I'll Miss You 2010!

George asked me out on a date last night so we went to breakfast at Simply Crepes this morning.  What a great way to end 2010!  Crepes with eggs and bacon, a good cup of coffee and Geo. 

As we waited for our breakfast, we did our annual month-by-month recap of the year.  It's funny how much took place this year!  So, naturally, I thought I would share our recaps with you :)

January 2010

George looked at a house. 

A few days later, he thought maybe I should look at the house.

I looked at the house.

A few days later, I suggest we put in an offer.

We put in an offer.

Two days later, we were homeowner!

February 2010

We packed.

We made Valentine's dinner.

We closed on our house :)

The next day, we attended pre-cana and LOVED it!

And that same night, we picked up our caterer's dinner sample box, went to our new house, and had, what eventually would be our wedding dinner, our first dinner at our new home. (ya follow that??!)

March 2010

We moved in a snow storm.

I unpacked like crazy.

We sent out our wedding invitations.

We hosted our first St. Patrick's Day Kegs-and-Eggs.

We purchased our wedding bands.

George turned 28.

April 2010

We hosted my sister's 30th birthday party for 30 of our family members and friends.

I had my bridal shower.  

Celebrated my brother's 24th birthday at our new house.

Finalized our wedding plans.

May 2010

I interviewed at a little medical software company the week before and the week of our wedding.

On the 22nd, we promised forever in front of our family and friends!

On the 24th, I was offered the job.

June 2010

I started my new job.

We went on our honeymoon in Cape Cod: Our first vacation alone!

 I returned to blogging and I can't believe how much I didn't know I missed it.

July 2010

House work, house work and more house work. 

Our good friends, Jordy and Tracey, got engaged :)

We celebrated my 28th birthday with brunch, a random wine tour and some outlet mall shopping!

August 2010

We. Did. Nothing.  ... and loved it!

Well, except for house work but we love that, too.

September 2010

George traveled for work. 

Did some "While You Were Out" house updating.

George paid off his car!

  

October 2010

 

We signed on to host Thanksgiving.

We got down to business with decorating the dining room and living room.

We celebrated our 5 year anniversary on Halloween. 

 

November 2010

 

I finally planned for the holidays, early.

We hosted our first Thanksgiving for George's family... all 15 people.

We had our first Thanksgiving in the house and as a married couple!

We gave thanks... for everything.

 

December 2010

We sent out Christmas cards.

We decorated the house for Christmas (which, besides a tree, we never did in an apartment).

We had our first Christmas in the house and as a married couple.

We spoiled each other and our families, for the last time (we are going a different direction from now on)

We slept-in, ate our faces off and survived our family parties.

We had our last date of 2010.

 

Hope your 2010 was as blessed as ours!  Here's to 2011: You have A LOT to live up to :)

Happy New Year!!

xo- Sarah and George

Bedding Breakdown

I did it.  I finally broke down and bought our dream bedding...

I still can't believe fate brought us (me and the bedding) together again!

After two months of stalking... and finding it impossible to pull the purchase trigger... our bedding had sold out on Overstock.com.  I searched all over but could not find it anywhere.  Heck, we could not find bedding we like, period.  This was the first we both loved and I let it go because I am cheap.

So after staring at our sorry-excuse-for-a-love-chamber for a few hours, I thought it was time to re-energize our efforts to get the bedroom complete.

Naturally, I turn to Overstock once again.  And there it was; with a big, red label saying "Only 1 left!"

In 2.2 seconds, I had the bedding in my cart and my card number ready.

I called George one more time to confirm I should get it.  He agreed and I click "submit order". 

It should be here next week!  So I am hoping to make an upholstered headboard this weekend.

I'm thinking something like this from QVC...

But who knows.  Maybe I will go crazy and end up with ...

Or ...

We shall see!

May In Paris

May In Paris by ssteffler20 featuring santi clutches

Um, yeah... I wrote this awesome post to go with the above inspiration board and the bastard didn't post!  I will never be able to write that epic post again!  No post will ever compare!  okay, being dramatic... but I do hate when that happens :) 

Anyway, this is my style board for our Paris trip in May. I want to blend feminine with edgy. Classic with modern.  Casual with special. 

The pieces to the left make up my daily wear.  I hear Europeans don't wear shorts and neither do I!  So I will probably wear lots of sundresses and jeans with flowy tops that can layer well for flights/ferry/train rides and flats.

The little black dress is for the evening.  I love the neckline with the floral detail!  I think it's spot on for the feminine/edgy look.

Oh, and that blush dress with the black ribbon at the waist, that's my wedding dress vision!  I want something light and special but that I can go out to dinner in.

I am LOVING the mix of blush, honeysuckle and white with light taupe, dark denim and black.

Let the shopping begin!!

What do you all think (cause I know there are so many of you :) )?

My 30 Before 30 List

On January 20th, I will be 28 1/2 years old.  And I'm cool with it.  Actually, I am looking forward to getting older; especially turning 30! 

I read an article about a girl who created a to-do-by-30 list and I was inspired.  Seeing that I have 1 1/2 years until I am 30, I figured I would have enough time to do a 30 Before 30 List.

So this is what I got...

1. Loose weight and get  healthy
2. Attend church more
3. Go to Paris with Geo
4. Have a fancy picnic (champagne, sunset, etc.)
5. Renew our wedding vows
6. Go to Washington DC with Geo
7. Wear heels once every weekend
8. Take dance lessons
9. Adopt a dog
10. Do karaoke in public, again
11. Have a baby (God willing)
12. Rent a convertible for a weekend with George and just drive (that's our retirement dream, too)
13. Bike around the Finger Lakes Wine Trail
14. Spend a summer day on the grand lawn in Central Park with Geo
15. Hike... anywhere
16. Swim in the ocean
17. Finally use Rosetta Stone's Learn French tutorial
18. Strengthen some friendships
19. Finish one of my 4 screenplays and submit it for development (worth a try)
20. Learn to use a sewing machine
21. Host a fancy, black-tie dinner
22. TMI ALERT - make out with Geo more
23. Save money - 3 months salary to start
24. Spoil our nieces and nephew
25. Get better at photography
26. Learn Photoshop/Indesign
27. Find a signature scent
28. Wear more jewelry
29. Accept compliments better
30. Accomplish half of this list :)

What do you think?  There are 2 things crossed off because I have started those.  Honestly, they were part of my feel-more-like-a-wife goals (which were wear female pjs and not Geo's, wear more jewelry and wear heels once a weekend). 

I will re-post as things get checked off.  I'm looking forward to tyring this! 

Anyone else have a Life's To Do List?  I would love to hear what is on yours!

Merry Christmas!!

Best Wishes and Lots of Love,

Sarah and George



The Season of Giving

I'm not proud of this, but I did not give back much this season.  I have always been able to find an Angel Tree...

You know, the tree at the grocery store/public library/church with paper angel tags that have a child's Christmas wish on it?  I could not find an angel tree ANYWHERE this year. I feel awful about not giving.  It means there is a little child out there who doesn't get a Christmas this year. 

I did donate some food and dropped some change in the red kettles.  And a woman at work, who has fallen on hard times, told me how she saved up to get her son a Wii for Christmas (er, we have two and no kids).  And when our other co-worker was pumping her to get other games, I offered to give her some that we aren't using.  Cause I knew she Santa might not have had the budget for more Wii games at their house this year.

I wish I did more.  My resolution does include making more of an effort to volunteer and pay-it-forward. But I wish I could rewind time a week or two so I could have done more.

Do you give during the season of giving?  Any ideas of what I could do in the New Year?

New Years Resolutions: Part 2

Yep, I forgot to mention another resolution I have for 2011.  Ironically, the resolution I forgot to mention is the resolution I always forget to practice: Finances.

I'm not talking money.  I'm talking wealth. 

I have the basics: a retirement plan, a life insurance policy and a few hours of pay in my savings but that's about it. 

Since getting married, we have been trying to get better at watching and controlling our spending.  Honestly we could do better. George is pretty darn good at it but me, well,  I am the shopper.  I'm a cheap, wheeling-and-dealing shopper but a shopper all the same.

I can make any event into a shopping experience.  I'm a marketing company's dream (probably why I'm in marketing).  I crack under the pressure of the impulse items in the checkout line at the grocery store.  I claps at the sign of a sale. I caved at the dentist and bought a fancy toothbrush and he didn't even push it! 

So when I say "it's not money, it's wealth", I mean, I am fine income-wise (though I could ALWAYS use more) but I want to have long-term wealth.  I love the idea of having a few months of income saved.  A more aggressive retirement plan.  Stocks, bonds and CDs... whatever those mean.   I want my car paid off faster.  My student loans paid off faster.  And to throw more in my savings and retirement. 

I want to retire early.  Travel.  Live well and enjoy life.  I don't want to ALWAYS think finances and wealth but I do want to stop forgetting about it.

How about you all?  Any tips where to start?

Paris - 2011

It's happening!  It's REALLY happening!

Naturally, you need some back story to understand this news.

I have been kind of vague on the drama that took place at our wedding back in May.  Sorry about that.  The whole situation broke my heart.  Like cried-hysterically-the-night-of-our-wedding-and-for-days-later heartbreak.  I never thought that my drama-loving family would lay it on thick at a wedding, but they did.  And it was our wedding.  I have not talked to my dad, his family or my two bridesmaids/cousins since.  It's for the better. 

But any quiet moment moment I have, is usually plagued with thoughts of the sadness I experienced that day and the days after.  As I do dishes, cook dinner, take a shower, fold laundry... do anything, I will think about what happened, how silly their actions were, how I didn't do anything and how I wish we went with our other wedding ideas.  How I wish we kept it small and destination and didn't worry about hurting others' feelings.  And I cry.  I still cry (7 months later... I'm emotional like that) thinking how I can't say our wedding day was the happiest day of my life.  It was far from it, actually.  It rivals for worst.

But they didn't take our ceremony from us.  That was the best hour of my life! 

I don't remember if it was our wedding night or the day after, but within hours of vowing our forever, we promised to go to Paris for our one year anniversary and live our dream wedding - just us.

And it's happening!! Almost seven months later and planning our vow renewal in PARIS!!!

No lie, the above picture is my desktop at work. 

George has developed an affinity for French culture (... thanks for the line Buddy the Elf!) almost as strong as mine.  We even had our wedding bands engraved with 'avec toi'... which means 'with you', in French.

We had wanted to go to Paris for YEARS now and had planned on honeymooning there.  But with my 9 months of unemployment during our 13-month engagement, Paris was not happening.



So we are going for our 1 year anniversary and will renew our vows while we are there.  I am so excited to replace the sad memories of our wedding day with happy, beautiful memories of our Parisian wedding.

And can you bet your sweet tushy that I am looking at wedding dresses that will travel well!  I'm not sure if we will have an officiant or just do them on our own, in a private garden.  It almost doesn't matter.  I will be in Paris with George: My two loves in one place!

We have found a travel agent to help us plan our trip (we are stopping in London, since it's on the way!) and are putting down our deposit after the holidays :)

I'm kind of excited for a redo.  I get to marry George twice and we didn't have to divorce first!

Any tips for vow renewing, traveling overseas or handling hurtful family is always appreciate :)

Happy Saturday!

Sarah

New Years Eve and Resolutions

Each New Years Eve, I have visions of George and I, along with our friends, having a glamorous party, at a fabulous hotel, with lots of bubbly champagne, dancing and celebrating...

(almost this fabulous... haha!  it's all I could find, but you get my point)

However, our typical NYE is less than fabulous.  It's usually pretty standard with junk food, cheap sparkling wine and sleepy eyes come 11:00 pm.  Last year was fun though!  Look at the sleepy eyes on George... and the elastic band from his NYE hat ... haha!

And this year, we are planning for the same.  We are going to George's sister's house.  My mom and sister and going to hang out too.  It's junk food, games and drinks.  I will probably pass out and George will wake me up just in time for our 2011 kiss, then I will pass out again :)

But this year, I am really looking forward to my resolutions.  I need to drop some lbs. and I want to get healthy for:

1. My self

2. Going to Paris

3. Family planning

And of those reasons, it's #3 that is really driving this goal.  2011 is our year for starting a family (God allowing).  We plan on going to Paris in May and starting our family that summer.

We would have started earlier but we wanted to go Paris for our 1 year anniversary....aaannnd I may or may not find it really important to be able to drink wine in Paris!

Efforts to get healthy have started but I am looking forward to all the deals on weight loss programs that the New Year will bring.  More on all of that later...

Another resolution is to volunteer more.  Last year, I learned how lucky I was to have a wonderful husband and family that helped me get through the hardtimes.  And I would like to pay-it-forward and help those who are struggling too.

Finally, I want to get a few things done around the house before we start our family.  I would LOVE to get new kitchen cabinet doors, a new dishwasher, refinish our deck and make the attic more of a living/working space. 

What are your New Years Eve plans? 

Are you thinking of resolutions yet?



Our First Christmas: Card.

First let me say that there are a butt-load of Christmas card options out there!

With that, I narrowed down our search using the Sarah Method; Whatever is Cheapest.

Armed with my coupon codes for Snapfish and Shutterfly, I scoured each site, looking for a card the best complemented our formal wedding picture...

We found SO many cards...

   


But our picture was not working in ANY of them!  I really wanted my bouquet to show and not be too zoomed-in.  Also, we just wanted one picture.  The small card looked SO busy with more than 1 photo. 

And, well, our picture is formal.  And many of the cards are a bit more whimsical, which I am typically into but felt like that look wouldn't be a match.

So after much debate, we decided on a classic look...

This isn't the exact card we selected but it's very close (Snapfish doesn't offer the design anymore... I'm sure it was because it was sooooo popular :-)  ).  The green ribbon is more of a green scroll on ours.  And the year is framed with scroll work as well.

Anyhoo, I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS METHOD OF CHRISTMAS CARD GIVING!!!  It's so easy to print, stuff, address and send. 

Do you send holiday cards?  Do you go with the standard card with a note or the photo card?

It's Not that I NEEEED Anything...

buuut, there are a few things I would like to get for Christmas, should Santa be reading!!

3 years ago, George and I went a little bit nuts and brought uber expensive bikes.  He loves his.  Mine, on the other hand, KILLS my back.  They never mentioned that, if you have lower back pain, mountain bikes are not for you.  wah-wah.  All in all, I never ever use it.  Anyone want a bike?!

This year, I want to bike with my husband and maybe (just maybe), as a family.  So we have been looking at comfort bikes.  Thicker tires for stability and a bit of  off-roading riding.  High handle bars and I low seat so I am in more of an upright position.  Swooning over a bike... yeah... I am that old!

As most of you know, I am living/blogging without a camera!  We had this one.  It was great, cheap, easy to use and my fault for breaking it.  I would not mind one bit having it again

 

Stella and Dot is my new obsession and I could totally use some vintage-luxe jewelry!  I mean, look at that bracelet... gimme-gimme-gimme!

I have also been dropping hints that I would love a Kelly Green or pink passport cover, a deep frying pan with a lid, a big tote bag to use as a carry-on and socks. 

Yeah, these are big-ish ticket items but I am not expecting any of them.  Er.. well, maybe one item.

What are you hinting at for Christmas? 

It Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

We hosted Thanksgiving on Thursday and by 11:00 am Friday, the harvest was out and the tree was up!

And our stockings were hung on the ledge with care.  Yeah, next year, we are getting a fire place... George just doesn't know it yet :)

I am totally in love with the silver, gold, white and green color scheme this year.  But I can't help but add some red (I mean, come on... Christmas is the season of red).   So I picked up a red sequenced and a red pillow with a white snow flake, swapped the blue for the red and ta-da!

I had some extra garland, a mini tree and a poinsettia so we added them to the dining room (cause, I love the dining room!) -

Said it once.  Saying it again.  BAD LIGHTING!  WORSE CAMERA!  Pinkie swear I will get a few better pictures and do a decor recap... cause I know you want it ... haha

We are finishing up the outdoors and I am hoping to get a GREAT winter pic of our first home.  I have an art project in mind but, if nothing else, at least it is a nice memory.

How is your holiday decor coming?  Send me a link to your blog... I would L.O.V.E. to see what you are up!

Holiday Hugs -

Sarah

Silver and Gold.. Silver and Gold... Everyone Wishes for Silver and Gold

(name that Christmas claymation!)

I started decorating 8 hours after Thanksgiving came to a close.  My name is Sarah, and I am a decor-oholica.

Decor of Christmases past was very traditional.  I love the look of red and gold, like this...

And yes, our wrapping paper coordinated just like the above.  I have OCCD:  Obsessive Compulsive Christmas Disorder.

But after 5 years of "traditional", this year I have been plotting and scheming for something a bit more modern, a dash more muted and a touch more frosted.

I lust for table and buffet decorating (yes, lust.), so naturally our dining room was my first makeover victim. 

My inspiration look: Silver, Gold and Green a la Pottery Barn ...

We went from Harvest (think one table, 3 hurricanes and 6 gourds grouped)  ...

To winter wonderland...

God, I hate bad lighting and using a iPhone to take the photos.   Sorry for the lakc-luster appeal in advance...
So, on the table, we have a larger platter we got last year as a gift (it's from Macy's), topped with 2 crystal candle sticks we registered for and 3 smaller cut-glass candle sticks I picked up at a church rummage sale for $.25 each.  The white tappers and little green trees were also $.25 each from Craft Bits and Pieces, which is a crafts thrift store.  The table cloth is a silvery-white Lenox table clothes and from TJ Max that I scooped up for $14.99.  The dishes are from Christmas Tree Shop 3 years ago but are IDENTICAL to those currently at Target.  A few pine cones and pearly-silver ornaments round out the tray. 

The buffet, too, was a mix of new and old objects.  The jute-colored runner was $4.99 at TJ Max.  The wreath, candles, garland, lights and bottles were all gathered over the years.  I picked up the cake stand at Sears two weeks ago in the clearance section for $3.50!!   Again, I tossed in some pine cones, silver ornaments, steam wear and green wine bottles to achieve the Pottery Barn look.

So what do you think?  Did I get it close?

 

I know, I know... I love the PB version more too but this sister is on a budget!   I promise I will try to get better pics soon. 

Who knows, maybe Santa will bring me a camera???

Happy Thanksgiving!

We did it!  We hosted and survived our 1st Thanksgiving!  14 people, 32 lbs of turkey, 4 batches of green bean casserole, 10 lbs of mashed potatoes and 5 lbs of stuffing later, everyone is in a turkey trance and on their way home. 

Here are some highlights of the craziness...

My happy helper! 

I am so thankful that George stuck by my side and took on this crazy task with me!  I really missed having Thanksgiving with my family (my mom wasn't ready to give it up... story for my therapist another time...George's family was ready to order take-out and call it a holiday).  But we talked 4 times today, going over what we were making, when we were starting each dish, etc.... still, just not the same.

So I am thankful for my husband, thankful for a healthy and happy family, our good jobs, a beautiful home, health insurance, reliable cars, food on the table, clothes on our backs, Starbucks grande non-fat caramel lattes and Netflix instant streaming.

What are you grateful for?