The last week or so has been quite a doozy. A dear friend of mine is dealing with some medical issues, which has been on my mind constantly. She is on the mend now, which I'm thankful for.
On a less serious note, somehow I drove over a screw or a bolt or something that embedded itself in one of my front tires. I was driving on the tire for awhile before I realized what it was, and then I drove on it a bit after that. Mr. T tried to change my tire, but I'd just had them rotated at the mechanic, so the lug nuts were impossible to remove. He got blisters trying. Finally I had a minute to breathe on Sunday and I called AAA and had them change it. Now I'm driving around on my spare while I figure out the best way to deal with this. We went to CostCo, but they told us they'd stopped taking tire orders that day because there was a 5 hour wait! Sheesh! And the other tire places were either not open on weekends or were closed already. Blech. I finally found a place on Yelp that looks promising; I'm hoping they can squeeze me in on Saturday. They said I didn't need an appointment, but it doesn't guarantee me quick service!
All of this is of course bad timing! Mr. T and I just bought a new computer because we need one and it was a deal we couldn't pass up (seriously, we probably saved $600-800!). And then now I need a new tire, or maybe two, because aren't you supposed to replace two at a time? I hope not. Also, there are two birthdays in my family this month, and we're attending one wedding. Ouch!
Anyway, we're persevering in Operation Morning Workout. We missed a day last week, but are endeavouring to get the full four days in this week. Also, even though I had cupcakes and tapas on Sunday, I was pleased when I weighed myself at the gym on Monday because I'd lost another 1.5 pounds! It feels glacially slow, but I know that's the way it should be done, so I'm trying to be pleased about progress. 3 pounds so far!
This morning I woke up late, with a headache, and then my yogurt opened in my bag on the way to work...just one of those days. I managed to get in a workout in spite of it all. Here's hoping tomorrow's a little easier...
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Cupcake Tastings #3 and 4!
This week I've been corresponding with that vegan baker who told me she'd contact me the next time she had an order and could give me extras--remember her? Well, we went back and forth about when I could pick the extras up, and by the time we settled it, she told me the order had been canceled and therefore there wouldn't be any extras, so she totally flaked. It's like, don't you want my money?
Anyway, after the flower workshop the MOH and I had a great lunch at a little organic cafe, and then we went shopping for cupcakes! I bought cupcakes at two different places, although I only took photos of the first place's cupcakes.
Place 1:
Please excuse the smushed frosting. These were in a box, jostling around, for my walk home, so they got warm and also very friendly with each other. They were still tasty.
We tried lemon (with lemon curd filling), chocolate raspberry, chocolate, and carrot.
Carrot was by far our favorite. It had nuts in it though, which Mr. T didn't like. We also thought the "killer carrot" from the last place was better.
The lemon was my second favorite, although the curd was extremely tart and Mr. T didn't like it.
The chocolate was rich and yummy, but the cake was so flaky it fell apart as we were eating it.
The raspberry chocolate had the same flaky cake. Also, the raspberry was only in the frosting, which seemed odd to me. It wasn't a cohesive whole, I guess. Verdict? We liked the last baker better.
Place 2:
These pix are from the baker's website, since I didn't take any of my own. These look better anyway!
We only tried two of these: Gingerbread and Old-fashioned. Both of them were not as sweet as the other bakers'. It was like a more adult cupcake. I'm not sure if I liked that. It's like, if I'm going to give in and have dessert, it needs to be dessert!
The old fashioned is the one with the red coated peanut. The frosting was called a meringue but was more like marshmallow creme. Yummy and VERY messy. That wouldn't work. The cake (chocolate) was a bit dry, too.
The gingerbread had a great, rich, deep flavor, but was really dense. It didn't feel like a cupcake at all, more like a dense loaf in the form of a cupcake.
Although Mr. T and I both enjoyed the flavor of the gingerbread one, we agreed that this is not our baker. So far, cupcake tasting #2 has been the best. We have one more next week and then we agreed to take stock of where we are, although I did just get another recommendation for a (different) vegan baker. Hmm....
Anyway, after the flower workshop the MOH and I had a great lunch at a little organic cafe, and then we went shopping for cupcakes! I bought cupcakes at two different places, although I only took photos of the first place's cupcakes.
Place 1:
Please excuse the smushed frosting. These were in a box, jostling around, for my walk home, so they got warm and also very friendly with each other. They were still tasty.
We tried lemon (with lemon curd filling), chocolate raspberry, chocolate, and carrot.
Carrot was by far our favorite. It had nuts in it though, which Mr. T didn't like. We also thought the "killer carrot" from the last place was better.
The lemon was my second favorite, although the curd was extremely tart and Mr. T didn't like it.
The chocolate was rich and yummy, but the cake was so flaky it fell apart as we were eating it.
The raspberry chocolate had the same flaky cake. Also, the raspberry was only in the frosting, which seemed odd to me. It wasn't a cohesive whole, I guess. Verdict? We liked the last baker better.
Place 2:
These pix are from the baker's website, since I didn't take any of my own. These look better anyway!
We only tried two of these: Gingerbread and Old-fashioned. Both of them were not as sweet as the other bakers'. It was like a more adult cupcake. I'm not sure if I liked that. It's like, if I'm going to give in and have dessert, it needs to be dessert!
The old fashioned is the one with the red coated peanut. The frosting was called a meringue but was more like marshmallow creme. Yummy and VERY messy. That wouldn't work. The cake (chocolate) was a bit dry, too.
The gingerbread had a great, rich, deep flavor, but was really dense. It didn't feel like a cupcake at all, more like a dense loaf in the form of a cupcake.
Although Mr. T and I both enjoyed the flavor of the gingerbread one, we agreed that this is not our baker. So far, cupcake tasting #2 has been the best. We have one more next week and then we agreed to take stock of where we are, although I did just get another recommendation for a (different) vegan baker. Hmm....
Floral Workshop
The MOH and I took a floral workshop on Sunday. I was skeptical about how much this was going to help me, since I have nary a DIY bone in my body, but I thought it went really well! The instructor was nice and encouraging and very informative. I learned a lot about flowers. For example, when you receive flowers, it's the leaves that have a lot of the bacteria that kills the flowers more quickly, so you should strip off the leaves. Who knew?
For a Saturday wedding, she recommended picking the flowers up on Thursday, prepping them (de-thorning and de-leaving), and then letting them drink water/flower food for at least 5 hours, or overnight. Bouquets can be made on Friday, but boutonnieres/corsages should be made as late as possible, so either late Friday night or Saturday morning.
She also offered us a huge gift, which was that she convinced a few flower vendors at the local Flower Market to let us buy flowers at the wholesale price using her badge number. That's AMAZING! That alone was worth the cost of the workshop.
Before the workshop she sent us an email and asked us to bring gloves and shears, which the MOH and I had to buy. We started by stripping all the flowers. She mostly had roses there to work with; they are apparently very sturdy and good for us newbies to work with. You can see the MOH working with one of the metal rose strippers the instructor provided. I need to get my hands on one of those.
You can see how messy it gets! There were leaves and thorns everywhere. Note to self: Acquire large box for detritus.
After we'd prepped all the flowers she taught us how to put a bouquet together. You start with three flowers in a triangle and then add flowers, moving the bouquet in a circle. You hold the bouquet tightly, but not so tightly that you can't move flowers up and down to even out the look of the bouquet. For us, she recommended working with flowers in the same color family. So, shades of pink, or shades of red, etc. I chose two different types of red roses and some red berries. The MOH started with red roses and white spray roses, but quickly discovered why the instructor told us to work in the same color family--the white ones just stood out so much, it was clear when the arrangement wasn't symmetrical, etc. So the MOH ditched the white roses and grabbed some green berries, which I thought looked great.
Here's the MOH taping her bouquet once she was done adding flowers:
After taping them, next we added ribbon to cover the tape. I don't have a great shot of this part, but it wasn't too hard...just winding the ribbon around the stems. We finished by folding the frayed end of the ribbon underneath, then adding three pins. We angled the pins upward to stick into the stem, instead of just stabbing them straight into the ribbon. I also learned not to get a ribbon with a different color/textured edge--the edges of the ribbon were very obvious and distracting once I was done. I forgot to add my feathers until after I'd taped my bouquet (I'd brought some black feathers). When I remembered and got them out of my bag, everyone at the table stopped and said, "Oh....." like it had never occurred to them to add feathers. It's like, aren't you ladies reading bridal blogs? Come on, now. Anyway, I didn't end up adding the feathers, but the instructor showed me how I could add them, and it looked great, so now I can save these feathers for the real thing!
Here are our finished bouquets!
After we were done with our bouquets, we moved onto boutonnieres/corsages. Apparently the difference between the two (aside from which gender wears them) is that corsages have two flowers and light ribbon, and bouts have one flower and black ribbon. I don't know that I'll necessarily stick to the ribbon rule, but it was good to learn about them.
When the instructor started demonstrating how to wrap the ribbon, which involved wiring and folding and twisting and looping and tying, I turned to my MOH and said, "Um, you're handling these." After all, she's a Virgo, so I figured she'd be better at it. However, once we got into them, it was easier than I'd thought and I even helped the MOH with hers after she pinched her hand in the wire cutters and started bleeding. The instructor said that the MOH was her first casualty! We don't do anything small! Here are some pix of our hard (and bloody) work:
Not bad, huh? We were very proud of ourselves. I understand we just learned a few basics, but I feel so much better prepared to do my own flowers for the wedding. Now, I just need to learn a bit about centerpieces...
For a Saturday wedding, she recommended picking the flowers up on Thursday, prepping them (de-thorning and de-leaving), and then letting them drink water/flower food for at least 5 hours, or overnight. Bouquets can be made on Friday, but boutonnieres/corsages should be made as late as possible, so either late Friday night or Saturday morning.
She also offered us a huge gift, which was that she convinced a few flower vendors at the local Flower Market to let us buy flowers at the wholesale price using her badge number. That's AMAZING! That alone was worth the cost of the workshop.
Before the workshop she sent us an email and asked us to bring gloves and shears, which the MOH and I had to buy. We started by stripping all the flowers. She mostly had roses there to work with; they are apparently very sturdy and good for us newbies to work with. You can see the MOH working with one of the metal rose strippers the instructor provided. I need to get my hands on one of those.
You can see how messy it gets! There were leaves and thorns everywhere. Note to self: Acquire large box for detritus.
After we'd prepped all the flowers she taught us how to put a bouquet together. You start with three flowers in a triangle and then add flowers, moving the bouquet in a circle. You hold the bouquet tightly, but not so tightly that you can't move flowers up and down to even out the look of the bouquet. For us, she recommended working with flowers in the same color family. So, shades of pink, or shades of red, etc. I chose two different types of red roses and some red berries. The MOH started with red roses and white spray roses, but quickly discovered why the instructor told us to work in the same color family--the white ones just stood out so much, it was clear when the arrangement wasn't symmetrical, etc. So the MOH ditched the white roses and grabbed some green berries, which I thought looked great.
Here's the MOH taping her bouquet once she was done adding flowers:
After taping them, next we added ribbon to cover the tape. I don't have a great shot of this part, but it wasn't too hard...just winding the ribbon around the stems. We finished by folding the frayed end of the ribbon underneath, then adding three pins. We angled the pins upward to stick into the stem, instead of just stabbing them straight into the ribbon. I also learned not to get a ribbon with a different color/textured edge--the edges of the ribbon were very obvious and distracting once I was done. I forgot to add my feathers until after I'd taped my bouquet (I'd brought some black feathers). When I remembered and got them out of my bag, everyone at the table stopped and said, "Oh....." like it had never occurred to them to add feathers. It's like, aren't you ladies reading bridal blogs? Come on, now. Anyway, I didn't end up adding the feathers, but the instructor showed me how I could add them, and it looked great, so now I can save these feathers for the real thing!
Here are our finished bouquets!
After we were done with our bouquets, we moved onto boutonnieres/corsages. Apparently the difference between the two (aside from which gender wears them) is that corsages have two flowers and light ribbon, and bouts have one flower and black ribbon. I don't know that I'll necessarily stick to the ribbon rule, but it was good to learn about them.
When the instructor started demonstrating how to wrap the ribbon, which involved wiring and folding and twisting and looping and tying, I turned to my MOH and said, "Um, you're handling these." After all, she's a Virgo, so I figured she'd be better at it. However, once we got into them, it was easier than I'd thought and I even helped the MOH with hers after she pinched her hand in the wire cutters and started bleeding. The instructor said that the MOH was her first casualty! We don't do anything small! Here are some pix of our hard (and bloody) work:
Not bad, huh? We were very proud of ourselves. I understand we just learned a few basics, but I feel so much better prepared to do my own flowers for the wedding. Now, I just need to learn a bit about centerpieces...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Trash the Dress(es)
I found these courtesy of Rock and Roll Bride and then followed the link to the photographer's site. Sigh. How much do I LOVE this first image??
First: Green man tattoo. Second: Snake in hair!! Just awesome.
What's even more awesome is that they were shot in a graveyard and both the bride and groom are sporting white wedding dresses and Chuck Taylors. Ha!
Their real wedding was also held in a cemetery, and the bride wore black for the ceremony. These are my peeps.
You can view more photos of both the wedding and the TTD shoot by clicking on the embedded links above.
First: Green man tattoo. Second: Snake in hair!! Just awesome.
What's even more awesome is that they were shot in a graveyard and both the bride and groom are sporting white wedding dresses and Chuck Taylors. Ha!
Their real wedding was also held in a cemetery, and the bride wore black for the ceremony. These are my peeps.
You can view more photos of both the wedding and the TTD shoot by clicking on the embedded links above.
Fun STD Video
I loved this video, found courtesy of the Tacky Weddings blog. I particularly love the use of AC/DC. It does get a little...not family-friendly, though. I wonder if they just sent this to their friends? ;-)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
OMW Week 12; WW Week 2
So I've been doing the Cross Ramp at the gym with the bike sprinkled in once a week or so. I read an article about how since ellipticals, treadmills, stairmasters, etc. are weight-bearing exercises, they're better for you. Since I am lactose-intolerant and cannot eat dairy products to get my calcium, I need all the weight-bearing exercise I can get to keep my bones strong. The knee seems okay.
I did do something odd to my shoulder at the gym yesterday. I'm not sure what. At tomorrow's workout I'll probably do legs only, to give my shoulder a rest. Weird. It feels like I just slept on it wrong, but I didn't have it when I woke up...just after I worked out.
I weighed myself yesterday and, although I didn't weigh myself last week, I used the weight I was at the doctor's last month, and counting from that, I've lost a pound and a half! Which doesn't seem like much, but I think the muscle weight is accounting for some of that. I do feel like my body's changed a bit, which is fabulous.
It's been interesting doing the WW program. The first two days I was starving. Then I adjusted and I also started eating foods that packed more punch--more fiber, fewer calories. Not that I ate horribly before, but there's always room for improvement, right? Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good about it so far, and we even ate out a few times, so the tracking is getting easier (although I still believe the points system is BS!). Mr. T asked if WW had an iPhone app, and they don't. I think that's a huge business opportunity lost! Hopefully someone remedies that...
I did do something odd to my shoulder at the gym yesterday. I'm not sure what. At tomorrow's workout I'll probably do legs only, to give my shoulder a rest. Weird. It feels like I just slept on it wrong, but I didn't have it when I woke up...just after I worked out.
I weighed myself yesterday and, although I didn't weigh myself last week, I used the weight I was at the doctor's last month, and counting from that, I've lost a pound and a half! Which doesn't seem like much, but I think the muscle weight is accounting for some of that. I do feel like my body's changed a bit, which is fabulous.
It's been interesting doing the WW program. The first two days I was starving. Then I adjusted and I also started eating foods that packed more punch--more fiber, fewer calories. Not that I ate horribly before, but there's always room for improvement, right? Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good about it so far, and we even ate out a few times, so the tracking is getting easier (although I still believe the points system is BS!). Mr. T asked if WW had an iPhone app, and they don't. I think that's a huge business opportunity lost! Hopefully someone remedies that...
Review of Vampire Academy
It's been awhile since I posted a book review, but it's not for lack of reading! I was reading Watchmen for my book club (I bought that one, so it doesn't count as being good for my bridal budget), and another book a friend lent to me.
Vampire Academy is my first library book in awhile, then. I can't remember how I heard about it; probably Amazon recommendations. You know me and trashy urban fantasy novels--I can't resist them. Look at how the girl on the cover totally looks like Angelina Jolie! Shame, shame.
Anyway, this book is about what you'd think--questionable writing skills, but totally entertaining. There weren't any super new ideas here but the author rearranged them in an interesting way. The lead character Rose is half-vampire, half-human (dhampir) and she's going to school to become a guardian to a living vampire (in this book they're called Moroi). There are also the usual dead kind of vampires (Strigoi) who are the enemies of the Moroi and hunt them down.
The other interesting part is that the lead character and her best friend (Lissa, a Moroi whose thoughts and emotions she can sense) are in high school at an academy only attended by Moroi and dhampir, so you get all of the high school intrigue, but in an interesting way. Rose trains to become a guardian while Lissa trains to become Moroi, which includes learning to use magic and specializing in one element.
Of course, it turns out that Lissa's specialty is rare, which gets her kidnapped from the school at the end of the book, leading to the usual chase and rescue scenario.
Still, although there wasn't a lot that was surprising here, it was a fun, easy read and I enjoyed it.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Fun Dresses
I recently discovered the Rock N Roll Bride blog (how did I not know about this before??). Between that one and Offbeat Bride, I drool over all the lovely dresses...here are a few. Just had to share.
I love this vivid blue! I think either her mom or MIL made it. And, a tricorn hat! Just this morning Mr. T and I saw someone walking around in a tricorn hat and pirate coat; so festive!
I don't think Mr. T would go for a Marie Antoinette theme, but it's so decadent. I LOVE her hair. I've never had pink hair and sometimes I still think about going for it. The bleaching is what stops me. I worry that all of my hair would fall out.
And, y'all know I love red and corsets. She made her own skirt, which is impressive.
This is a great train. My skirt will be a tiny bit like this, although not as huge and with fewer layers of lace. But WOW.
I got this from my corset maker's album on Flickr. I kind of covet this necklace.
And we end with the beautiful Dita on her wedding day. Sigh. I know their marriage didn't work out, but OMG I love her. Such glamour.
I love this vivid blue! I think either her mom or MIL made it. And, a tricorn hat! Just this morning Mr. T and I saw someone walking around in a tricorn hat and pirate coat; so festive!
I don't think Mr. T would go for a Marie Antoinette theme, but it's so decadent. I LOVE her hair. I've never had pink hair and sometimes I still think about going for it. The bleaching is what stops me. I worry that all of my hair would fall out.
And, y'all know I love red and corsets. She made her own skirt, which is impressive.
This is a great train. My skirt will be a tiny bit like this, although not as huge and with fewer layers of lace. But WOW.
I got this from my corset maker's album on Flickr. I kind of covet this necklace.
And we end with the beautiful Dita on her wedding day. Sigh. I know their marriage didn't work out, but OMG I love her. Such glamour.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tax Season
As April approaches, we're all scrambling to get our taxes filed (well, I've already dropped off my taxes at my preparer's business, but Mr. T is scrambling, as are many others). What folks aren't thinking about is that April represents something else regarding taxes: Sales tax is going to increase.
In the county where we're getting married, the sales tax is going up a full percentage point, to 9.75%. That means an extra $100 on our budget (plus hidden costs like higher sales tax on items we purchase for the wedding).
$100 isn't so bad, but I can't help wishing that this had happened on 11/1 instead of 4/1.
In the county where we're getting married, the sales tax is going up a full percentage point, to 9.75%. That means an extra $100 on our budget (plus hidden costs like higher sales tax on items we purchase for the wedding).
$100 isn't so bad, but I can't help wishing that this had happened on 11/1 instead of 4/1.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Review of Weight Watchers So Far, Plus OMW: Days 25-27
Friday and Monday I used the CrossRamp. My knee is doing so much better--I am careful to always wear a neoprene sleeve, but I haven't had any pain, which is awesome. I was getting depressed, thinking I would have to stop Operation Morning Workout in order to figure out what was wrong. Phew!
Monday I did all arm/trunk exercises in addition to the cardio. The (assisted) pull-ups are feeling easier, which is fabulous. That's one of my favorite machines because it just feels like such an accomplishment to do a pull-up. Also, you can really feel all the muscles in your back and your abs working in addition to your arms, so it seems like such a great all-purpose exercise.
Today I did the bike and added a little time on, since I have fewer leg exercises. I also did three sets at the weight machines instead of 2. I only have four leg machines right now, and that's partially because I'm afraid of hurting my knee. I have no quad machines, which I'd like to remedy (in a safe way, of course). I think I will add the leg press and see how that goes. Mr. T thinks I work the quads out enough in general, but I just love the look of some well-sculpted legs, and the quads are such a strong support system for everything, but in particular belly dance, that I don't want to neglect them.
Yesterday I signed up for Weight Watchers. It's only $100/year through my work (typically it's $17/month). My opinion so far is that there are good things and bad things about it. Note that I'm just doing the online tools part, not the meetings. I have zero time for meetings, and I just don't think the sarcastic part of me would survive the meetings. I like the idea of the online stuff better.
So, to start with the bad things. Your daily food allowance is given to you in "points," which is some wholly manufactured idea that seems to be based on calories, fat grams, and fiber. It could just be me, but that seems like a dated idea. Then again, I haven't been losing weight doing what I'm doing, so what do I know. The thing that strikes me most about the "points" is that the formula for figuring out how many points a given food has is so complex that you'd never be able to do it without WW, which I suspect is the ahem, point. So, while WW can teach you some things, you will always need it. That's a bummer. Not all of the foods I eat are in their database (almond milk, for example), but they have a calculator as long as you know the calories, fat grams, and fiber in a serving. I'm not sure what to do about eating out. Do I bring measuring cups and teaspoons in order to track everything? I guess you get better over time, but it seems a little daunting.
I haven't really explored all the online information, so I withhold any other criticism for now, but I will comment that the website was running very slow today. Painfully slow.
To end on a good note: I really like the exercise of tracking my food, and their points tracker is really easy to use and organizes the information well. You can also add your activity in to get extra points to swap in if you use all your weekly points. It's helping me develop some reality around portion control how much food I should really be eating in a day if I would like to lose weight (depressingly, quite a bit less than what I was eating), and it's helping me avoid dumb snacking for the sake of snacking, since I'm now accountable. That's kinda how I figured it would go. I needed some help to realize I'm not always eating because I'm hungry.
I'll give updates as I go. The MOH is also on WW online and promises to give me tips on stuff I can eat with low points values that's really filling.
Monday I did all arm/trunk exercises in addition to the cardio. The (assisted) pull-ups are feeling easier, which is fabulous. That's one of my favorite machines because it just feels like such an accomplishment to do a pull-up. Also, you can really feel all the muscles in your back and your abs working in addition to your arms, so it seems like such a great all-purpose exercise.
Today I did the bike and added a little time on, since I have fewer leg exercises. I also did three sets at the weight machines instead of 2. I only have four leg machines right now, and that's partially because I'm afraid of hurting my knee. I have no quad machines, which I'd like to remedy (in a safe way, of course). I think I will add the leg press and see how that goes. Mr. T thinks I work the quads out enough in general, but I just love the look of some well-sculpted legs, and the quads are such a strong support system for everything, but in particular belly dance, that I don't want to neglect them.
Yesterday I signed up for Weight Watchers. It's only $100/year through my work (typically it's $17/month). My opinion so far is that there are good things and bad things about it. Note that I'm just doing the online tools part, not the meetings. I have zero time for meetings, and I just don't think the sarcastic part of me would survive the meetings. I like the idea of the online stuff better.
So, to start with the bad things. Your daily food allowance is given to you in "points," which is some wholly manufactured idea that seems to be based on calories, fat grams, and fiber. It could just be me, but that seems like a dated idea. Then again, I haven't been losing weight doing what I'm doing, so what do I know. The thing that strikes me most about the "points" is that the formula for figuring out how many points a given food has is so complex that you'd never be able to do it without WW, which I suspect is the ahem, point. So, while WW can teach you some things, you will always need it. That's a bummer. Not all of the foods I eat are in their database (almond milk, for example), but they have a calculator as long as you know the calories, fat grams, and fiber in a serving. I'm not sure what to do about eating out. Do I bring measuring cups and teaspoons in order to track everything? I guess you get better over time, but it seems a little daunting.
I haven't really explored all the online information, so I withhold any other criticism for now, but I will comment that the website was running very slow today. Painfully slow.
To end on a good note: I really like the exercise of tracking my food, and their points tracker is really easy to use and organizes the information well. You can also add your activity in to get extra points to swap in if you use all your weekly points. It's helping me develop some reality around portion control how much food I should really be eating in a day if I would like to lose weight (depressingly, quite a bit less than what I was eating), and it's helping me avoid dumb snacking for the sake of snacking, since I'm now accountable. That's kinda how I figured it would go. I needed some help to realize I'm not always eating because I'm hungry.
I'll give updates as I go. The MOH is also on WW online and promises to give me tips on stuff I can eat with low points values that's really filling.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Stasis
I did nothing on my wedding to-do list this weekend, not even finalizing the wed-site, which just requires me nagging Mr. T to get me photographs of his brother and nephew. He has them; he just hasn't chosen his favorites to put on the site. The weekend felt plenty busy without any wedding tasks, but I would like to check things off our list at some point!
I did do one thing: I bought some more decorations. That wasn't on our list, but I couldn't resist. At Pottery Barn they have these silver-tone vampire teeth that hold business cards; I think they'll be perfect for the buffet table, telling people what the dishes are. I actually already have one that a friend gave to me, so I went ahead and ordered two sets (they were on sale). Even if we don't use them on the buffet table, I know they'll be put to good use. Here's a pic:
Cute, huh? We didn't get the plates, just the teeth.
I did do one thing: I bought some more decorations. That wasn't on our list, but I couldn't resist. At Pottery Barn they have these silver-tone vampire teeth that hold business cards; I think they'll be perfect for the buffet table, telling people what the dishes are. I actually already have one that a friend gave to me, so I went ahead and ordered two sets (they were on sale). Even if we don't use them on the buffet table, I know they'll be put to good use. Here's a pic:
Cute, huh? We didn't get the plates, just the teeth.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
To-do List
On my to-do list this week:
And that's just wedding stuff...don't get me started on real life stuff!
I finally talked to the hotel in the marina and we don't get any special price for a room block, so I didn't book one. Our site is almost done; I just need photos of the best man and the ring bearer and we can publish it for the world to see! I also want to add more photos of us, but we have a good number up already, so I figure I can do that later.
The template is great because I can make all the updates and edits without harassing Mr. T, but it's limiting in that I can't move the pages around. Also the content is set to some extent. So, the second page has to be the photo album, which I think is dumb. That's the fun, fluff content that should come last! If I were organizing it, I would have a welcome page, then the info on the ceremony/reception, then accommodations, then registries, then the "about us" page, then info on local attractions, then the gallery. This template has the order as: 1. blog, 2. photo gallery, 3. guest book, 4. about us, 5. ceremony/reception, 6. accommodations (this was supposed to be some other page but I tweaked it to suit my purposes), 7. attendants, 8. registry. And, once we enable that page, the final page will be where folks can RSVP. Who designed this thing?
Well, I can't complain, I suppose. The price is right, and it is fairly easy to use.
Anyway, back to work!
- Finalize wedding website content, at least as much as we are able.
- Send save the date emails at least to family, so they can book hotels and flights.
- Contact more cupcakeries.
- Sign up for Weight Watchers.
- Talk to Mr. T about registries.
- Continue researching rehearsal dinner options.
And that's just wedding stuff...don't get me started on real life stuff!
I finally talked to the hotel in the marina and we don't get any special price for a room block, so I didn't book one. Our site is almost done; I just need photos of the best man and the ring bearer and we can publish it for the world to see! I also want to add more photos of us, but we have a good number up already, so I figure I can do that later.
The template is great because I can make all the updates and edits without harassing Mr. T, but it's limiting in that I can't move the pages around. Also the content is set to some extent. So, the second page has to be the photo album, which I think is dumb. That's the fun, fluff content that should come last! If I were organizing it, I would have a welcome page, then the info on the ceremony/reception, then accommodations, then registries, then the "about us" page, then info on local attractions, then the gallery. This template has the order as: 1. blog, 2. photo gallery, 3. guest book, 4. about us, 5. ceremony/reception, 6. accommodations (this was supposed to be some other page but I tweaked it to suit my purposes), 7. attendants, 8. registry. And, once we enable that page, the final page will be where folks can RSVP. Who designed this thing?
Well, I can't complain, I suppose. The price is right, and it is fairly easy to use.
Anyway, back to work!
OMW: Days 23 and 24
I can't believe we're only up to 24 days. It feels like it should be 100 by now!
I can't remember Friday's workout, so it must have been fine. Monday, thanks to the time change, I totally couldn't get out of bed. Mr. T was trying to persuade me, but I'd had 5 hours of sleep and wasn't budging. Tuesday we kidded ourselves we'd make the day up, but we were both tired and this time it was Mr. T who suggested we get more sleep. Then Wednesday came and Mr. T was snoring away, and I realized it was on me to get us both up so we could not only get a workout in but take a step toward adapting to the time change. So, I did. Yay me! The workout wasn't the best one ever, but we did it.
Next week we go to 4 days a week. I'm hoping that will help me get to bed earlier at night. Every other day is just not enough to shake up my sleeping patterns.
Another sucky thing about DST? Walking to the gym in the dark again! On Wednesday the MOON was out as I walked to the gym. That's just wrong.
I can't remember Friday's workout, so it must have been fine. Monday, thanks to the time change, I totally couldn't get out of bed. Mr. T was trying to persuade me, but I'd had 5 hours of sleep and wasn't budging. Tuesday we kidded ourselves we'd make the day up, but we were both tired and this time it was Mr. T who suggested we get more sleep. Then Wednesday came and Mr. T was snoring away, and I realized it was on me to get us both up so we could not only get a workout in but take a step toward adapting to the time change. So, I did. Yay me! The workout wasn't the best one ever, but we did it.
Next week we go to 4 days a week. I'm hoping that will help me get to bed earlier at night. Every other day is just not enough to shake up my sleeping patterns.
Another sucky thing about DST? Walking to the gym in the dark again! On Wednesday the MOON was out as I walked to the gym. That's just wrong.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Weekend Wedding Warriors
Aside from our tasting, on Sunday we also went to look at an alternate hotel for our guests who require more than one bed or wheelchair access. We chose a hotel right by the marina, and we really liked it. The setting was super cute, the hotel was well-appointed and modern, and although it's not walking distance to our wedding venue, it's fairly simple to get there via car, and a short drive.
We left my name and number and I'm waiting for them to call me back about a room block. I have to say, I'm surprised they haven't already. You'd think they'd be jumping all over our business in these economic times!
We also made a decision regarding a wedding website, or a wedsite if you'll excuse the term. Mr. T has been feeling pressured about this, since he's a website designer, but the truth is, finding the time for him to design it, and then having him lean on the html guys to build it, has been proving difficult. He was questioning whether we even needed one when I found the Nearlyweds templates provided by Offbeat Bride, which are $45 for two years and offer a unique URL and multiple pages for photos, details about accommodations, registries, and of course the ceremony information! They even have an online RSVP option, which is very attractive not only for the savings on postage and RSVP postcards but also because it's a more environmentally-friendly option. And, if my grandmother can master the internet at 91, everyone can!
The clincher is that some friends of ours who are getting married in September are using one of the templates, so Mr. T got to see how they worked and how they could be customized for each couple. So, we picked out a template and I'm slowly working on uploading content to it. That feels like progress! Now we can send out save-the-date emails and give folks the URL sooner, rather than later.
We left my name and number and I'm waiting for them to call me back about a room block. I have to say, I'm surprised they haven't already. You'd think they'd be jumping all over our business in these economic times!
We also made a decision regarding a wedding website, or a wedsite if you'll excuse the term. Mr. T has been feeling pressured about this, since he's a website designer, but the truth is, finding the time for him to design it, and then having him lean on the html guys to build it, has been proving difficult. He was questioning whether we even needed one when I found the Nearlyweds templates provided by Offbeat Bride, which are $45 for two years and offer a unique URL and multiple pages for photos, details about accommodations, registries, and of course the ceremony information! They even have an online RSVP option, which is very attractive not only for the savings on postage and RSVP postcards but also because it's a more environmentally-friendly option. And, if my grandmother can master the internet at 91, everyone can!
The clincher is that some friends of ours who are getting married in September are using one of the templates, so Mr. T got to see how they worked and how they could be customized for each couple. So, we picked out a template and I'm slowly working on uploading content to it. That feels like progress! Now we can send out save-the-date emails and give folks the URL sooner, rather than later.
Cupcake Tasting #2
"Tasting #2?" I can hear you all asking, "what happened to #1?"...yes, well, if you remember, we went to a cupcakery in our neighborhood some months ago and bought three cupcakes, so that was our first tasting.
Sunday, however, marked our first official tasting, with an appointment and everything. We had to pay $10 for the tasting, which I guess is not so different from that other cupcakery telling me that I could come in and buy cupcakes, but it just felt different.
We came dangerously close to missing our appointment, thanks to forgetting about Daylight Savings Time. I turned on my computer, saw the real time, and exclaimed, "holy crap, we need to leave in 15 minutes!" Luckily the traffic was on our side and we were right on time.
This bakery's name is an inadvertent Spinal Tap reference. The baker named her business, and then discovered the ST connection. It was a little disappointing, since we are ST fans, and also a little painful when she mentioned ST was before her time...ouch! Still, we liked her a lot.
We tried 9 mini cupcakes in our 45-minute slot. Mr. T and I split each of them, so we only had 4.5 minis each, and the baker assured us that it would end up being about the same amount as one slice of cake. However, you couldn't prove that by my stomach. Now, I have a sweet tooth, as I've mentioned. I thought nothing could conquer it. But at the end of our appointment, the thought of eating another cupcake was nauseating. I literally had to force myself to eat the last one. Who knew? I met my match, and its name is cupcake.
The first one we tried was the red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting. We both really liked this one. As I took the first bite I remembered that I hadn't put any lactaid pills in my purse. Ooops.
The next cupcake we tried was vanilla with vanilla buttercream frosting. Mr. T surprised me by declaring he liked the frosting better than the cream cheese. Just the other day he was telling our friends how he didn't like buttercream, but there he was at the tasting, switching sides. I liked the cookie on top but I thought the cake was unpleasantly dense. Luckily, we're not really interested in vanilla cake, so that one's crossed off, even if the frosting is not.
The next cupcake we tried was a dark chocolate with chocolate buttercream frosting. This one was yummy, but overwhelming. I think I'm just not one of those "chocolate with a layer of chocolate and some chocolate filling" type of gals. This one would be yummy with the vanilla frosting to cut the richness, though.
Cupcake #4 was the "Killer Carrot" flavor, and it was hands-down our favorite. It was carrot cake, no nuts, with vanilla cream cheese frosting and candied carrot on top. Mmmmmmm. Mr. T was raving about it.
The fifth cupcake was one of my favorites, although Mr. T was not as taken by it as I was: the pink lemonade flavor. It was just a little tart, which was a nice balance for the sweet frosting, and it was refreshing, just like real pink lemonade. And she told us that pink lemonade is lemon with pomegranate juice, which I hadn't known, so it was an educational flavor as well.
The next cupcake almost killed me. I think this is the one that made me declare I had to take a break. It was the raspberry truffle cupcake, and much like a real truffle, I didn't want to eat anything else once I was done. This one would make people keel over were it full-sized. Luckily I only had half a mini.
We passed the break by asking questions about herself and her bakery business...she is planning on opening a retail shop soon. She had originally gotten her masters in education, and whim took her completely in a different direction with her cupcake business. It's so interesting to find out how people end up where they are.
Anyway, the next cupcake was called Strawberry Blonde and was a honey cake with strawberry frosting. The "honey" referred to half the sugar being replaced by honey. I thought it was interesting, but not my fave. For this one she came up with the name before she created the cupcake!
I really liked the second to last cupcake, which was a mocha cupcake with a crazy name sorta making fun of Starbucks drink orders. I think I may have liked it mostly because the bitterness of the coffee was such a welcome change from the sugar overload I was experiencing. Mr. T didn't love it because he likes his coffee unadulterated, and for him, this did taste like a fancy coffee drink.
The final cupcake not only tested my capacity for sugar, but it was a flavor I didn't really care for--coconut s'mores. Coconut cake, chocolate ganache frosting, and homemade marshmellow creme. I liked the marshmellow the best, but I'm just not a coconut lover. It's the gritty texture (and there was grated coconut in the cake, so I got to enjoy all that grit!). The baker surprised me by declaring she also hated coconut. I thought that was funny.
She also has a cupcake tier available for rent for a very reasonable price, and it would hold all the cupcakes, so we'd only need the one. And she can make us a "big cupcake" if we wanted something to cut at the ceremony, so our cake table would look something like this, only more awesome:
She could also decorate them for Halloween for us, like so:
Which, while no Ace of Cakes, is still pretty cute.
She mentioned that there's a pumpkin flavor available in the Fall that I would love to try. I like the idea of throwing something seasonal in there.
So, our thoughts? The cupcakes were moist, her prices were good, we liked her a lot, and she's definitely a contender. Mr. T wasn't crazy about the paper cups they came in, but that was our only negative, really, aside from the sugar sickness!
Our next scheduled tasting isn't until next month, unless we want to just go buy some cupcakes at some of the other places. That one place still has not emailed me back, so I guess that takes them out of the running!
One lesson we learned is that there's no way we can schedule two tastings the same day. We'd die. I thought we should have them close together so we could compare, but really, I'll just have to take good notes, I think!
Sunday, however, marked our first official tasting, with an appointment and everything. We had to pay $10 for the tasting, which I guess is not so different from that other cupcakery telling me that I could come in and buy cupcakes, but it just felt different.
We came dangerously close to missing our appointment, thanks to forgetting about Daylight Savings Time. I turned on my computer, saw the real time, and exclaimed, "holy crap, we need to leave in 15 minutes!" Luckily the traffic was on our side and we were right on time.
This bakery's name is an inadvertent Spinal Tap reference. The baker named her business, and then discovered the ST connection. It was a little disappointing, since we are ST fans, and also a little painful when she mentioned ST was before her time...ouch! Still, we liked her a lot.
We tried 9 mini cupcakes in our 45-minute slot. Mr. T and I split each of them, so we only had 4.5 minis each, and the baker assured us that it would end up being about the same amount as one slice of cake. However, you couldn't prove that by my stomach. Now, I have a sweet tooth, as I've mentioned. I thought nothing could conquer it. But at the end of our appointment, the thought of eating another cupcake was nauseating. I literally had to force myself to eat the last one. Who knew? I met my match, and its name is cupcake.
The first one we tried was the red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting. We both really liked this one. As I took the first bite I remembered that I hadn't put any lactaid pills in my purse. Ooops.
The next cupcake we tried was vanilla with vanilla buttercream frosting. Mr. T surprised me by declaring he liked the frosting better than the cream cheese. Just the other day he was telling our friends how he didn't like buttercream, but there he was at the tasting, switching sides. I liked the cookie on top but I thought the cake was unpleasantly dense. Luckily, we're not really interested in vanilla cake, so that one's crossed off, even if the frosting is not.
The next cupcake we tried was a dark chocolate with chocolate buttercream frosting. This one was yummy, but overwhelming. I think I'm just not one of those "chocolate with a layer of chocolate and some chocolate filling" type of gals. This one would be yummy with the vanilla frosting to cut the richness, though.
Cupcake #4 was the "Killer Carrot" flavor, and it was hands-down our favorite. It was carrot cake, no nuts, with vanilla cream cheese frosting and candied carrot on top. Mmmmmmm. Mr. T was raving about it.
The fifth cupcake was one of my favorites, although Mr. T was not as taken by it as I was: the pink lemonade flavor. It was just a little tart, which was a nice balance for the sweet frosting, and it was refreshing, just like real pink lemonade. And she told us that pink lemonade is lemon with pomegranate juice, which I hadn't known, so it was an educational flavor as well.
The next cupcake almost killed me. I think this is the one that made me declare I had to take a break. It was the raspberry truffle cupcake, and much like a real truffle, I didn't want to eat anything else once I was done. This one would make people keel over were it full-sized. Luckily I only had half a mini.
We passed the break by asking questions about herself and her bakery business...she is planning on opening a retail shop soon. She had originally gotten her masters in education, and whim took her completely in a different direction with her cupcake business. It's so interesting to find out how people end up where they are.
Anyway, the next cupcake was called Strawberry Blonde and was a honey cake with strawberry frosting. The "honey" referred to half the sugar being replaced by honey. I thought it was interesting, but not my fave. For this one she came up with the name before she created the cupcake!
I really liked the second to last cupcake, which was a mocha cupcake with a crazy name sorta making fun of Starbucks drink orders. I think I may have liked it mostly because the bitterness of the coffee was such a welcome change from the sugar overload I was experiencing. Mr. T didn't love it because he likes his coffee unadulterated, and for him, this did taste like a fancy coffee drink.
The final cupcake not only tested my capacity for sugar, but it was a flavor I didn't really care for--coconut s'mores. Coconut cake, chocolate ganache frosting, and homemade marshmellow creme. I liked the marshmellow the best, but I'm just not a coconut lover. It's the gritty texture (and there was grated coconut in the cake, so I got to enjoy all that grit!). The baker surprised me by declaring she also hated coconut. I thought that was funny.
She also has a cupcake tier available for rent for a very reasonable price, and it would hold all the cupcakes, so we'd only need the one. And she can make us a "big cupcake" if we wanted something to cut at the ceremony, so our cake table would look something like this, only more awesome:
She could also decorate them for Halloween for us, like so:
Which, while no Ace of Cakes, is still pretty cute.
She mentioned that there's a pumpkin flavor available in the Fall that I would love to try. I like the idea of throwing something seasonal in there.
So, our thoughts? The cupcakes were moist, her prices were good, we liked her a lot, and she's definitely a contender. Mr. T wasn't crazy about the paper cups they came in, but that was our only negative, really, aside from the sugar sickness!
Our next scheduled tasting isn't until next month, unless we want to just go buy some cupcakes at some of the other places. That one place still has not emailed me back, so I guess that takes them out of the running!
One lesson we learned is that there's no way we can schedule two tastings the same day. We'd die. I thought we should have them close together so we could compare, but really, I'll just have to take good notes, I think!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Updates...
The cupcakery with the funny website that I was lamenting for not emailing me back sent me a very nice email saying their new kitchen is currently under construction, so they couldn't do a tasting. They said I could check back with them in a few months, and also offered names of other cupcakeries for me to contact. Very nice! I forgive them the tardiness.
Of course, now one of the alternatives is not contacting me back. Sigh. Patience, patience...
Also, I did a little research and discovered that the muscle I am building between my shoulders and neck is the trapezius, and it's the row that's building them, not the pull-ups.
Of course, now one of the alternatives is not contacting me back. Sigh. Patience, patience...
Also, I did a little research and discovered that the muscle I am building between my shoulders and neck is the trapezius, and it's the row that's building them, not the pull-ups.
Flower DIY Workshop, plus random stuff
The MOH agreed to take a DIY flower arranging workshop with me in a few weeks. Since it looks like we're now having flowers on the tables, as well as my bouquet, the two bridesmaids' bouquets, and boutennieres for Mr. T, his best man, our officiant, the dads, PLUS corsages for the moms (and my grandma, if she comes), and it also looks like we dumbly decided to do it ourselves (with Mr. T's mom's help), I thought some training was in order.
The workshop is $75 per person (supplies are provided), and they walk you through all of the items mentioned above. While I think it's worth it, I also think that the MOH shouldn't have to pay for my bright ideas, so that's $150 added to our budget...which I'm wrestling with. I know it will all be cheaper than hiring a florist to do these things, so I suppose I just need some perspective. Right? Plus, if we're just hopeless at it, that will be a nice warning well ahead of the wedding, and we can start replanning our tables and talking to florists. So I guess it's a worthwhile investment. Right?
Speaking of bouquets, I just love feathers in them. Here are some fun photos from the interweb:
I really love the idea of feather boutennieres and corsages. We can make them ahead of time, and then use those same feathers in the bouquets to tie everything together.
Regarding the centerpieces, we've been struggling with how to incorporate the candy jars into the centerpieces, now that we've added pumpkins/flowers into the mix. I couldn't help but be interested in this candy-themed wedding on Weddingbee. First, I love their invites--candy bars with a golden ticket inside! Who wouldn't love that??
Second, for their escort cards, they used images of candy to convey the guests' dinner choices. You can barely see it, but the cards were clustered atop different boxes of candy--whatever candy your card was on coordinated to the table where you were sitting. High-concept, but I guess it worked for them:
Here are some pictures of their centerpieces:
I love the bright colors and how the candy is also in the vase with the flowers! Nice.
Here's a picture of a menu on the table...they put a different quote from Willy Wonka on each table's menu. I love these people!
I've been talking about my love for papercutting...look at these great numbers and letters I found via Weddingbee, for an Etsy vendor:
I love these! Sigh. Maybe we can recreate something like this on the invites...
I found another great pumpkin image, sort of like the Martha Stewart pumpkins I've been admiring:
I also found some great cake images during my search for cupcakeries. Look at the amazing Corpse Bride cake, complete with cake topper to represent the two brides:
And look at this great Hello Kitty zombie cake! Obviously not a wedding cake, but I love it:
And finally, speaking of HK, I love this pic of a Hello Kitty wedding done in Japan! The bride and groom run the Hello Kitty museum in Germany. Look at the top of her dress!
The workshop is $75 per person (supplies are provided), and they walk you through all of the items mentioned above. While I think it's worth it, I also think that the MOH shouldn't have to pay for my bright ideas, so that's $150 added to our budget...which I'm wrestling with. I know it will all be cheaper than hiring a florist to do these things, so I suppose I just need some perspective. Right? Plus, if we're just hopeless at it, that will be a nice warning well ahead of the wedding, and we can start replanning our tables and talking to florists. So I guess it's a worthwhile investment. Right?
Speaking of bouquets, I just love feathers in them. Here are some fun photos from the interweb:
I really love the idea of feather boutennieres and corsages. We can make them ahead of time, and then use those same feathers in the bouquets to tie everything together.
Regarding the centerpieces, we've been struggling with how to incorporate the candy jars into the centerpieces, now that we've added pumpkins/flowers into the mix. I couldn't help but be interested in this candy-themed wedding on Weddingbee. First, I love their invites--candy bars with a golden ticket inside! Who wouldn't love that??
Second, for their escort cards, they used images of candy to convey the guests' dinner choices. You can barely see it, but the cards were clustered atop different boxes of candy--whatever candy your card was on coordinated to the table where you were sitting. High-concept, but I guess it worked for them:
Here are some pictures of their centerpieces:
I love the bright colors and how the candy is also in the vase with the flowers! Nice.
Here's a picture of a menu on the table...they put a different quote from Willy Wonka on each table's menu. I love these people!
I've been talking about my love for papercutting...look at these great numbers and letters I found via Weddingbee, for an Etsy vendor:
I love these! Sigh. Maybe we can recreate something like this on the invites...
I found another great pumpkin image, sort of like the Martha Stewart pumpkins I've been admiring:
I also found some great cake images during my search for cupcakeries. Look at the amazing Corpse Bride cake, complete with cake topper to represent the two brides:
And look at this great Hello Kitty zombie cake! Obviously not a wedding cake, but I love it:
And finally, speaking of HK, I love this pic of a Hello Kitty wedding done in Japan! The bride and groom run the Hello Kitty museum in Germany. Look at the top of her dress!
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