Tah*Da!

Life in the Upstate

2012-02-01T16:03:00.000-08:00

I'm kind of embarrassed by my lackadaisical attempt at starting a blog. It's been nearly a year since my last post. Yikes! You would think I have been super busy traveling the world or working overtime to make that dough. Nope. Just lazy. My one and only excuse is that Eric and I moved...does that count for anything? Last October Eric and I finally made the decision to move our lives from Columbia, SC back to the upstate. After leaving our jobs, packing up our tiny 1,000 square foot house we have now begun a new chapter in our lives. While we had many good times in Columbia the past 7 years we are excited about the new experiences and memories to come!

We miss you Vallejo Circle!

Eric is now happy working with his Dad at RPR where he is selling returnable packaging. I am taking it easy, browsing for jobs, and super excited to begin decorating our new house (which will hopefully be ready by the end of March)!

We have also added a new addition to our family...meet Sully!

Sully's BEFORE picture

and

...AFTER

We adopted our sweet baby from the Humane Society in Greenville back in early November. Who wouldn't want this precious thing? Rumor has it that his original name was Bling Bling (...I guess I would have run away too).

I hope to get back into the habit of blogging more often. I REALLY don't have any excuses now! Hopefully I will be able to document our new lives in Greenville a little better than I did during our time in Columbia!

Sarah

"Sew" Fun!

2011-03-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

I have been having sew much fun playing around on my sewing machine (pun intended). Ever since this snow ~~day~~ week I have been kind of obsessed with making things. Really though I like having a hobby. My sweet husband was encouraging enough to even take a few of my creations to a local shop/boutique(without be knowing) to ask if they would be interested in putting some of my items in their store...and guess what? They said YES! So, I have been working hard to make a variety of items to show them hoping they will like something enough to put it in their store AND that customers will like it enough to actually pay money for it! Here is what I have been working on. What should I make more of? What should I make less of? Any suggestions? Any feedback would be super helpful!!!!

Small Elelphant Hand Towel

Cupcake Hand Towel

Whale Bath Towel

(I'm thinking this would be cute with an initial or name in a correlating fabric)

Owl Dish Cloths (pair)

Love and Peace Flour Sack Dish Towels

Pear Pot Holders

Boys Guitar T-shirt

Chidlren's Crab Apron

What do ya'll think?! I have more fabric and a few other ideas I am working on so...more to come and suggestions are welcome!!! Have a great weekend!

Shame on Me & A case of The Mondays

2011-02-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

It's affirmed. I am a horrible blogger. I started this thing thinking I was going to post atleast 5 times a week - use it as a "journal" to remember and document the beginning of mine and Eric's life together. I was so excited to share these experiences with friends and family....and possibly complete strangers (I flatter myself)! I was spending hours editing each post checking for grammatical errors, making sure I was witty and clever, and always trying to post endless photos for your viewing pleasure. Then the picture taking, downloading, and writing and editing became more of a... chore or English homework assignment and there is nothing I hate more than obligations. So, I think I am going to have to lower my standards (that sounds bad). Rather, I need to make my expectations of myself more...realistic. I will post when I get the chance to post. Whether it be novelish, or a quick thought; I hope to use Tah*Da! to document my life in the most honest, and realistic way possible, if it is poorly written, oh well. Please don't judge me.
So in hopes to meet my ~~low~~ new expectations let me share this thought with you. I have a case of the Mondays. I am tired, irritable, and in serious need of caffeine- A Starbucks iced caramel macchiato to be exact.

I rarely have different feelings about the days of the week, all of them seeming about the same, Monday-Friday at least. No one particular day of the week is better than the other in the world of teaching. But for some reason today is rough. I just hope this doesn't become a trend and last the rest of the week....YIKES! Hope your Monday is more marvelous than mine!

Sarah

Glee

2011-02-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely probably the last person to jump on the Glee train, but I am soooo glad I did! Eric and I got Netflix some time ago and I never thought to take a look at the movie options much less the TV show options, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found out there were TONS to chose from! Right After deciding Sex and The City 2 should go to the top of the list Netflix recomended I try Glee Season One. Being that I have already seen Sex and The City 2, I thought what harm could it do. If I hate it I will just send it back and go with my original choice. In the end its all "free" anyway. So last week sometime the envelope came in and within like 15 minutes I was hooked! Maybe it's becasuse I love musicals, or maybe because I secretly wish I was still in high school free from all responsibility again. Either way, Glee is my new favorite show, tied with Weeds, Grey's Anatomy, The Big C and now Dexter (thanks to Netflix as well). I need to hurry up and catch up on an entire season!! So, if you are like me and haven't given Glee a try. You should. There is a reason it has won so many awards.
Sarah

Credit Card Debt

2011-01-19T11:02:00.000-08:00

I am proud to say that I contibuted to my credit card debt at Ann Taylor Loft yesterday. Another perk of being a teacher, besides snow days, is the 15% I get off of every purchase (this is how I justify my large purchases). Thank you Loft! I used some self control yesterday only buying the necessities...khaki pants, a silk top, and a gray cardigan that was on sale, BUT I am so excited about their new spring clothing. Just looking at the cute outfits made me wish I was on a yacht off the coast of Belize or just for warm weather. Please look at how adorable these ensembles are! So casual and SO CUTE!

How many more days until summer? Too many I'm sure! I'll be lucky if I get through this week! I think maybe I will stick to the weekly countdown. Only 2 more days until Friday!

Sarah

Arts and Crafts

2011-01-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

After our recent State of Emergency I have found that if I don't have something to keep me occupied I get bored easily. After 3 snow days, 2 books, a batch of cookies, some cleaning, and furniture rearranging I was going stir crazy. Don't get me wrong I LOVE a day off, but I think I did everything you can do cooped up in a tiny house all by yourself for 8 hours. Poor Eric had to bare the winter weather leaving Quincy and I to fend for ourselves. Lately my creative juices have been flowing so I thought I would try to learn to applique. After a little bit of online research, and playing around on my sewing machine I am proud to show off my first product...

Using some scrap material and an unused dish towel I made a monogramed applique towel adorning our initial. Due to limited supplies all of my applique creations are dish towels. I hope to broaden my horizons when Columbia opens back up. Next I am thinking pillows, tshirts, and beach towels! Here are a few of my other creations.

I made this for my assistant at work, Neelam...and was so excited to find that I could monogram on my not-so-fancy machine!

My Grandmother's birthday is coming up, so I think I might give this to her.

I am excited to see what else I can come up with! I hope you enjoyed your snow days for those of you who were also stuck at home, like me. And even if you didn't get a day off it is nice to see Columbia covered in snow for a change! Quincy sure thought so!

Sarah

I Heart NY

2011-01-03T20:37:00.000-08:00

I am embarrassed. I had convinced myself that spending a paycheck on a camera was okay because I am going to New York and need to take lots of pictures. If by lots of picture I meant 7 then, we're good, but 7 doesn't quite count as a photo shoot. Don't worry I am disappointed in myself, too. I guess this just means I was having so much fun I couldn't find the time to take any pictures...not to mention lug around a huge camera case (ie. Winn Ping...for those of you who get the joke). The pictures I did take don't even portray our trip really at all. I almost hesitate to post them. Picture me snapping photos of random buildings at completely inappropriate times wearing a 10 pound camera case. Can you say tourist? So the new, had to have before New York, Camera lasted about 30 minutes upon our arrival then sat in a hotel room for 4 days. So, our first 30 minutes in NYC looked something like this...

We enjoyed brunch at Andaz on Fifth Avenue...

We walked down Fifth Avenue...

We walked down Park Avenue....

We walked down Madison Avenue...

...and here is the only proof that I was actually even in New York...

Thanks to my parents we were able to snag a couple more pics with their convenient and compact digital camera while we enjoyed lunch at Broadway Diner. You have to try their chicken pot pie!!

Later that evening my parents treated Eric and I to The Addams Family on Broadway. Then the next night Eric bought us tickets to see Elf! Fourth row center! I am spoiled!

While there is no evidence to support any of my followin claims: we did do lots of shopping on Fifth Avenue and Canal Street, witnessed a Poetry Brothel, touched more strangers on the subway than I ever wanted to, previewed the Body Works exhibit, ate rice noodles in China Town and laughed our butts off at The Comedy Cellar. Luckily, for Eric, on our last day with camera in hand, we were able to get this picture at Katz Deli famously known as the place "Where Harry Met Sally".

I cant believe we spent 4 days in New York and have nothing to show for it (besides an empty wallet). I am so sad. Eric and I got engaged in New York 2 years ago at Rockefeller Center and we didn't even snap a photo in front of the giant tree. Oh well... I guess that means we will just have to go back next year. Anyone care to join us?

Congrats Lauren and Kent!

2011-01-03T19:03:00.000-08:00

One of my oldest friends tied the knot this weekend. We have known each other since preschool at Christ Church Episcopal in Ponte Vedra, Florida, and while we may not chat endlessly on the phone for hours once a week we will always have a special connection. Lauren was my first "Best Friend". We use to pretend we were Elizabeth and Jessica from Sweet Valley Kids and refused to answer to anything but our pseudo-names. We would act like we were watching Full House, but really we were flipping channels to catch up on the latest episode of Days of our Lives. We spent summers together at Wild Dunes setting up Lemonade stands and getting sunburn that hurt for weeks. We were notorious for putting on our latest "routine" for her family and setting up haunted houses in my bedroom to scare my younger brother. Even after being hundreds of miles apart we were able to keep in touch. After moving with my family from Florida to Charleston to Greenville to Columbia we stayed in contact. Strangely enough Lauren has called Columbia home at one time, now lives in Greenville, and has parents in Charleston. We just couldn't seem to get our timing right. Maybe one day we will reside in the same town again. Until then I hope she knows how special our friendship is to me. Here are some pictures from their beautiful wedding! Congratulations Lauren and Kent, may you have a lifetime of happiness!

Oh..and we found this gem on the way home from Daniel Island Club. The lights flashed with the music! Oh, how I love Christmas!

Sarah

I Fly Like Paper

2011-01-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

You might as well call me M.I.A. , not because all I wanna do is "... take your money," but because I think I took the term Christmas break too seriously. In the sense that I sersiously did nothing ...or it could be that I have been so busy being productive I was negligent towards my dear, "Tah*Da!" Either way, for those of you who have been sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next post (...hahahaha) get excited because "Tah*Da!" is about to blow up! I have been working on a series of posts since the first week in December, planning on posting them one at a time of course, but never seemed to complete even one. In leu of the New Year and getting back to the grind I thought I should get back on board the posting train, so stay tuned as I update you on the past 3 weeks of my life, well only the parts worth sharing of course.

Sarah

Deck the Halls

2010-12-15T20:17:00.000-08:00

After typing in the title of this post I couldn't help but start singing that song from grade school, "Deck the halls with gasoline, fa lalalala lala lala..." (you know the rest). Now that we're all in the holiday spirit I must share with you these super easy and cheap holiday decorations that can add a touch of Christmas to anyone's home. As long as you have some pine trees in your area you will be just fine!

Add a few pine cones, tree trimmings, and a holiday bow to an outdoor lantern and Tahda! you have instant holiday spirit! If you don't have a lantern add some greenery and a bow to your mailbox or porch stair rail. Keeping the pine cone theme alive I grabbed a few pine cones all about the same size and placed them in a 3 tray serving dish, added some moss, threw some glitter on cardboard stars and made the cheapest holiday decor ever!

I am so into terrariums right now, this is my take on the Christmas version using a cake dish...

The pine cones may seem kind of repetitive, but hey, they were free! Here they are again! I filled a clear vase with greenery, cranberries, and... pine cones! Then added some fresh holly to my old bottles. Isn't the vintage elf stocking hanger cute?? It was my mom's as a little girl!

Here are a few other Christmas decorations I added around the house. Don't worry... no more pine cones!

Oh Christmas Tree!

2010-12-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

Since this is mine and Eric's first Christmas together as a married couple I may be a tad over excited about the holiday season, so please excuse anything you may think excessive. I promise it won't be like this next year. So last Sunday afternoon Eric and I were on a mission to find the perfect Christmas tree. We first went to Lowe's to get the stand and lights, but decided against purchasing a tree from there being that it wasn't festive enough for me. I would have preferred going Christmas Vacation style and trekking into the woods to chop down our own tree, but that isn't really an option in Columbia, SC. So we settled for this little family owned Christmas Tree lot down the street where part of the proceeds go to the Children's Hospital. We ended up finding the perfect tree and the lady was kind enough to snap a few photos of us and our first Christmas tree (after looking at us like we were crazy).

Some of our prospectives.

Maybe? Maybe not?

This one was HUGE! The entire length of my arm span!

I think this is the one.

Loaded up and ready to go!

Before

After

Merry Christmas y'all!

Sarah

For "Name's sake"

2010-12-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

First of all I must say thank you to everyone for their sweet birthday wishes and for making my 25th birthday a special one! The day was unfortunately anti-climatic being that Eric had pretty much spoiled almost every surprise a little prematurely. He just couldn't wait a day longer for me to open my gifts, so I was showered with presents the night before. He didn't do so bad, either! Let's just say I won't be having any "Quarter Life Crisis". The day started out just like any other day. Get up, go to work... No, I am not one of those people who take the day off for my birthday. First of all, by going to work I am guaranteed to get extra attention and a little bit of special treatment being that it is my birthday (ie. roses from my sweet students and an actual lunch break with my Eric). Secondly, I would rather use my day off more wisely, like in New York! Which is where we will be one week from today!!! Who ever thought this Birthmas wish would come true? Anyway, my grandparents treated Eric and I to dinner at Bonefish then we went back and visited with them for a little bit where they gave me a very special Birthday gift. Let me try to explain, bare with me...My great grandmother on my Mom's side was named Sadie Hammond Oakman, then she got married and became Sadie Hammond Warren. Her initials were SHW. My name before getting married was Sarah Hammond Watkins, making my initials SHW, so I have been fortunate enough to receive some very special gifts with my namesake. For my 13th birthday I got a beautiful gold locket that belonged to my great grandmother engraved with her initials and for my 25th birthday I was given this...

It is ALMOST a true antique. In only 3 years it will be 100 years old! It is a sterling silver coin and cigarette case that belonged to my great grandmother during World War I. This treasure is adorned with her maiden name initials, but is still a very special keepsake.

After doing some research I found that these "purses" go for about $500.00. I am thinking about putting it on ebay. JUST KIDDING! I think it makes a nice addition to my antique collection.

Sarah

Enjoying Greenville

2010-12-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

Getting back to the grind after a 5 day break is horribly difficult! I am still digesting food from Thanksgiving and soaking up the glory after our win over Clemson. Go Gamecocks! Eric and I did some traveling this holiday. Welcome to married life. We spent the first half of our Thanksgiving vacation in North Carolina with my family. As always we had way too much food and OOooed and AHhhed over my Aunts beautiful Christmas Decor. We then spent the second half of our "vacay" in Greenville with Eric's family. I forgot how much I love Greenville! I only lived there for four years and couldn't have been more excited to get to Columbia when I got accepted to The University of South Carolina. Now, 6 years later I find myself ready to go back to the upstate. So much has changed since I called Greenville home. As long as I can remember Downtown Greenville has been a work in progress, but is now quite impressive. I had a great time experimenting with the new camera and Enjoying my time in Gvegas.

Apparently people have been stealing these?!?

We enjoyed lunch at Trio's...

Then took a walk down to the West End...

Reedy River Falls

Eric thought this picture was hilarious. Apparently no one reads the signs...

Isn't Greenville beautiful in the fall? While our first choice is still the coast... I am starting to think Greenville wouldn't be so bad either.

Sarah

Happy Birthday, Miley!

2010-11-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hi, my name is Sarah and I like Miley Cyrus. I'll admit it. I ~~like~~ love Miley Cyrus. I don't care that I am almost 25 years old and can rock out to Best of Both Worlds or my newest favorite, Tamed. Hey, she must be doing something right if she get the attention of both myself and the 5 year olds in my kindergarten class. I know I'm not the only one. I have friends who are also fellow Miley lovers. A car ride would not be complete without a jam session to Party in the USA or GNO (thats "Girls Night Out" for you non-Miley listeners). So, today I say "thank you" to Miley Cyrus for being born 18 years ago today, November 23rd, because without you I wouldn't have a reason to ..."put my hands up, they're playin' my song.."

For your viewing pleasure...

Sarah

Count Your Blessings

2010-11-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

Being that Thanksgiving is right around the corner I felt it only necessary to reflect upon my many blessings. Most of the time I find myself wanting what I don't have instead of being thankful for what I do have. So here are some of the things I am most thankful for...

My Husband. I don't know who I would be without my better half. Eric makes me laugh like no one else can. He is the most selfless person I know. I am lucky that I get to spend the rest of my life with someone so wonderful. I can't wait to spend forever with my best friend.

Our wedding 2010

High school sweethearts

Senior Prom 2004

My Parents. I can only thank God for blessing me with such amazing parents. They have been the most wonderful parents a person could ask for. I could never imagine my life without them. I would not have grown up to be the person I am today without their love and support. They are not only my parents, but two of my best friends (I can't believe I am admitting this, but they are the best advice givers.)

Labor Day weekend at Folly Beach

My Brother. I put my brother on a pedestal. Even though he is younger than me, I find myself looking up to him. I feel so blessed to have him in my life. He has such a strong soul and I admire his perseverance and faith in God.

Taylor's Graduation

Halloween 1992

My friends. Without my dear friends I wouldn't be able to get by. I think it was the Beatles who said it best, " I get by with a little help from my friends."

Some friends at our wedding

My whole Family. I have been blessed with not only great parents, and an amazing brother, but with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Now I have a new family I give thanks for. I am lucky to have 2 more great parents, a grandma, brother and finally...a sister!

Eric's 24th Birthday Dinner

My health. I think I take this for granted from time to time. I expect to be healthy and active because I am young, but I am so blessed to to be able to get out of bed and go to work each day on my own. Being able to experience everything the world offers is a blessing.

Team Dirt Flirts after finishing the USMC Mud Run in 2009

Our home. While it might not be where we want to live forever it sure is cute. We have had great time fixing up our house and turning it into a home. We are blessed to have a place to call ours.

Our humble abode

Our cozy living room

My Faith in the Lord. I wouldn't have all of these amazing things to be thankful for without him and his unconditional love. I pray that you continue to show me the way. Thank you, God, for all that you have blessed me with.

The beautiful cross my parents got for Eric and me hanging in our laundry room. It is daily reminder of all the things God has blessed us with.

Happy Early "Birthmas" to Me!

2010-11-18T17:07:00.000-08:00

No, I did not win the lottery or even get a Christmas bonus (I wish). One may think so by the way I have been spending money...money that I definitely don't have, BUT I can convince myself this purchase was totally acceptable. Its an early Birthmas present (that's Birthday and Christmas if you didn't get that)...to myself. I work hard. I deserve it. That's still me convincing myself it was okay to spend half my paycheck on this (and trust me my paycheck is not that big, remember I am a teacher).

The buyers remorse set it about half way home. I contemplated turning back and asking for a full refund blaming my shopping spree on impulsive behaviors. Then I got home and began to snap some photos...

and POOF! my buyers remorse suddenly disappeared. I have only had my camera for a couple of days, so I am still learning the "ins and outs" of photography. Here are some of my amateur photos.

All of these were taken in our backyard. The house we are renting has a lot of property in the back making it an excellent place for a photo shoot. The pretty fall leaves didn't hurt either. Maybe Juliet will have me as her assistant? Ha Ha! I shouldn't flatter myself. I wish I could be that good. I am still new at this, so if you have any pointers/tips PLEASE share!! This is embarassing to admit, but maybe I can give Eric my old camera, so he can stop carrying around disposal ones. You may remember me referring to myself as a "cheap camera junkie!" finally those days are gone for both Eric and me!

Saying Goodbye to Showtime...For Now

2010-11-16T17:54:00.000-08:00

I will soon be exhibiting withdrawal symptoms due to the fact that my two most favorite TV shows, Weeds and The Big C, summed up their short 16 episode season last night. If you have never watched either of these shows you might be missing out. Now please don't think I am like this huge couch potato who watches TV all day long. I am not even a big TV person. I prefer silence to the background noise of a television set. Unlike my husband who insists on having a TV in every room and occasionally all of them on at the same time (so much for being eco-friendly). But anyway we didn't even get into Weeds until we got married and moved into our first home together. Upon getting cable services Eric suggested we get all the movie channels and by suggested I mean signing us up without me knowing, so HBO on Demand aka every season of Sex and The City, was a nice surprise for me. I suddenly felt spoiled by all of these movie options and TV shows at the push of a button. I probably sampled at least 10 different television series on HBO and Showtime. Only one made the cut. One night this past summer Eric and I began watching Season 1 of Weeds and I am pretty sure we watched all 5 seasons in about 2 weeks. Thats like a 2 week long Weeds Marathon basically. We thought we would never be able to wait until August for the Season 6 premiere. And now we find ourselves waiting until next year for season 7.

Now, I am willing to admit I never thought I would watch The Big C because during those 2 weeks when Eric and I stayed up until 2 AM watching Weeds there would always be this preview for The Big C that drove us crazy.We had decided that it was the worst marketing ploy ever. We heard it so many times I could probably recite the dialogue from that preview for you right now. We would laugh and say no one would dare to watch or even think about liking that show, it looks horrible. Well... the joke was on us because if you had walked into our living room last night at 11:30 you would have seen me red eyed, tears streaming down my cheeks, screaming at the television screen, "IT CANT END LIKE THAT!" The Big C turned out to be one of the best shows I have ever watched. I can honestly say, I look more forward to watching The Big C than Weeds now! If I tried to give you a synopsis of what the show was about I would ruin it even more than the horrible preview and this picture, so if you are curious click here. All I can tell you, is that the "big C" stands for cancer.

Showtime is now a necessity. It is going to be hard to wait for the season premieres of my two favorite shows! So in conclusion, to curb my TV cravings, I guess I will hold myself over with Grey's Anatomy, America's Next Top Model and Modern Family. Until Next August... I will miss you Showtime!

Sarah

GET OFF MY PHONE!!!!!

2010-11-13T13:32:00.000-08:00

So my political views might be ~~slightly~~ completely based off of my husband's opinion, but I trust him and his opinions...which is why I married him. When Eric showed me this audio, not only did I agree, but I thought it was hilarious, so my opinion is that a single payer option for healthcare is a bad idea. I think Glenn Beck agrees.

Sarah

Indian Summer Turkey Chili

2010-11-12T20:56:00.000-08:00

For supper tonight Eric and I tried our hand at what turned out to be the most amazing chili ever! I didn't even feel guilty about eating 2 bowls! (Okay, so I felt a little bit guilty...and sick to my stomach, but that is beside the point). By replacing ground beef with turkey and loading up on the veggies, it turned an unhealthy meal into a healthier meal. Why it is called Indian Summer Chili, I have no idea. It actually resembled more of a Holiday Chili because of the colorful red and green onions. We got the recipe from The Food Network and adapted it a little bit to our liking. We already had a few of the ingredients around the house, but after a trip to the grocery we had loaded up on the necessary items.

That beer is one of the ingredients, but that doesn't mean I wasn't enjoying a glass of wine myself :)

Then we got started chopping the veggies.

* Side note*

We used these knives to chop up the onions and peppers and they work like magic.

Its like cutting butter. I got this set of knives for Eric as a Christmas present last year and he still brags about them. We even bought Eric's dad two individual ones for Father's Day. So, if you are in the market for a nice set of cutlery I would recommend these to you!

Okay. Back to business. Don't these peppers remind you of the holiday season?

As Eric finished the chopping, I began to cook the ground turkey then added the spices, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce (we used Texas Pete). The smell was aromatic.

Then we added the chopped onion, peppers, and jalapenos (we like it extra spicy) and the remaining ingredients. We let it simmer for about half an hour, then devoured it!

I added a bit of sour cream to mine, but Eric went all the way. In addition to the sour cream his was topped with onions, cheese, and jalapenos! YUM!

All done...with my first bowl....

It's too bad I didn't save room for desert because I made this delicious apple strudel that I got off the back of a Splenda bag! I was only able to eat a tiny bite!

I hope this inspires someone to get creative with their own "Indian ~~Summer~~ Winter Chili". Let me know what additions you make or any recipes you have for your own chili! I love warm comfort foods when the weather is "chilly". No pun intended! Have a great weekend! GO GAMECOCKS!

T.G.I.T

2010-11-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

Thank God its Thursday! Today was a great day. If it had been any greater I would have thought it was Saturday. Not only did I get to sleep in until 8:00, I also got off work at 2:30. To make things even better I had a coffee date with my ~~yoga~~ pal, Megan. After returning home from Starbucks I was greeted with smells of deliciousness from the grill. This is a frequent occurrence in the Laffler household ever since we got a gas grill. Eric makes great use of it; we cook on it at least once a week. (If you ~~want your husband to do all the cooking~~ don't own one I definitely recommend asking Santa to bring you one). I have become accustomed to the smells of steak, chicken, bratwurst, and shrimp kabobs, but this time aromas of veggies filled the air. Fresh asparagus, zucchini, and onion lined the grill. My sweet husband had made a smorgasbord of tasty veggies! I have never been so proud. And boy were they delicious. So delicious I went back to the grocery store to pick up more asparagus, zucchini, and eggplant to experiment with. With a brush of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper this is like my new favorite meal (don't forget to remove the base of the asparagus to make sure you get the most tender bite). Cook on high for about 5 minutes, pair it up with some grilled chicken or fish and you have a well rounded supper. You should give it a try tomorrow night. Until then here are a few pics to look at; I just wish you could taste it!

Sarah

Snaps for Juliet

2010-11-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

If you aren't married yet, get on that, so that you can hire Juliet to do your photography. If you are already married... have a baby, so you can hire Juliet to do your photography. If you have a baby, hire Juliet to take photos of your child(ren). If you already have all of these things, it doesn't even matter, you should still hire Juliet to take photos of someone or something you love. You will thank me later. As said before in this post, I have been going through photo after photo trying to find the most special ones to put in frames around our house. When I got to our wedding photos it was impossible to even narrow it down to thirty. That's a lot of picture frames of just wedding photos. I have to blame this on the most amazing photographer ever, Juliet Elizabeth. She truly has a gift. She was able to capture every moment of our wedding perfectly. Looking through the photos Eric and I were able to relive what seemed like the fastest night of our lives. Her gravitating personality made my family, wedding party, and each one of my guests a fan of hers. I had people asking me who our photographer was for months after our wedding. I can't say it enough, THANK YOU Juliet for making our memories last a lifetime. Now, if all that doesn't make you want to do the latter...get married, have a baby,etc. so that you can have your picture taken, then maybe this will. Here are some of my favorites from our very special day. All accredited to the talented Juliet Elizabeth.

You won't regret it. Juliet Elizabeth Photography

Tales From the Ghost of Christmas Past

2010-11-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was going through a bunch of old photos trying to find a few to put in frames around the house. While doing so I came across these. Being that Christmas is approaching I had to put them on the fridge, so I could laugh every time I walk by. I hope they can do the same for you. Enjoy...

My sweet dadddy and me on Christmas Morning! I think I was about 5 and I am pretty sure I named that doll Ashley.

Eric on Santa's lap

Me on Santa's lap. Look how much more legit Eric's Santa looks than mine.

My brother and I had matching outfits.

I laugh now, but will do the same to my children I am sure of this.

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED

The following image contains nudity...

ha ha ha I mean...HO HO HO Santa's little helper!

My Quarter Life Crisis

2010-11-07T12:17:00.000-08:00

The countdown to my 25th birthday has begun! Truthfully it began about a ~~year~~ week ago; I started the countdown one month before my actual birthday. So, November 1st was when I began brainstorming my list of birthday present hopefuls. Of course I KNOW that I will not receive each and every one of these gifts, but a girl can dream, right? Plus, the ONE good thing about having your birthday near Christmas is that whatever you don't get for your birthday there is still a slight chance it will arrive Christmas Day. So take this as a combined Birthday/Christmas wish list...

First and for most, my most favorite place to be during the holiday season is New York City. So my first Birthday/Christmas wish would be a trip to New York, any takers?

Eric and I were there 2 years ago for New Years and our engagement! How great would it be to celebrate my birthday, Christmas and our Engagement all in one trip? I think its a great idea!

And what trip to NYC is complete without a Broadway show?

My top picks are...

I KNOW! Just when you thought nothing could get better than Elf the movie, they come up with Elf the Musical! And...

"Mamma Mia, here I go again..." If the show is just half as good as the movie then I'll be in Heaven.

Moving right along, while I'm in New York the weather will most likely be ~~chilly~~ freezing, so to keep me warm I will definitely need this...

Juicy Couture Cocoon Wrap. It also comes in gray! Super cute and very practical! Of course I will be shopping in NYC, so I need a place to keep all of my ~~cash~~ credit cards safe, and I could keep them super safe in this fashionable handbag...

PETA members don't kill me, but I just need this handbag. As much as I love this color, black or brown seems more practical to me. But I will take whatever I can get! Continuing with my New York trip theme...sight seeing in New York is a must do! And the best way to capture all my memories is with this beauty...

I am like a cheap camera junkie. I can't seem to cough up the dough for a nice one, so I keep buying cameras that are just decent or just break. Hopefully someone else will be willing to "cough it up" for me by getting this Nikon D3100 Digital Camera. It is easy to use, has great performance, and is still reasonably priced! My last Birthday/Christmas wish has no witty connection to NYC besides the fact that I want to smell extra good while I am there, so Christian Dior help me out...

or I will be glad to take...

Only 23 Days until I am 25! WOW! I am now upon my "Quarter Life Crisis" according to John Mayer, but the only crisis I will be having is not getting my presents. ONLY KIDDING! I do take cash or check! Kidding again. Sorry, I can't help but be excited... and apologize for my expensive taste!

In Loving Memory

2010-11-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Two months ago I lost my granddaddy to pancreatic cancer. At age 24 I felt so blessed to have all four of my grandparents still with me, so finding out my otherwise healthy grandfather was sick, then losing him 3 months later was a hard pill to swallow. I am still finding peace in remembering the special times we spent together.

At mine and Eric's wedding this past April.

Fortunately, I have many wonderful memories of my grandfather, but when I think of him I mostly think of his garden and the fun times we shared in my grandparent's backyard. Every summer I would experience the taste of fresh tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, okra, squash, cabbage, watermelon, cantaloupe, green beans, and my favorite, radishes. He would always make a point to remind me to eat more radishes because he had planted extra for me! Because of him I put salt on my watermelon, call cherry tomatoes, Tommy Toes, and know how to can my own jar of pickles. So, while at Lowes this past weekend I came across these and couldn't help but be reminded of my granddaddy.

I selected a few packs of seeds to plant late winter and hope to harvest my own tomatoes and radishes in my grandfather's memory. He was always a hard working man; a dedicated husband and father with a kind, gentle soul. I dedicate this space to you, Horace Watkins. I love you and miss you everyday.

The Good Kind of "Hand-me-Down"

2010-11-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Typically Hand-me-Downs are associated with the older brother/sister handing down their once awesome t-shirt, pair of jeans, etc. to the younger less fortunate sibling. The awesome tee is now stained, the jeans full of holes. Being the oldest this experience is somewhat unfamiliar to me, but is definitely not my idea of awesome. So when I received what one might call "Hand-me-Downs" this weekend I was totally excited to see that they were my idea of AWESOME! After reading this post my mother in law surprised me with these on Sunday...

Antique books! These aren't just any antique books, but books that have been in the Laffler family for years, including a copy of Charles Dickens' Classic, Great Expectations from 1939. Some of the books date as far back as the 1800's! One of them being an old Arithmetic book belonging to a fellow teacher from the Laffler family.

This book actually belonged to Eric's grandfather. I was told it was one of his favorite books as a young boy. It is truly a special gift to have in memory of Eric's grandfather.

He even wrote his name....

The books are in great condition despite their age, so the were clearly well taken great care of. I promise to do the same to ensure their longevity as a Laffler family ~~hand-me-down~~ heirloom.

A few of my new "Hand-me-Downs" on display in our den.