My bouquet is back!

So when it came to all the wedding hoop-lah I toiled with whether or not I wanted to preserve my flowers. In 20 years was I really going to care if I had a shadow box of some old dried up bouquet? (I'm hugely sentimental, can ya tell =P ) After looking into it and seeing the price tag, I ultimately decided, "Nah, I'll be ok with not having it preserved."

Fast forward to the morning after the wedding

As I awoke in my newlywed bliss I saw my bouquet in all it's glory sitting in a vase on the hotel room table, I couldn't bear to just let it die. I had forgotten just 12 hours earlier in my only bridezilla moment of the entire day, while tripping up the steps because I couldn't hold my gown AND bouquet I blurted out "Will someone take these f*cking flowers before I kill myself on these stairs!!" (My new MIL was thankfully the only one at the top of these said stairs to hear my tantrum)

When we got back home that morning I was on a mission. I frantically started searching through all my wedding stuff, trying to find that info I'd picked up at the bridal fair months ago. As my newlywed husband helps me look, assuring me it would be OK I'm pretty sure I yelled back, "OH MY GOD its New Year's Day. No one will be open. My flowers are going to die along with the rest of my wedding memories" (I tend to be a little dramatic and I think the emotions of the day being over had gone slightly to my head) Lucky for my husband, I found the info and left a frantic message on the woman's machine pleading it not be too late. I heard back from her and was assured she could indeed take my flowers the following day as we headed out of town for our "mini-moon." Crisis averted.

Fast forward 7 months, yes, 7 months

I finally get to see the finished product and it's gorgeous. I can't wait till we actually have a house to display it in. But for now, it's quite happy living perched atop the dresser in our bedroom. In 20 years will I be happy I did it? You betcha!

Big Love

So when it comes to HBO shows I'm eternally outta the loop. I didn't start watching Sex and the City until AFTER the series was over. I know. I can't believe it either. One weekend years ago I got the first season on DVD to see what all the fuss was about and was instantly hooked. Well now fast forward 6 years. I still too cheap to pay for HBO. No biggie. SATC is over anyways and I own them all on DVD. Well my friend recently turned me on to a new series called Big Love. It's about a polygamous family living in the suburbs of Utah. I am hooked! The drama between the 3 wives is hysterical. My favorite is Margie, the 3rd wife played by actress Ginnifer Goodwin (the main girl from He's just Not that into You). I've always liked her as an actress and she plays this role perfectly! Plus she reminds me a little of me, so it's easy to be biased. I suppose if there's an upside to living 10 hours from your husband it would be the freedom to watch episode after episode after episode with an ounce of guilt. Next time you have a rainy day you should check it out!

The one thing about the show however, is knowing things like this actually exist outside of the HBO sound stage. At the beginning of the pilot episode it said there are 20,000-40,000 people in the US living a polygamous lifestyle. I can't believe it! What woman in their right mind would share their husband...with 2 other women?? He kisses them all in front of each other. The other wives catch each other sleeping with him. They have this weird demented schedule so he knows which wife he's with and when. I don't know about you, but I can be a pretty jealous person and this certainly wouldn't fly in my house. Plus I don't think my hubs could handle 3 wives. I'm pretty much all any one man could handle! Haha.

Help me find a new moisturizer!

So in the last few months I've been playing around with my face regimen. I have tried just about everything. From expensive Philosophy and Origins to cheapy Biore and Olay. The Philosophy made my face break out like a pre-pubescent teen. The Origins and Biore made my uber senstive skin look like I'd spent one too many hours in sun. So much for being "all natural." I finally settled on Olay for sensitive skin. So far so good. I've also been using the Olay Touch of Sun moisturizer which I love...except for the greasy heavy feeling I get from wearing it.

Does anyone have a good moisturizer with built-in sunless tanner that's not going to break the bank??

My "to-go" list

I've decided lately I've been in a bit of a blog funk. I apologize for post after post involving the boring details that are my life. You can probably only read so much about condo selling, job searching and moving to KC before officially taking me off your regular must read list. To mix things up I'm going to share with you my "To-Go" list. Honestly I have soooo many I want to visit some day, but I will limit it to my top 10. Enjoy! And I promise I'll try and be a little more entertaining with my blogging!

1. Ireland. I'm not Irish. My husband isn't Irish. Heck, I don't think I even know anyone who's Irish. But for some reason I have this undying urge to go to Ireland.

2. Greece. Thanks to The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, I am obsessed with Santorini and the rest of the Greek Isles.

3. London. Double Decker buses, red phone booths, Big Ben and the Queen? Sign me up! 4. Alaska. I am a cruise-a-holic and have been told by fellow cruisers this one is a MUST SEE! We have it tentatively scheduled for Summer 2010. 5. Dominican Republic. I have friends who honeymooned there and really must experience it for myself. 6. Las Vegas. I'm not one for gambling, but everyone really should see sin city at least once in their life.

7. San Francisco. I've conquered southern cal, now it's time to venture up north. 8. Madison, WI. No, I don't have an obsession with cheese. I am however a self proclaimed college football fanatic and I want to experience at least one Wisconsin/Ohio State game at "Camp Randall" in my lifetime. However as a devout Buckeye, I promise not to "Jump Around" in the 3rd quarter. GO BUCKS! 9. Hawaii. Ok this one is sort of cheating. I did in fact spend 5 days in Oahu in May. However it was with my co-workers and it was only one island. I want to go back with the hubs and see Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. 10. Outer Banks, NC. Cliche Ohio vacay destination I know, but I've heard so much about the dang place I want to join the crowds that flock there to see it's magnificence for myself!
So there you have it. I better get crackin' if I want to see all these places! What's on your to-go list??

26 days....

'Till I get to see my hubby again and officially move to KC. Not that anyone is counting.

I stepped off the plane in Columbus and was greeted on the other side of security by a slew of "Welcome Home" signs, patriotic balloons, American flags and anxious families. I took this as a pretty good sign there was a plane of troops landing somewhere behind me. I've really never known anyone in the military, but the looks on all those faces made me a little misty eyed. If they can all make it 12-15 months apart...I can surely handle 26 days.

Let the countdown begin!

On a more depressing side note. Over the weekend we had 2 very serious buyers, one of whom made an offer. The offer was about 10k less than we wanted, but we attempted to meet in the middle and lost. They wouldn't budge. Another no go. The second buyer didn't want to get wrapped up in a bidding war, so now that there's no competition we're hoping she will offer....but we're expecting another low ball. At what point do we just throw in the towel and give the place away......

*sigh

Tasty Tuesday

Hello lovelies! As promised I am going to start trying new and healthy recipes to share with all of you. Since I haven't been home to cook I'm going to give you one of my old tried and true goodies. I found it in Shape magazine a few years ago in their 7 day jump start diet. I probably ate this once or twice a week back in my single days. It's super easy and very filling! Hope you all enjoy it! I also included my new found party cove recipe, it's a great salsa alternative and was delish with chips and veggies!

Greek Salad
1 cup cooked whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped black olives (I omit these, I'm not an olive lover)
2 tablespoons light vinaigrette (I liked reduced fat balsalmic)

Combine all salad ingredients in a medium bowl and drizzle with dressing.
Makes 1 serving

Cowboy Caviar
Dressing:
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1 t cumin

Then add:
1 can black eyed peas (drain and rinse)
1 can white and yellow corn (drain)
1 tomato, chopped as desired
green onion, chopped (all greens)
2 avocados (add right before ready to serve)

Bon Appetit!

I have a plan!!

So lately my life has seemed so up in the air. The hubs has moved to KC. Started his job. Began his new life here. I'm in Columbus. With the condo that may never sell. Unsure when I will EVER get to move. Trying to job search 700 miles away.

Today....I made a plan.

My meet and greet with the Placement Agency went well this morning. So well in fact she sent me directly to an office that's looking for a hygienist. The interview went swimmingly...they want to bring me back for a working interview. Working interviews are very common in my profession. You basically go and work there for a day to see how the office runs, etc etc. They are tremendously helpful in deciding if you like the office. If it's not a match, at least it was a paid day, so nothing really lost. Anyways.....they want to see me back (HOORAY!) but not until Aug 10 (HMPH!). They've just started interviewing, are gone on vacation and not in a huge hurry to hire yet. Not a big deal, with the condo still on the market I'm in no real hurry either. The placement agency also said until I find a permanent job, she can find me temp jobs at least 3 days a week. I'm currently only working 4 as it is, so 3 would be do-able.

Now onto the plan.

When I return to Columbus tomorrow I will give my two offices official notice. I will work through July, my last days being Aug 5 and 6. The hubs is flying in for a wedding Aug 7. We will attend said wedding Friday night. Saturday we will pack up my things and drive to KC, leaving the condo behind....still on the market. I will go to my second interview Monday 8/10 and start subbing in the meantime to pay the bills. I hear the banks frown in it when you don't. Pesky mortgages. We may be a little tight in the moo-lah dept for awhile, but with this economy that's nothing new. It will be certainly be easier for me to continue my job search in KC. Plus the flying/driving back and forth is draining on the bank account.

So there it is. I have a plan. Kansas City HERE I COME!