our wedding day was so amazing {no seriously, i know everyone says that but this is a very, very true statement!!!!}. it was the best day. ever. we worked so hard on all the details; we put all our love into every nuance of that day for all our guests. when i say fairytale, it truly was a magical day.
it turned out exactly how i imagined and could not have asked for a better day/weekend! from our beautiful rehearsal dinner hosted by hubby charming’s parents [at the grill on the alley on michigan avenue], to our beautiful, 70+ degree sun, shiny wedding day at our gorgeous church [st. clement], to our wonderful reception venue [a new leaf…so amaze] to our delicious brunch hosted at our favorite restaurant [roy’s], such jovial moments! it was the most wonderful, perfect time with our friends + family.
the feelings and elated emotions that you experience on that day are indescribable, intangible; if you could bottle that euphoria and share it, the world would be a better place.
i love this video of us on our wedding day. kate headley {our fabulous photographer} did such a magnificent job capturing the magic of our day.
ahhhh, the day of celebrating love. i spent a wonderful day with the hubby doing much of nothing. we relaxed and said a lot of i love you’s. well, we really say that phrase a lot in general but it’s cupid’s day…it’s extra special!
we got all jazzed up {time to dress festive!} and skedaddled to one of our favorite restaurants, roy’s. it’s always consistent in service, food, and flavor. it’s also an extra perk to know the managers, sommelier, servers, and bartenders {loves them}. we started with the confit pork belly & rock shrimp ceviche appetizer [whoa]. onto our delicious wild mushroom bisque soup. my entree was the hawaiian sea salt crusted scallops, braised korobuta pork cheeks {amaze}, + okinawan potato puree. hubby charming had the smoked pepper crusted bone in rib eye {medium rare} fromage blanc, braised escarole, + truffle mac + cheese. redic. seriously. and finally…sensational sweet endings: pineapple upside-down cake + red velvet cake + cream cheese ice cream. sounds freakin’ over the moon divine, right?!
my roses from cattails
hee
i really had to dress the part…c’mon, it’s v-day! cupid shot me with his arrow!
well, after imbibing + gorging like we haven’t eaten in days, we were ready to go home and put on our drawstring sweatpants! it was a beautiful day. happy love day! xoxo
i love lunches, brunches, eating, meeting, greeting with friends. sometimes the world gets so crazy busy but you have to slow down to take some time to connect [that’s what makes life great, friends + family]. on my list, it’s paramount.
people tend to make up excuses on why they don’t have time to connect {too busy with work or blame others for lack of effort}, or just don’t make enough effort themselves. some people just have different priorities than others.
life can get quite convoluted but i believe in finding the time if an opportunity arises.
ande <3
i just love ande + matt. they are such a fun bunch. get us together and there is never a dull moment! we are such a ‘type a’ group {our common thread of controlling, clean, organized antics}. probably the most gregarious combo of peeps anyone would ever witness. we tend to talk over one another a bit too much but find it so normal to do so. between the three of us [never one to be succinct], there is never a moment of silence!
pumpkin pancakes + bacon
matt <3
every so often, we are able to squeeze in a lunch or a dinner. the latter is better for us [due to our long winded nature] but lunches will do. although they are just too short! so, knowing we don’t have a lot of time, we race through our conversations! we always say we should have the husbands join us [naturally all three of them are the more quiet, reserved types] but only say it because we feel like it’s nice to ‘try’ to include them.
well, there you go…two hours later {and that was our version of a ‘power lunch’}, many topics later, many tasty bites later, we wrapped up our delicious date at the fabulous bongo room {one of my two favorite brunch spots!!!!!!}. until next time my lovelies! xoxo
we were visiting my parent’s house the other day and, as usual, my mom is cookaholic. she is the most amazing cook ever {seriously the best ever}! she loves, loves, loves it when hubby charming comes over because he is like a human disposal. she gets so giddy feeding him…i think my parents are in awe of how much he can actually consume in one sitting.
so, my mom insists we take food home every time i/we are over. she kept offering her home cooked meals to go. of course we can’t say no, it’s too good to refuse! well, it didn’t stop there…she started to offer random things like the bunch of bananas no one else at home would eat! i said no; so she ran up to hubby charming to see if he wanted to take the bananas…lol. he can’t say no to my mom, so we accepted the very, very ripe bananas my mom offered. and voila, some very, very yummy bread came into fruition the next day!
banana bread
Directions
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
*In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
*Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
you are dust, and to dust you shall return genesis 3:19
happy lent! today marks our lenten journey and i am super excited for this {woo!}. a time to be more reflective on our relationship with God, repentance, and penitence. choosing what to fast from is an intimate decision. it is what is most important to you and what sacrifice(s) you are willing to bestow.
this time allows me to think about how i can be better. how i can change myself to have a more fulfilling life in terms of giving back, forgiving myself, others, and living my life as an extension of His teachings. definitely easier said than done. i try to do my best but i have my everyday mishaps.
st. clement church and it’s community is a place where i call home. father ken, who married us, is an amazing man. i adore him. he has inspired me to grow my faith, self reflect, and give back in so many ways. the sense of belonging is immense and there are so many outlets there to do something better for the surrounding communities.
i am thankful to have found this church, this parish, and the ignited self discovery path i have been on.
my wonderful friend, jodi, is having her first baby!!! baby boy s. will be here in mid-march. oh boy oh boy…a baby! so life changing! i am very excited for her & she is definitely meant to be a mommy. i was so excited to shop for her gifts, well, shopping in general is my favorite pastime no matter what the occasion is! baby stuff is just so stinkin’ cute! her shower theme was so adorbs! an animal theme through and through, from the animal cookie favors to the cute little elephant sign holder. so many thoughtful touches executed by her step mom, kelly! we can’t wait to meet the cute little bugger {yay!}; see you soon!!
mommy to be, jodi, me, + kt
write a wish for baby boy s.
kt + moi
cute little details
purty wrapped gift
the goods!
another mommy to be, kim!
what a sweet time it was! so excited for the baby boom going on around me! we are all so very blessed.
children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3
it’s the year of the snake! best matches for the snake: ox, rooster, and the dragon {moi}.
tết is a huge holiday in vietnam. to grasp how big it is, think about how exciting it would be if new years, your birthday, and christmas was combined into one day?! now that’s a whole lotta celebrating!!!
it’s all about a fresh start, newness, family, and lots of good luck!!
xoxo
[fill the little red envelopes with moolah and gift them to children! i received these as a child every year…such fond memories!]
after a day and night of being icky sickly, i awoke to a doting hubby charming! voila, breakfast was awaiting me. he had prepared a quaint breakfast spread {coffee, mimosas, quiche, and fruit}. i was still feeling a bit under the weather but it was quite nice to be able to sit together; spend our time talking, eating, and relaxing. i love spending quality time with him since he’s been traveling so much for work {insert sad face}.
* Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese.
* Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
* Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.
later that day: i was feeling much better, thanks to the meds [although i’m not a meds type of gal]! anyhoo, i pulled out my new shoes {love!} they are soooo comfy! i am not a sneaker kind of girl but i love how it has the hidden heel [love the height], it’s a little bit funky, and the street feel of these shoes are rockin’. it was a part of my ‘click and buy’ streak of late. prancing around in these chaussures makes me smile.
[some delicious, spicy stew // not for the timid tastebuds]
we wanted a cozy night in and the hubby charming really wanted to cook up something to eat. he put together a beef stew in our fabulous slow cooker. we debated on just a vegetable stew but we succumb to the cow :p
slow cooker beef stew
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika [we replaced this with cayenne!]
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
directions
*Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
*Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.
we both want to abate not so good foods from our diet and strive to balance out a healthier palate {cross our fingers}. i am in awe of folks who are so resolute with always eating healthy, organic, and fresh! i love sweets, although i have somewhat diminished my intake by the pounds/per year {heh}. i think ordering the 20 boxes of girl scout cookies might negate the above positive thinking {yikes!}.
