome margaritas, this cheese Focaccia bread with a three cheese spread, salty Carmel brownies, truffle fries and steamed mussels. It was the highlights of some popular restaurants and they were all so wonderful.

Today we went to a local mall and I finally bought a pair of jeans! I also got another pair of pants, a cute sweater and stocked up on some refills of my sephroa favs.

We are getting ramped up for more wedding to dos. It is easier said than done. Guess who has to spend two weeks in NJ for work?

Now that the holidays are over, we have a lot of wedding things to do.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Yes

As today is Christmas eve I just wanted to post this reminder about the magic, the miracles that surround this holiday season no matter what faith you are...

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?"VIRGINIA O'HANLON."115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

"VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies!

You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real?

Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

(source)

Monday, December 22, 2008

Iced in

My car is encased in a block of ice, I tried to dig it out, I tried to warm up the car and it is not working. I could not move it. So I gave up trying so I went back inside and plugged into work from home.

Today at 6:30 it was -20 with the wind chill. My key chain was so cold when I got in the condo that I could not hold them without gloves for very long. I still have the chill in my bones. I may work in front of the fireplace just to warm up.

We had a very lazy weekend, I made cookies, wrapped the last of the presents and did laundry. It was great to finally have a low key weekend without a lot of running around or errands to do.

I just want it to warm up.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Don't taunt the ill

The BF is sick and has not been feeling well for the past few days. He has been sleeping and spent most of the past two days in bed with the cat being a murse.

A package arrived from Sweet Beginnings and they had the foam peanuts so I wanted to see if they were biodegrable so I tossed on in the loo to see if they would dissolve and it started to. I got distracted and left the peanut in the loo.

The BF went to the bathroom and came out a little while later:

BF: I got to take a photo
(runs to get his phone)

On the way to the bathroom, he stopped and saw the peanuts that were on the coffee table, and asked if I happened to toss one in the loo. I said that I did

BF: thank god, I thought I had King George Disease! (which is an illness that causes your urine to turn blue)

I died laughing. He did not find it nearly as funny.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Spreading the word

One of my new fav bloggers, pseudostoops is doing a really amazing way to raise money and awareness for 5 deserving charities. Each day she profiles one, that charity is guaranteed $25 and with each comment, she will donate another $0.50.

So far she has profiled:
Monday-North Lawndale Employment Network
Tuesday-The Women’s Treatment Center
Wednesday-The Night Ministry
Thursday-College Summit
Friday-It is up to you, suggest a charity you think she should send the money too.


In fact, she has a matching donor today so they will match the amount that she raises.

How cool is that!

Tis this season, help those who are in need just by commenting on one cool ass blog!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Not a record

It only took me three and a half hours to get home from work yesterday.

My record is four.

I so hate this weather!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Cold to the bones

This morning it just feels like the cold weather has made it all the way to the bones. I just want to cuddles up in bed with the cat and just veg out. We are expecting some more snow today and I am so over this already.

Last night I dreamt that I was in a Key West hotel in shorts. It was just a dream though and I am not happy it did not magically come true.

We are getting ready for the holidays. I am thinking of what we can eat on Christmas eve as we are spending the day with the BF's fam. I am thinking of making an anti-pasto platter for us to munch on during the course of the day. Who does not like cheese, crackers and dried meat? For dinner I am wanting to continue the theme so I am thinking of making spinach and prosciutto ricotta lasagna or actually make some homemade raviolis with a nice trio of cheese stuffing. Dessert will be optional and wine will be flowing and it will just be the two of us by the tree with the fireplace going.

I can't wait.

Monday, December 15, 2008

I ate, therefore I am.

On Saturday, Diana , CBN and I had a girls only foodie day. We started off with tapas at one of the hands down best tapas places ever...Tapas Barcelona. I seriously crave their olives and I don't typically like olives. We then hopped in the car and headed to the Spice House where we stocked up on a few things. We wandered around a bit and CBN dragged us (OK not really dragged) to the Great Harvest Bread Co. I got this amazing asiago pesto bread (Oh and half of a Chocolate babka which is bread with chocolate chips baked in the middle, we have maybe a slice of that left). We then headed back into the car to go to Cauputo's Italian grocery store for cheese and Italian delicacies.

Afterwards we came back to my place to make some carmel apple crepes and chocolate peppermint martinis. We all had a blast and I for one am still full of food!

Yesterday, we went to the BF's niece's 2nd birthday in west bumblefuck. Each time we go out there it seems longer and longer. The birthday girl was in the cutest outfit and her cake was a 3-d of Elmo's head. There must have been at least 5 inches of frosting because they replicated fur. It was amazing but a wee bit freaky because it was a head on a silver platter....seriously freaking weird. We got out of there before the sugar hit the blood stream of the under 10 crowd and we did not partake in any cake.

Once we got back to the city AKA civilization, I wrapped a few presents, wrote the rest of my cards and got another Christmas gift from the BF.

It was destine to be an icy morning and I had to make sure I was ready for the trip! I am so over winter!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Another checked box

We settled on a photographer. It was making a choice between a Vogue photographer and a NY Times photographer. It basically came down to what we can afford and since we do not know the budget (very long story) we are under this assumption that we will have to pay for some elements.

So we decided on the NY Times style and although I like him and his photos, I really wish we could have gone with the Vogue.

It all comes down to money.

I just hope that we do not regret our decision right now, I am just feeling bummed.

This or that

I am indecisive, I have knack for delaying or not making certain decisions. If we are out and want to get a bite to eat, I am open for all suggestions. Yet, if I am wanting a specific item or I am starving then I will be more likely to pick a place.

I can also make decisions if one of the two scenarios is horrible or just does not work. It is especially hard when I have to make a choose between two good things but can only get one. That makes the decision very VERY hard. Weighting the pros and cons over and over again only to be back in the beginning. Even harder when we have a time pressure and have to make a decision today.

Where is my magic 8 ball. Oh yea it broke...

Ack!

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Pay for the play

Finally!

It is about time that Bloggo got bagged.

I have utter contempt for people regardless of their political affiliation who are voted in to office yet are greedy, manipulative, self-serving, and corrupt. The rumors around have been buzzing for years. True he is innocent until proving guilty but if it quacks like a duck....

Well, this will be an interesting turn of events.

I admire Patrick Fitzgerald, especially when he was on "Wait, wait don't tell me" last year. He recounted a story of when he had a free Sunday and decided to make himself a roasted chicken, he put it in the oven, got called in to work, turned off the oven and left the bird in there....for two months! Goes to show us he has his moments too but he is never one to back down!

~~~
In other news, I am not sure how I can afford these next few months. The repayment of student loans have taken a big dent out of my disposable income. If I do get a raise, it will be effective in March...a big IF. I have also cut back on what I will give out for Christmas, no longer shop at the bigger grocery stores and have put off replacing a pair of jeans. I am thinking of getting a second job like so many others. I just got this huge medical bill (thanks co-insurance) and I am not sure how much I can leech off my savings.

Frankly, it sucks and it stresses me out to the point of tears.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Santa baby!

This morning I got up and got ready for work and not a soul was up. The BF took this whole week off "cause he can" and both pets could not be bothered with getting up if daddy wasn't getting up. So not fair! But he has his list....to be fair it does include video game time.

This weekend was a Christmas weekend. We got our first tree and put it up. The BF wanted to get a real one and I have not had a tree in 6 years or so. We were very excited and it looks lovely. The beasts are not impressed by it although now that it has been a few days, the cat is pondering how to use the bulbs to his advantage. We also got some of his nieces Christmas gifts and one of them has a birthday next week so we got her gift. Plus I made cookies, tons of cookies in fact. So we have enough to feed a small army! We gave some out yesterday to the BF's dad.

Yesterday, we got our gocco! I am so excited. Now the crazy invitation planning can start to commence. I have tons of ideas, it is hard to keep up with them. I need some time to get organized! I need a week off myself….sadly I just have only a few days at the holidays.

Do you think Santa can bring me more time off?

Thursday, December 04, 2008

On the brain

-Last night I woke the BF up by telling him that "we haven't had the rehearsal dinner". Oh and I was asleep when I said it. We were both up after that pronouncement.

-My dad emailed me today to inform me that he was watching the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords and thinks that we should enter the church in the same manner as the queen. So I will have to take a ceremonial hostage ( a member of the House of Commons) then a horse drawn carriage to the church. Enter the area for the house of lords and then have someone summon members of the "commons" Basically he will have to knock at the church door, get the door slammed in our faces and then knock three times before the speaker of the house will let them in.

Oh and I will need a cape and a jeweled crown.

And the hijinks's ensued!

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Hibernation

Ok, so if you are in the Chicago area you have probably heard that more snow is coming. The peek of this is due during rush hour this afternoon.

It is 12/3 and I am already done with the snow and the cold weather. I am done with the ice on the sidewalks, the slush on the streets and the puddles that form on my floors when one of us (mostly the dog) comes home.

I want to hibernated. Meaning that I will stay inside for most of the winter. I figure that the only time I will go out if there is no food and for the holidays. The rest of the time I will be in the apartment.

But then again I may turn into Howard Hughes!

So until then only a few more months of this...God willing!

Monday, December 01, 2008

Wedding weekend numero uno

So this weekend was full blown wedding weekend!


Saturday my mom and I went to look at dresses. Nilsa (thanks girl) recommended one person at the salon and lo and behold, I found my dress. I know that you are all wanting to know and since you are all excited, here is a sneak peek:
Stunning isn't it. I got to work on my abs oh and fake bake!

Actually I am not going to say a word about my dress until I walk down the asile. All I will say is that it is pretty and not what I expected it to be.

I also picked out my bridesmaid's dresses. I am giving them the option of picking their own dress. I picked the designer the color, the length and fabric, the rest is up to them. I want them to feel comfortable and hopefully wear the dress again. I think that they are excited to pick what they want to wear too.

Sunday the three of us went to a bridal expo. It was okay, I was expecting more vendors especially when in came to photographers. The BF liked the cake tasting and tolerated the craziness of too many women in one room.

We also showed my mom the church and the reception venue so that she can safely report that we are not getting married in a hovel.

What I need is a few days of non wedding stuff. But my gocco comes this week so this coming weekend we will be playing with it!

In non wedding news. My mother was tolerable for the most part. The BF noticed that she is the queen of underhanded comments. I have decided to ignore them and proceed with life. She has safely landed in NY and it will be a while before she returns.

Last night I made this awesome chicken dish that we learned in class a few weeks back. It was chicken in a Dijon cream sauce. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know. It was so good and easy!