9.11.11

When a picture speaks a thousand words ...

 

 

*My husband, Derek, receives all credit for this beautiful photograph, taken last night from the Hudson River pier in Jersey City, New Jersey.*

We shall never forget ...

28 {Is Great}!

Today {or technically yesterday, since it's after midnight}, I celebrated my 28th birthday!  

Derek went to great lengths to assure my day {actually the whole weekend} was extra special:

First, he made me Belgian waffles for breakfast.  This was a HUGE deal.  The man is so highly intimidated by a simple measuring cup that I never thought I would see the day where he became acquainted with flour and baking powder.  He did an EXCELLENT job -- and I sure hope it boosted his confidence in the kitchen. ;-)

Next, he provided a little pampering by sending me to get a birthday manicure!  I've wanted to try navy blue polish for a while now, so I gave it a shot today.  I LOVE.

After a quick trip to the mall, he surprised me with a personalized birthday cake {my favorite dessert!} that has strawberry filling -- and tickets to go see Straight No Chaser at the Beacon Theatre in November!!!  I've mentioned this acapella group on my blog before; they are fantastic and I'm thrilled I get to see them live!

We ended the night with a lovely dinner at Bistro La Source, a French eatery.  We've had our eyes on this place for a while now, so tonight presented the perfect opportunity to finally try it.  YUM.  I ate every last bite of my rosemary-brined pork chop with spinach and summer squash.  Derek's skirt steak was equally delicious!  The atmosphere of the restaurant took me back to our Paris trip -- so quaint, so charming, so French.  I wanted all the accessories on the table!

I am so very thankful to have family and friends who made me feel so special on my special day!  My generous parents and parents-in-laws also gave me more than I could ever ask for/want/need!  How lucky am I?!  Never ever will I take this for granted!  And if I do, feel free to give me a good slap. :-)

I hope you all have had a wonderful, work-free Labor Day weekend!  I'll be back to blog, when I can.  Only two weeks in and school is consuming my life -- fortunately and unfortunately.  ;-)

I'm Not Hiding A Thing Behind Those Doors!

Happy weekend! :-)

 It's my last one before dental school starts again.  Okay ... time to change the subject.

Well, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE to organize.  When everything has its place, it calms my crazy mind.  ;-)

When we first moved last summer, my main goal was to get all our stuff out of boxes and semi-organized -- enough so that when I got around to really organizing, I was not undertaking a major project.

 

So, once I got out of school for the summer, I made it my mission to get control of a few spots around here.  Now, we do live in a rented apartment, so I can't do much to manipulate the space we have; I have to work with what we've got!  

Thankfully, we are lucky enough to have a linen closet next to the washer/dryer {which, praise the Lord, Hallelujah, we are also lucky to have}.  Anyway, for us, the linen closet also serves as a pantry and extra storage for kitchen appliances and bathroom/cleaning supplies.  I really just made some small changes to it for ease of use, since it seemed like every time we tried to reach for something, something else would fall to the floor.  It's all part of the beauty of living in a small space. ;-)

Here's the before ...

Everything was on its correct shelf {all kitchen appliances on first shelf, food on second shelf, bathroom/extra cleaning supplies on third shelf, etc.} just difficult to get to!  The solution??  Why fabric bins, of course!

The after ...

And, side-by-side ...

 

It's truly nothing fancy at all, but it sure does make me smile when I slide open the closet door!

After the linen closet, I conquered the chaos under the kitchen sink.  There really wasn't too much chaos going on; it just needed a little TLC.

The before ...

  I removed some items and added a couple shower caddies, plus a bin for the towels and ... voila!  Simple, simple.  Bathroom cleaning supplies are on the right; all-purpose cleaning supplies are on the left ...

 

And, for consistency's sake, side-by-side ...

 

Finally, {actually, I did this first}, I tamed the beast that was the medicine shelf!  Unfortunately, I do not have a before picture of this one.  When I labeled the plastic drawers, I made sure to include the expiration dates and dosage information!

See Tootsie's shelf right above it? :-)

Also, if you're so inclined to see how I organized our "bedroom office" last Fall, you can go here.

I don't know about you, but it's quite amazing what a little organization can do for me!  Perhaps I get a little too excited about this stuff?!  Hubby might think I'm slightly insane. And his feelings are probably legit. ;-)

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Tootsie also wanted to say "Hiya and happy weekend!"  And let you know how proud she is of her Potty Patch.  She is so cute!  We just love her to pieces!

 Bye now! :-)

Destination: D.C.

I've been avoiding my computer like the plague since I know that in less than a week, I'll be glued to it.  School starts back Monday. I have mixed feelings about this.

Anyway ...

As you probably know, everything is so compact here on the East Coast.  Lots and lots of stuff in very little space.  It's both a perk and an annoyance. This past weekend, we made it a perk.

We're three to four hours or less from a number of urban areas, including Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.  For this particular day trip, we chose D.C.

We left Saturday morning, but because of all the fist-pumping Jersey Shore, "I gots to get to the beach NOW" travelers, combined with buckets of rain, it took us 5 hours to get there {It should've only taken about 3.5 hours}.  {Side note: In that short amount of time, we drove through New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland ... see what I mean when I say COMPACT!} Anywho, we didn't arrive 'til 2 p.m.  

Oh, and despite the fact that The Weather Channel predicted sun, the weather was nasty.  We're talking hot, sticky and rainy.  But, we trotted along and made the best of it!

After taking in some of the outdoor sights of The National Mall ...

 We made our first stops at a couple of the Smithsonian Museums: The Museum of American History, followed by the Air and Space Museum.  The exhibits at the American History Museum were chalk full of interesting facts and artifacts, but perhaps my favorite was the fantastic new First Ladies exhibit that showcased all the inaugural gowns and accessories.  

I couldn't get over the amount of actual pieces {not replicas} at the Air and Space Museum.  We're talking the actual Spirit of St. Louis, the actual command modules from several of the Apollo flights, and one the neatest ...

the actual, original Wright Flyer.  It's difficult to believe the sophisticated airplanes we use now all started from this.

Walking outside around The National Mall and visiting the two museums took up a pretty big chunk of our time, so we only had time for one more stop.

Of course, we didn't want to leave without seeing The White House!

 Thankfully, our trip home was pretty traffic-free.  I mean, I guess "traffic-free" in terms of normal traffic in this area. ;-)

I'm kind of regretting the fact we didn't get a single picture together, but I know we'll be back.  We left plenty there to do!  I think next time, though, we'll try our best to avoid the fist-pumpers who love to put the "T" in GTL!  Haha!

Tootsie Roll Tuesday: Hangin' In Albany, NY

Yes, that's right: Little Tootsie has made her way to upstate New York.

But today it's not all about her {for once ... hehe!} 

We are here for Derek.

While he spends 16 hours in bar exam misery {two eight-hour exams in two days}, Tootsie and I are hangin' in our hotel, watching the rain and barking (well, her, not me ;) ... oh holy barking.  Tootsie is a little girl with a BIG bark -- and every time she hears a little peep outside the door, bark mode ensues. :-/ It's made for an interesting day.  Despite that, I do love having my sidekick to keep me company.  {Update: I think she finally barked herself to sleep!}

Anywho, we've been thinking about Derek all day ... hoping and praying that he is killing his exam!  We have no doubt he is, but, shoo ... the stress. {Perhaps I can chalk up Tootsie's barking to anxiety for her pops, added to the fact that she's in unfamiliar surroundings.}

Wherever Tootsie goes, the Potty Patch must follow. ;)

Exploring her new surroundings!  Terrible quality photo because she was too busy sniffing and WOULD NOT sit still!

We'll be headed out in just a bit to pick up Derek from Exam Day 1 {of 3}.  My husband is one hard-working guy, and I sure am lucky to call him mine! 

Here's to one bar exam down -- and a less bar-ky day tomorrow.  ;-)

 

{P.S. Blogger is being ultra weird with my formatting today.  Sorry 'bout that.}

I Won! I Won!

I'm thrilled to say ...

I WON MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!! :-D

A Mary Kay Pedicure Set :-) Picture via Life With Elizabeth

 

 Thank you, Elizabeth from Life With Elizabeth!  You made my day!

 When you get a second, head over to her blog and follow her.  You won't be disappointed! :-)

In the meantime, have a lovely weekend!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Hello! :-)

It's time to tell you, my lovely readers, what I'm loving this Wednesday night!
I'm linking up with sweet Jamie for another round of WILW ...

I'm LOVING that I finally got to take advantage of our building's garage-top pool.  Last summer we were drowning in a sea of boxes {from moving, of course}, and I never really got to enjoy it.  Today was a scorcher, but it sure did feel good in the water!

I'm LOVING high-rise livin'!  I'm not sure I'll love it forever, but, at this point in our lives it's absolutely perfect for us.  Plus, our building has everything we could possibly want/need.  I truly feel lucky to live here -- and I really really don't want to move anytime soon!

I'm LOVING that we're going to see the Broadway show, Mamma Mia!, in about a week!  I've wanted to see this one for a while now, and it just so happened an awesome discount popped up last night!  YAY!  I'm really loving the fact that Derek gets show discounts through NYU.  It's a huge perk for students and alumni.  Without it, we would never be able to see anything {because normal show tickets are like $1,094,567.02 -- or something ridiculous like that ;-}

 

 

Source

 

 I'm LOVING all the "smart-food" I've been making Derek {and myself} lately.  Hey ... I'm trying to do all I can to get his brain working at its ultimate level, in preparation for his exams next week. ;-) Tonight's meal was salmon florentine {there's salmon under that spinach mix in the picture}, quinoa pilaf {with pine nuts and parsley} and grape tomatoes with sea salt, courtesy of my favorite chef and nutritionist, Ellie Krieger.  It was soooooo delicious!

I'm LOVING my new Tervis tumbler!  My sister-in-law, Megan, inspired this purchase.  Mine has an "L" for "Liz" on it and Derek got one with a "D."  Why is it so great?  Well, you can forget condensation with this little dude!  Also, it really is perfect to tote around or use at home, and it keeps your drink cold or hot!  I'm excited to take it to school!

Finally, I'm LOVING my Derek and all his hard work lately!  Poor guy's been studying 'round the clock.  I can't wait 'til we can just hang again!!!  

  
And, little Miss Tootsie Roll, I certainly am LOVING you, too, my sweet girl!

BABY TOOTSIE!!!  Just 8 weeks old here.

Good Wednesday night, bloggie friends!

'Til next time ... 
 

Random Ramblings, Part II

{1}
Since moving to the Northeast, it never fails: every single time someone asks me where I'm from and I respond, "Kentucky," the first thing out of his/her mouth is, "But you don't have an accent."  Nope, I don't -- and I know a lot of people from Kentucky who don't.  Okay, some people have told me they can hear a small accent in certain words of mine.  

What's worse, though, is when that same person tells me they can't locate Kentucky on a map.  Really?!?  Why would you even admit that? 

Yes, we wear shoes.  Yes, we know how to speak.  Yes, we are civilized.  Thankyouverymuch. 

{2}
Have any of you ever heard of Straight No Chaser?  They're an acapella group that originated from Indiana University and they're fabulous!  YouTube 'em!

{3}
How fun would it be to perform in a Broadway show?!  If you've read my blog, you know how much I LOVE Broadway shows.  Every time we see one, those little performers look like they're having a blast!  Yes, I know I'm failing to realize all the hard work that goes into it ...

{4}
Anywho, I've told hubs multiple times he should audition.  Okay, like not really, but he does have an amazing voice and he can act!  He's just lacking the dance skills.  Hehe ... he's a 6'4" white boy ... what can I say?!  He'll tell ya.  ;-)

{5}
While we're on the subject of music, Rhapsody may have been one of the best gifts I've ever received from my hubs! I'm a music lover, and if I could, I would have tunes playing all day long.  Have you heard of Rhapsody?


{6}
10 DAYS til the hubs' bar exams are over!  Need I say more?!


{7}
We bought a Groupon to the FAO Schwarz Cafe!  Excited?!  Why, yes I am!  Mostly because it's a good excuse to act like a kid again.  :-)


{8}
Have you ever caught a glimpse of a dog during its REM sleep?  It's freaky.  When they dream, however, well, that's just plain cute.


{9}
Because it promotes health and well-being, I'm loving this ...

Source

Strong, toned and lean ... is the way to go {atleast in my opinion}. :-)


{10}
At the gym yesterday, a 35 lb. weight rolled off the bench and fell right on my foot.  OUUUCCCHHH.  It was painful. :-(  I don't recommend trying it.  It took all I had to not let the waterworks go.  I did well for a while, but as soon as I saw hubs, I broke down.  Thankfully, I just have some swelling; it could have been a lot worse.


That's all I have for now, my friends.  Hope you have a terrific Tuesday!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

 It certainly has been a while since my last WILW post.  Boy have I missed it!  So, today {actually, tonight}, I'm linking up with Jamie, the hostess of this lovely little weekly feature.

I'm LOVING Pinterest!  Without some self-discipline, the captivating photos on this website could quite possibly suck me in for hours.  So, I'm dedicating most of my WILW post to some of my favorites!  Enjoy! :-)

Ah, Paris ... how I miss you.

... make me smile.

Well of course I love this one.

Oh my ... cuteness.

Christmas in July

Dreamy ...

Dreamy, part II

Simply stunning style

Perfection

A good laugh :-)

I'm also LOVING this video: Manhattan in Motion.  Turn up the volume on your computer and watch it.  It truly captures the essence of this grand city.

 

And, of course, I cannot leave without saying how much I'm LOVING my wonderful husband and doggie {much more than the dinos above ;-}.

From a New York Times article!

 Good night all!  I hope your Wednesday was divine!

Tootsie Roll Tuesday & A Giveaway!

When the sun is shining, Tootsie is a perpetual sunbather.  A perpetual indoor sunbather.  She'll follow the rays from floor to couch.  And, sometimes, she'll take matters into her own paws and pull her bed into the sun, just to try and soak up every last bit of warmth.  It's quite charming -- and I can't say I blame her. :-)

 

Tootsie at four months in our old apartment!

 Also, do yourself a favor and head on over to Gabriella's blog, Two Peeps and A Pooch , for a chance to win a surprise summer giveaway!

 

It's something having to do with San Francisco.  How could you pass up this one?!

 

Happy {Tootsie Roll} Tuesday, everyone!!