Our "Save The Date"

I really just wanted to check it off the list, as quickly as possible. Which is how it became an email rather than snail mail... but I have to say, how it turned out is far better than what I imagined.

While my Dad was taking pics of us for the "Save the Date", he was also filming us (which we didn't realize!), so when he nonchalantly showed us the film we were surprised and thought "this would be so much easier/cheaper to send out!" haha I'm a bit of a frugal fanny.

I love it so much, and I love that we'll have it forever. Take a peak.... :)

https://vimeo.com/79054481

Thanks, Dad! You're the best.

A challenge for myself...

Tonight, I challenge myself to sit down, organize and clarify which "pins" I want to make happen. It's a BIG task, I mean anyone who has a Pinterest page knows that you'll go in on a regular basis, see and then pin something you really like and that's about as far as it gets. Well, I'm challenging myself to make the ones I love into a reality, or at least write them down on paper to remind me to do them. Between household, wedding and holiday ideas, there's a lot to be done. Wish me luck!

Roughin' It...

This past weekend Geo and I went camping with my good friend Jackie and her bf, Greg. Jac and I went shopping while the boys fished, we went out to dinner on Saturday night and were all sleeping by 10:30 - this is my idea of camping :D 

These are the peeps I spent the weekend with - they're pretty cool cats.

There is a serious bromance going on here. 

So pretty! Thanks Jac for making sure we stopped at the flume!

I've heard about the "Confessional" before but I came across this site yesterday and couldn't stop reading through the confessions. It's like reading through a secret diary - some of them are funny, some surprising and some incredibly sad. We all have things to confess, I certainly know what mine would be, what would yours be? http://candychang.com/confessions/

Sleepy

I've been wanting to update this little blog of mine for the last couple weeks and every time I sit down to do so, I'm instantly overwhelmed by all the things I want to write about. Naturally, this interrupts my interest in writing anything and I typically travel over to people.com or Facebook - this is what I do when procrastinating in any facet of my life. But tonight I'm taking a stand and posting!

Do I talk about how happy I am with the people I have in my life? Because I am. I have great friends and am reminded by this every time I get together with the girls! Do I mention that George and I have decided to move in with my parents to save money for a house? Because we are, and I'm so excited about this! The idea of us having our own home is thrilling to me. I'm also very happy to be moving closer to all those girlfriends I mentioned a minute ago. Or maybe I should talk about the wedding plans we've been making? Because they are fully underway and progressing fairly well. We've chosen a band - big step! And many of the smaller details are coming together, giving me the chance to really see what this day will be like for us.

Wait, I know what I should talk about... it's 11:30 pm and my alarm will be going off at 6 am. I should be talking about NOTHING. I should be sleeping.

Goodnight :)

Just because I love this pic :) 

A Love Letter (Sort Of).

Dear Geo,

Before I say anything else, let me just list out a few of the reasons why I love you.

1. For finding and bringing home a dirty glass bottle because you knew I'd like it.
2. For going to Boston Market and knowing that their corn is my favorite.
3. For being open to a, let's pack up our bags and move, adventure.
4. For agreeing to a pricey wedding band because I love them.
5. For loving ice cream as much as me.

These are just a few reasons why I'm so excited to marry you.

But something I don't love and I'm not sure I'll ever understand is this:

It's a good thing you're so cute.

Grocery Shopping: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!

After having dinner with some girlfriends last week I was reminded that what we put in our bodies is important and learning about food matters. I mean, will I ever get my fiancee to eat organic, natural popcorn with nothing but a little bit of pepper on it? Or grow an abundance of vegetables, cook dozens of meals, and freeze them to eat throughout the winter?  Probably not (Aly, you and Pete are the type of people we aspire to be!) but there's no reason why I shouldn't be aware that packaged shredded cheese has saw dust in it. YES. Saw dust. Gross. Apparently the saw dust acts as a preservative (FYI it's a very small amount, but still!). Needless to say, we'll be shredding our own cheese from here on out, hence the Cabot cheddar cheese block visible center of cart.

Okay, so I think a good starting point is to take a look and see what I like and don't like about this past grocery shopping trip...

Do Like:
- Starbucks coffee :D That has nothing to do with my selected groceries but I just love a good Starbucks coffee, especially when it has a pump or two of pumpkin syrup!
- I like the Fiber One bread. A slice is 50 calories, it's multigrain and it's the perfect size for a lunch time sandwich.
- Hard to see but there's a bag of ginger snaps in there (left hand side, next to popcorn). I like my sweets and ginger snappers seem to be a semi healthy way to get a quick fix.
- Everything in the back of the cart: Bananas, Seltzer, eggs, Yogi Tea, lettuce, etc.

Don't Like:
- I take that back. The back of the cart items would be perfect if it weren't for those two Celeste frozen pizzas... $1.50 each, it was a bargain! Can you blame me for grabbing them?
- Ice cream. Coconut ice cream for that matter - who buys that crap? Oh, we do. And then add jimmies.

I could stop there but I should confess there's one other item in this cart that is a big no-no. You can't see it in this pic but it's there and it's UGLY. Any guesses?

FLUFF. And not the small size of fluff, the big one. I mean, what's the point of getting healthy bread if you're going to spread FLUFF on top?! On the flip-side, who doesn't love a good fluff'nutter every once and a while... :D

Eat clean food. This is going to be our new family mantra. Wish us luck!

Working from Home

Working from home has so many perks and natural light is one of them!

Sure, I have a killer headache and a huge to-do list but being able to work next to an open window, on a sunny day makes all the difference :) 

Busy Few Weeks!

The last couple weeks have been nuts, and I don't see any reprieve from the madness for another couple weeks - it's fun but a bit exhausting!

Our first Blue Apron box arrived two weeks ago and it is truly amazing. Geo and I love the convenience of it, it's healthy recipes and the freshness of all it's ingredients; to top it off, it's actually REALLY good. Each meal has been better than the one before and it's been so nice to eat good meals during the week. Here's a glimpse:
 Cod                                                    Lemon Chix                                          Peach Pork

Maybe it was the fresh food, or maybe it's just me turning into my Mom, either way I was determined to do some painting last week - this was the result:
                                              Beautiful but a bit worn and old.

                                  A fresh coat a grey and black paint changes that!

Lastly, my Grandmother came into town over the weekend for.... wedding dress shopping! 

Can you tell I'm not feeling this one? :) 

 

Oh and who's this handsome dude? Bond is lookin' good 8)

 

This week is another busy one! Another wedding dress appointment, red sox game, nantucket wedding, oh and at some point need to fit in some work and sleep - no big deal, I gots this! 

Blue Apron Could Change My Life :D

The last couple weeks we've had a surge of cool nights and mild days, it has been absolute bliss! I do enjoy the summer but I love the Fall, so this weather has me excited for what's to come over the next few months :) Last week I took the kids I babysit to the Arnold Arboretum in JP and it was a perfect day...

                                                                                                        

  So gorgeous!                                          Does it get any cuter? 

Besides the gorgeous weather, I have been enjoying my weekends so much lately. Last weekend I spent time with good friends, and it's only after a day with a girlfriend that I realize just how important they are to my life. Whether we're talking about our significant others, our jobs, our parents, by the end of the conversation I always feel like I've just learned a little bit more about myself and have grown as a person (even if it's just a teeny bit!). Besides that, it's ALWAYS a good way get out some stress and get in some good laughs! 

This past George had a frisbee tournament out in Western Mass so I spent time with my family, kayaking on Saturday and hiking Mt. Monadnock on Sunday. I was a bit hesitant about how Liv would do on the hike but she was such a rockstar, she loved every minute of the three hour hike!

                Very proud of herself!                                         Liv jammin' out. 

 
             
Life is good.

It's especially good because we've decided to try out a meal, delivery service called Blue Apron. Once a week they deliver fresh ingredients for three delicious meals, and it's $9.99 for each meal; for two people it's typically about $60 a week but they're running a great special right now, 3 meals for only $40 - go check it out! I can't wait to try this for three reasons:

• We buy lots of veggies and meat that we end up throwing away because it's too much for just the two of us. Blue Apron serves the correct proportions for each meal so there should be very limited waste.
• We often have the same sort of meals every week, there's little variety. This new approach will allow us to learn new recipes and enjoy unique foods that we wouldn't typically purchase.
• Less time grocery shopping! Seriously, this is a big win for me. My main focus for grocery shopping will be breakfast and lunch food - easy peasy! 

At first the thought of only 3 meals being delivered was a negative but I thought about it and there's usually a night or two during the week where one of us isn't home or running late, so we'll just have cereal or a sandwhich and then on the weekends we typically eat out or at our family's homes. I'll be sure to write about our Blue Apron experience next week! :)

One of the meals for next week: Spice-Rubbed Pork Medallions with Peach Salsa, YUM.

Image Courtesy: Blue Apron

It Does the Body GOOOOD.

There is nothing like vacation, nothing at all. Half the fun is the build up to it, having something to look forward to and knowing that you'll soon have a reprieve from the daily frustrations/monotony of life. I don't consider myself a very high maintenance person but one thing I truly need in my life is vacation. When I first met Geo, he was pretty much the opposite. However, I'm happy to say that I think he's come around to my way of living :) We really treasure our escapes and that's why pictures are so important!

Here are some from Mexico that I've been meaning to post:

I love these top three photos because I'm never this excited about going home but this time we had such exciting news to share with our friends and family (our engagement!) that you can tell I was happy :)

                           

Mexico was amazing for many reasons but our family trip to Maine last week was also a great time.

First ice cream trip of the week (with many more to follow...), with the roof off. Who brought the cool kids? 

Our wedding venue offers wifi in their canoes... do I need to say more?

G's first time looking at where we'll be married! It was so beautiful and such a nice touch to our already lovely week. The food was delish and the DYI tour was fun too :) 

Liv fell asleep in the sun, so naturally her family members came to the rescue.

On a side note, Geo and I moved our mattress into the living room a couple weeks ago so that my sisters could sleep over and we'd all be in one room together (minus Geo), however the bf and I have gotten a little too comfy with it being right in front of the tv...

PS. Yesterday we ended our night by doing the NYT crossword puzzle together, it was silly and dorky and such a great way to end the day :)

Things I loved today...

Not every day is a great day but I'm realizing it's important to notice even the smallest, more insignificant moments and find greatness in them. So in an effort to do so, let's talk about today... It was a fairly typical day but there were some things I really loved about it :)

1. Geo and I commuted into the city together. Usually I work from home but today I spent the day in the city for a client meeting and to review some things with my business partner. Did I enjoy the sweaty, stinky, stuffy ride in on the T? No. Did I enjoy every second of sitting next to my fiancee during a time of the day that we normally aren't together? Yes. Who wouldn't want to T it in with that face? :D

2. The smell of coffee in the morning - is there anything better?

3. Reading quotes by Gretchen Rubin in a Good Housekeeping magazine. I read her book, "The Happiness Project" last year and took so much away from it. Gretchen suggests that everyone create their own list of commandments, that they then live by, here are hers" 

1. Be Gretchen.
2. Let it go.
3. Act the way I want to feel.
4. Do it now.
5. Be polite and be fair.
6. Enjoy the process.
7. Spend out.
8. Identify the problem.
9. Lighten up.
10. Do what ought to be done.
11. No calculation.
12. There is only love.

Her book really struck a cord with me but if you're looking for just a snapshot of what she has to say about happiness, check out her blog! :) http://www.happiness-project.com/

4. Lastly, I really loved ending my day with Geo. Our schedules are so busy lately, it's truly rare that we spend a night alone, on the couch, cuddling and watching our favorite shows together. Tonight was one of the nights we did that and I loved it.

Now that I'm sitting here writing this post, I realize I could go on and on about the things I loved today, which just goes to show me that maybe it wasn't just a typical day, maybe if I sit down and think about my days more often, I'll realize how special each one is. Not a bad idea, not bad at all!

Grooving

Ever feel like your brain is just twirling and swirling and there's no end in sight? That is how I feel this week. There are so many loose ends in every facet of my life that need to be reeled in and sorted out.

Here are some of the issues at hand...

1. We spent much of our 4th of July weekend with Geo's family and it was the first time we saw many of his family members post our engagement, so there was lots of wedding excitement going on. Which was great and so much fun to talk about, however I had kind of stopped thinking about wedding planning (I mean it's over a year away, I've got ages to sort it out, right?), but after talking about it with them I started to think of ALL the things that need to get done, one of them being figure out the music. 

How are we going to get everyone off there butts, on their feet and GROOVING?! 

Since we aren't serving alcohol at our wedding, we need to have killer music! We've started to put a playlist together but I'd love to hear if any readers (if there are any!) have song "MUSTS". Two of our favorites are: 

AND

2. Since our wedding isn't until October, 2014 we are going to use this year to save and hopefully purchase a house before the big day. I've been drawn to coastal towns for a long time and George grew up in one, so needless to say, we are both in love with a coastal town :) Scituate, MA is perfectly us. 

One thing I'm not over-thinking or stressing about is my family vacation to Maine next week. I. CANNOT. WAIT.

Flash back here: http://www.lifeofaub.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-maine-squeezes.html 

I love this image...

I love this image! If a book is good it will transport you into another world, bring you on a journey, and if it's really good, you won't just read about the characters, you'll become the characters (those are my favorite!).

I LOVE this image because Geo and I have started to talk about honeymoon options and we're leaning towards and adventure filled one! :) Yes, a tropical island would be amazing but going on an adventure and EXPERIENCING new things together - those memories and moments would be with us forever. I'm thinking fly out to Wyoming, drive to Vancouver and cruise up to Alaska... thoughts?!

This just made me laugh :) 

Pinterest... I'm officially a Bride.

Being a social media junkie (personally and professionally), I've had a Pinterest account for quite some time now but up until, oh about 3 weeks ago, I rarely used it. Oh, have the tides changed. I go on it every night, I'm serious, every night and sometimes during the day too... and what are my searches, you ask?

- weddings
- wedding flowers
- wedding dresses
- wedding colors
- bridesmaids fun
- groomsmen attire

Snapshot of my pins! 

http://pinterest.com/aubss44/big-day-ideas/

You get the general picture. I've become Pinterest obsessed and all I can blame it on is my newest title, "Bride to Be".

Since I obviously have nothing else on my mind lately (besides getting my company off it's feet), let's talk about my wedding ring :)

Just typing it literally makes me smile! haha

I'm not a super flashy person (like, at all, I'm at Starbucks right now in gym gear, no makeup, no jewelry and messy hair - oy), and although diamond rings are beautiful, I just always loved the idea of a sapphire ring. So when Geo got down on one knee and presented me with a sapphire ring, I was beyond excited. I was even more excited when I recognized the ring as my Grandmother's :)

My family was very close to my Mom's parents, Grams and Da, so much that my Da lived with us for a few years before he passed away. My Grams passed away when I was in elementary school but I (and probably my brother, Cullen) have many memories of her and were lucky enough to spend much of our childhood with her. And my grandfather, Da was just an amazing man. Truly a one of a kind gentleman. Before he got sick with Alzheimer's, I don't have a single memory of him ever getting angry or frustrated, I'm sure he did but he was always full of happiness and kindness when around us kids. Beyond his kind demeanor, he was also an incredibly devoted and loving husband. Driving my license-free Grams around for their entire marriage, always going out of his way to help her in the kitchen, garden, household duties, and working overtime to purchase her this ring that he knew she loved. He really just wanted to make her happy, and he did whatever he could do to make that happen. My Mom gave Geo this ring, knowing that I'd love it, and I couldn't be happier. It means so much to me for so many reasons :)

He's a Great One :)

Happy Father's Day! So many great memories and so many more to come :)

Thanks Dad!

Picture Crazy!

Downloaded pics from my iPhone yesterday, and yikes, do I have a lot of Geo! Haha These are some of my favs...

The Whole Story

We had spent close to 9 hours traveling from Boston to Playa and throughout the day we were SURROUNDED by honeymooners! haha Traveling can be frustrating and there were definitely a few tense moments between Geo and I, thank goodness for some good Fruit Ninja to ease the stress - nothing like a little friendly competition to get us back on track and smiling/laughing!

So, there we are roaming the very crowded beaches of Playa Del Carmen (it was Sunday so all the locals were enjoying their day off of work), exhausted, hot, a little grumpy. We decided to head back to the condo and just relax for the rest of the afternoon.

We get back to the condo and George suggests we go up to the roof deck to slow down and enjoy the scenery. Perfect. This will be a great way to get into vaca mode!

We're standing, looking out into the ocean, Geo standing behind me and the conversation goes like this: 

Me - "I really was hoping to surprise you with a day of fishing, but I haven't been able to get the logistics quite figured out yet."

George - "Oh really, well I have a surprise for you too."

Insert me thinking - "Oh I wonder if he got us massages!"

Then there's a slight delay, me waiting for him to tell me what he is surprising me with, finally I turn around to see what's up and there he is, ON HIS KNEE! :) I was in total shock. Total. Haha At first I thought he was joking and I tried to pull him up by his arm and then I noticed the ring. My response was something like, 

"Wait, what? really? What!? Is this real?"

We had discussed getting engaged but he had made it clear it wasn't going to happen in Mexico but would happen by the end of the summer. So I knew it was coming but I was dead set on a summer engagement and happy/excited about it. I was not prepared to be surprised at all! And boy was I surprised - I honestly can't remember the last time I was surprised like that. So amazing :) 

We decided to keep it a secret between us and our immediate family's so that we could enjoy the week in Mexico without checking and responding to emails/Facebook messages. It worked out great because we were able to completely relax and also keep this fun little secret to ourselves for a bit. 

That night we were so exhausted, we were sleeping by 8 pm! Haha No special engagement celebration or anything - just sleep and it was PERFECT. Exactly what we both needed :) I wouldn't change anything about our engagement story, the whole experience was more than I ever thought it would be. 

This is going to be a great adventure!

He asked...

and I said yes! :) 

There have been so many thoughts and emotions running through me the past few weeks but most of them centralize around gratefulness and fulfillment. Grateful for the love and true happiness we've experienced since arriving home from our vacation (getting engaged while on a tropical vacay is the way to do it!). Our loved ones mean the world to us and they've been nothing but supportive and SO excited for us! Geo's parents greeted us at the airport with flowers! :) 

Fulfilled because I feel at peace with my relationship with George. We have always had a fairly well balanced, transparent and loving relationship but I was starting to get a little anxious, my thoughts kept going to places I knew they shouldn't but I found it hard not to think, "maybe he doesn't think I'm the one for him?" or "perhaps he's not ready, will he ever be?". Geo never gave me any reason to second guess his feelings for me but maybe it's the girl in me... I needed to be reassured that he was in it for the long run and when he got down on that knee, I almost immediately felt calmer and more centered. 

It's been a few weeks since May 19th, our first day of vacation and subsequently, our first day being an engaged couple - yikes! :) I hope to get back into blogging because 1. I miss it and 2. I want to document all the amazing/big things (and even the not so big things) going on in my life right now. I love being able to look back at past blogs and read the moments in my life that I thought worthy enough to post about. 

Like this one, the beginning of my love story with Geo, http://www.lifeofaub.blogspot.com/2010/03/some-pep-in-my-step.html

And could it have been this date where I fell in love with him? :) 

http://www.lifeofaub.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-ate-his-heart.html

So happy I have these posts to look back on - thank you blog, I hope you and I become good friends again!

This is kind of cool.

Working from the comforts of my apartment, listening to music (without having to stick those obnoxious earbuds in), having no one interrupting me (besides the occasional gchat ping) and being able to focus, 100% on Social Drive (the company my biz partner and I launched 6 months ago). Feel free to check us out at www.socialdrive.us and/or www.facebook.com/socialdrive.us.

It's all pretty cool. Daunting and scary, but still pretty cool.

Speaking of "cool"... 

and for more coolness, go here: http://new.weavesilk.com/  (click and drag your mouse around, neat-o!).

Happy hump day!