The Happiest Place on Earth

357 days ago, SDK and I said "I do".  And we're headed to the happiest place on earth to celebrate!

Yep.  Walt Disney World!  Growing up in Florida, I have so many memories in this place. I vividly remember those light blue vinyl strollers and the tickley feeling as you bump over that bridge to the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room. : ) Just wish I were still eligible for a Resident Pass!

I can't wait for the Main Street Electrical Parade { can't you just hear that music? }, riding Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion... though sadly the Tiki Room is closed for renovation.  And, we'll be checking something off my Bucket List.  We're going on the "Keys to the Kingdom" tour, which means going underground into the infamous Utilidors!

Laundry is finished, sunscreen is packed, and this girl is ready to GO!

I am a woman of my word.

Two day planning meeting, you've met your match.

Homemade hydrangea cupcakes. Bing!

Make Your Own Mother's Day Card - for free!

I made a mean macaroni art project as a kid.  I could glue pasta products { or popsicle sticks or pipe cleaners as the case may be } on construction paper like nobody's business.  I loved making cards for people, and when we got an IBM PS1 in 1991, and then got Print Shop, I went through reams of that connected paper where you have to tear the little holey edges off making cards for any and everyone.

And then I went to work at Hallmark and my card obsession just got worse.  { Or better, really. } We've given out so many cards in my family that it's almost comical how many repeaters we have.  Especially if there's a cat in a funny outfit on the front.  It's gotten so bad that Dad gave me an Easter card written in Italian.  { Buona Pasqua! } Though maybe that's just because he thinks it's funny when I can't read it.

{ Check it out! }

You know I love Paperless Post for e-cards and e-invitations.  But there's still something to be said for real, tangible cards that show up in the mailbox among the bills and catalogs and such.  And sometimes it's hard to find the perfect one.

I'm beginning to like to make my own.  These days, there are a multitude of online custom greeting card websites.  My favorite by far is TinyPrints.  Their interface is simple and it allows for a good bit of customization for the artsy types { or control freaks } like me.  We ordered our Christmas cards from there, and for Valentine's Day I tested out their individual cards.  Love!

So when I came across their Mother's Day cards... I had to do it again.  { Mom, here's another spoiler alert.  Unless you want to see your card here before you get it in person... maybe save the rest of this post for after May 8. }

{ front }

{ inside spread }

At $3.99 regular price, these aren't any more expensive than a card from Hallmark, Papyrus or a drug store.  And they're a whole lot more personal.  And here's two great ways to get one for free or multiple cards at a 50% off!

To get one card free... check out this little video.  { But hurry, there's a limited quantity! }

And to get the 50% off... enter MDBOGO at checkout.  They're a steal at $1.99!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

The older I get, the more I realize that I really am turning into my mother.  But, the older I get... the more I'm okay with it.  And I found a Mother's Day card that put it perfectly. { Mom, if you're reading, here's what's called a spoiler alert.  Skip the rest of this paragraph, okay? }  The card says, "thanks for teaching me to love what you love." Amen and Amen.

She loves cooking, and I love cooking.  She loves cookbooks; I love cookbooks.  Why?  Well, I grew up surrounded by these:

{ Hello, complete collection of Southern Living Annual Recipes! }

And then there's these:

{ The inside of the cabinet is full, too.  And so's the wall unit in the living room. }

If you come to our house, you'll see cookbooks all over the place.  The wall unit is stuffed full, they're stacked on top of the fridge, they're on the coffee table... and here's the kicker.  Look closely at the picture above.  See that blue folder sticking out there at the bottom left? Well, check out our pantry.

{ Look, Ash... Garlic Gold! }

See it?  Hiding there beside the crushed tomatoes?  I recently realized that somehow, subconsciously, I, too, have chosen a blue folder to collect miscellaneous recipes and such.  Must be in my genes.

Also, apparently, is the overuse of the comma. : )

Easter Weekend

Life has been crazy the last few weeks.  I've had an unusual amount of travel for work, which has left Mr. SDK here at home, eating my frozen homemade lasagna and turkey sandwiches. { Of course I felt the need to make sure that I planned a week's worth of meals for him while I was away.  Lest I forget that just one short year ago the dude was a bachelor and living off pizza and chicken fingers.  Like he can't feed himself or something.  Oh well, I digress. }

With our routine all out of whack, it was great to be home for a week to settle back in.  And this weekend we were fortunate enough to see both sets of our parents!  Dinner with the in-laws and a two nights with my parents.  Now we're recharged and set for one last week of work before our anniversary trip.

{ Cuteness abounds at every turn in Mom's house. }

Of course, no trip to Macon is complete without a Saturday morning trip to the church with Mom to arrange the flowers for Sunday's service.  This being Easter weekend, the ladies were, let's say, ambitious.  This was our project:

That would be an eight-foot cross made of two different kinds of lilies, two different kinds of mums and deutzia from one lady's yard.  Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.  Not that I did much of it.  Though it did take me, Dad, SDK, Allison, Mr. Danner, a hammer and a good bit of finagling to actually get it into its stand in the choir loft.

{ This is the aisle I walked down at our wedding! }

Then at one point during the service, I saw it start to sway.  I'm looking around, trying to make eye contact with Dad in a sea of ushers on the other side of the room while singing a hymn and thinking, "How on earth would we stop that thing, me in my lilac Easter dress and 3" patent leather stilettos { love! } sitting here toward the back in trusty Pew #59?"  Thankfully, fidgety man in the choir sat still.  Crisis averted.  Good thing, too, because I was about ready to make a run for it.

So Pew #59, really?  Really.  Our pews have numbers.  See, the church was founded in 1826.  And at the time there wasn't a ton of money for construction.  So folks paid for a pew much like people today will pay for a memorial or honorary brick.  And we've sat in Pew #59 since I was 16.  { Though now when SDK and I visit, we'll spill over into #58 or #60, depending on if their usual folks are there. }

{ I so want a garden like this one day. }

All in all, it was a great weekend at home.  Dad "worked Spencer like a rented mule" taking apart an old metal shed { formerly used to house Lance crackers... yum, Toastchees! }, Mom, Kates and I did some shopping, we ate lots of good food and played Pictionary Telephone.

{ Aww.  How cute.  They match! }

We laughed 'till we cried.  It was just what I needed.

I hope that your Easter weekend was every bit as blessed!

There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ



Imaginary Easter Brunch, Part 2

Well, as long as I'm imagining what I would include if I were throwing an Easter brunch { which, again, I am not }... I would add these to the list.

{ Photo courtesy of Glorious Treats }

Oh my.  Hydrangea cupcakes.  Are these not gorgeous?  I need an excuse to make them.  Like now. { And if you want to make them, here's how. }

I may just have to bake these and take them to the office.  Surely our two day planning meeting is worthy of such beautiful deliciousness?  I'm thinking so.

If I were hosting an Easter Brunch...

If I were hosting an Easter Brunch { which I am not }, I would have these.  For certain.

Little carrot flatware bundles.  Check out the cuteness when they're all together!

Guess I'll add this to the "things I'll do when I graduate from the Kid's Table and actually host a holiday" list, alongside "how to roast a turkey" and "homemade cranberry sauce".  I have much to learn before I can even remotely compare to a gathering hosted by the illustrious entertainer known as my mother. :) For now, though, it's homeward bound for Easter and that is a-okay with me!

Assembly instructions and lots more cuteness/deliciousness over at Our Best Bites.  Enjoy!

Citrus Mint Iced Tea

For about the 100th time, I'm trying to kick the diet Coke habit.  This time it's going surprisingly well.  { Guess it helps to start when you're not feeling well and already taking medicine so that the withdrawal headache doesn't come back to bite you. }

But with limiting myself to just one can of diet Coke a day... I've been getting bored with water.  And with as warm as it's been, I took Saturday as the perfect opportunity to test out an iced tea recipe I've been mulling over. Last spring, I was at a shower and they served a fabulous citrus mint iced tea.  I've been trying to recreate it ever since, and I think this is it!

Citrus Mint Iced Tea

Yield - One Gallon

Three tea bags (I used Lipton decaffeinated)
1 lemon (or lemon juice)
1 lime (or lime juice)
1 cup granulated sugar (although I used Splenda)
Fresh mint springs (I used two about 3-4 inches long, plus additional for garnish)

• Fill a 2-cup measuring cup with water, add tea bags, and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
• Remove measuring cup from microwave and remove tea bags.  Add mint springs and replace tea bags.  The tea bags should hold the mint beneath the surface of the liquid.
• Allow tea and mint to steep at least 10 minutes.
• While tea is steeping, pour sugar into pitcher or other container.  Add hot tap water and stir, dissolving sugar.
• When tea is finished steeping, pour over sugar water.  Squeeze out tea bags and discard mint sprigs if desired.
• Add the juice of 1/2 the lemon and 1/2 the lime (or 1-2 tablespoons of each juice) to the pitcher and stir well.
• Fill remainder of pitcher with water and add more lemon/lime juice or sugar to taste.
• Serve over ice and garnish with lemon/lime slices or mint sprigs.

Crisp, refreshing, and perfect for a sweltering summer (or at this point, spring!) day.  Next time I throw a baby shower or a brunch I think I'll serve this instead of punch.  I made a pitcher Saturday and we drank the whole thing in 24 hours... so I might be making more tonight.  Enjoy!

A Terrible Typeface

Thanks, Kates.  I love that you knew I would love this!

Comic Sans is, of course, the primary travesty committed by this sign.  But good grief... exclamation points much, buddy?

Have Trunk, Will Travel

As part of this week's TV shoot, we spent a day here.  Look familiar?

No?  How about now?

Well, we didnt have any alligator-esque aliens, nor did we see Captain Kirk or William Shatner.  But... we did have a celebrity!  Meet Tai.

You may recognize her from Water for Elephants with Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson. { I highly recommend the book, if you haven't read it. } This not-so-little lady is a doll!  At 42 years old, she's still got a good bit of life in front of her.  And she's not afraid to prove it.  See?

Girlfriend travels in style, too.  If you see a big, shiny unmarked semi-truck trailer rolling down the 405, it might just be Tai!

California Dreamin'

I love it when a work trip feels sort of like a vacation.  And this has definitely been one of those trips.  When you can walk to great breakfast, sit with your laptop overlooking the sea, get a pedicure at Fred Segal and have dinner beside Reese Witherspoon, I think it's safe to say it's been a good one.  The only thing that would make this better is if SDK were here.

{ Now, I say it feels like a vacation as of this moment, but we're only halfway through the first of two overnight TV shoots.  It's 11:30pm and we'll probably go until 4:00am.  Ask me later and I may have a slightly different answer. }

Regardless, Santa Monica is beautiful.  Case in point from my walk on Monday morning:

Our hotel overlooks these bluffs, the PCH, the enormous beach and the Pacific.  Growing up on the Atlantic coast of Florida, this is an entirely different kind of beach than what I'm used to.  The water out here is freezing, but it sure is gorgeous.  And the landscaping!  All of this lush greenery has me dying to grow things back at home. { Even though I've already managed to kill both a basil plant and cilantro in the last three weeks.  At least my mint and rosemary are still alive.  Looks like I'm going to have to work a little harder to claim that I inherited mom's green thumb. }

But check this out.  There are succulents literally growing on the walls outside our hotel, and they're like none I've ever seen.

Seriously, these bad boys are HUGE!  Those bright green ones at the bottom are the size of a dinner plate.  Does anyone know what they are?  { Carmen?  Alison?  Mom? } Succulents don't take much water, so maybe these would be more my speed for now.  I don't really like killing things.  It's kind of discouraging.

Along those same lines, I am loving the color of my room.  It's the most perfect, calming shade of blue.  So sweetheart, get the paint brushes ready.  I've finally found the color to paint our bathroom!  I love how quickly a change in scenery brings instant inspiration.

And I've had lots of changes in scenery this week.  Like now, for instance.  This is what I'm looking at right now.

I love my job. : )