Wedding Wednesday!

It's that time again - Wedding Wednesday!!  Today I'll be talking about cake.  Delicious, wonderful, chocolately-vanillay- strawberry (or whatever flavour you're into) cake!!  Now, this is not something that just popped into my head last night on a whim...it's been inspired by a friend's cake.  In fact, it's been inspired by my friend's groom's cake!   Basically, they had the COOLEST groom's cake ever - and they've been featured on The Knot so they're basically famous (or at least the cake is!).  So without further ado the groom's cake:



Photo courtsey of TheKnot.



 

Isn't that en EPIC cake?! Lindsay's husband, Brad, slew the fierce cake with a sword! 

 

So now for my part of this Wedding Wednesday - my cake.   Because it's all about me!

 

I picture a fairly simple cake for our wedding.  Dan says I can do what I want but I know, from pictures I've shown him, that he prefers something simple as well.  Probably 3 tiers, something delicious like chocolate and probably white with some fresh flowers or ribbon.  We want it to reflect the easy, fun feel that we're going for with the rest of the wedding.



This one is nice but I think it has a few too many flowers.
Maybe plainer icing too...



This is stunning!  I love the delicate little flowers.



This is fun and simple and the one that I'm
really leaning towards.

 

 So needless to say I've got some scouting to do over the next few months.  I'll keep y'all updated.

 

What do you think about the cake choices? Any other suggestions?

Tuesday...

It's not quite the dreaded Monday, not quite hump-day Wednesday...it's Tuesday.  Boring old, do nothing, just sitting at work, don't want to get out of bed, raining because it can Tuesday.  


So in honor of this bleak, grim, rainy, good-for-only-staying-inside-Tuesday I present you with a recipe for Banana Crumb Muffins!! NOM NOM NOM!!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 
-Line muffin tin with muffin papers. (Makes about 10-16 muffins...depending on size)
-In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
-In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. 
-Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture. 
-Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. 


-In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. 
-Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles chunky cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

-Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

OH.MY.GOD!

TLC IS RELEASING SAY YES TO THE DRESS: BIG BLISS!!!!!!

It's all about plus sized brides! It's my dream wedding show!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

Click here to see the glory!

Friday Five!!

Time for my Friday Five, as posted by the lovely Mama M. at Five Crooked Halos!

1) If you could speak with a different accent, what would it be?
Probably Irish.  I love a good thick Irish accent!!

2) Can you fall asleep anywhere?
I can actually only (usually) fall asleep in a bed.  Preferably my bed.  I've been known to sleep in chairs or on couches when I've had a few too many adult beverages but generally, being a larger lady, it's a lot easier to sleep in a good ol' bed.

3)Do you use public restrooms? If so, do you sit on the toilet?
I've been known to use a public restroom or two.  If I do use them I wipe 'em down with toilet paper and then sit.  Hovering is annoying.

4) If you were stuck in an elevator for 24 hours, what celebrity would you most want to be stuck with?
Hmmmm...Chelsea Handler.  She'd have a good amount of Belvedere Vodka that we could enjoy...I'm sure it would be a good time!!

5) Where did you and your significant other go on your first date?
We went to Tim Hortons and had coffee.  We stayed for over 3 hours and just talked.  *sigh* It was wonderful!!

Blogging Birthdays

Today is a special day in my world.  Today is Mr. Dan's 28th birthday!!  So, in honor of that I present you with my wonderful fiancé, Mr. Dan.

He's so smart!  Here he's pointing out some feature
of the rocks at Peggy's Cove.

What a family guy.  Hanging out with Mikey.

He knows how to relax and have a good time.
Here he is in Cuba, on our vacation,
enjoying a gin and tonic and a Cuban cigar.

And he's a wonderful partner.  This was taken earlier this summer
at my family's summer home.

So there is my tribute to my awesome, sweet, amazing, fiancé.  Mr. Dan.

Tomorrow we'll return to our regularly scheduled sarcasm;)

Wedding Wednesday!

Time for another edition of Wedding Wednesday!  This week is a very special post because we're going to be discussing, as promised, WEDDING DRESSES!

We've been engaged about 6 months now.  We're not getting married until next September but I decided that come the one year mark I would start trying on dresses.  I didn't know how long it would take (1 visit, 2 visits? A month? 4 months?!) so I wanted to make sure I had lots of time...but not so much time that I'd change my mind.  I also wanted to make sure that I would get to try on a variety of dresses in a variety of styles so that I would really know what I wanted when I saw it.  So, it began...

Mom took me to a store a few weeks ago and we tried on umpteen dresses.  I saw a few that were nice...

My favorite from that trip...

Love the lace and beading detail on this!!

And then there were some that weren't quite so nice...

The vag dress. (As dubbed by Carrie)

After that adventure I knew I hadn't found it.  I found some that I really liked and I found some that I really didn't like.  I thought I knew the general style I liked though, so that was a good thing.  My next adventure would take place just outside of Boston.  I went shopping with my aunt and my cousin.  I teased you with one of those pictures recently.  I really really really liked that dress...and that surprised me.  It was plain, which I didn't think I would like, but it was really nice.  I decided that it might be "the one" but wanted to look a little more. 

Really, let's focus, I didn't want to make a decision and then find out there was another dress that I was in love with.  So mom and I decided to do one last trip this weekend.  We headed to Winchester's Bridal in downtown Hali with my sister and my mom's BFF Paula.  We were there for 2.5 hours!! HOLY HELL! Trying on dresses is tiring, and fun, and sweaty, and hot, and exciting and frustrating!

But I found some lovely dresses...

Yes, this is almost the exact same dress as before.
I just really really liked it.  

This one was really nice too.  Not so beady-sparkley and formal.
But still really nice.  Like my bouquet? haha!

And then I saw it.  A dress that I never thought I'd like.  It was a dress that had pick-ups...which until now I thought would look AWFUL on me.  Then my consultant told me to try it.  I didn't know if it would work but it was the last dress she had in the room (after 2.5 hours!) so I said yes.  It was plain so she added a really nice red sash and...

Waiting for the reveal...

Please excuse the sweaty-gross look I have...I was EXHAUSTED.

TADA!! This is the dress.  I knew the minute I walked out of the room.  It wasn't too fancy, it wasn't glittery, it was fun, it moved and swung around and it was different from anything I'd ever worn.  It made me smile, in fact my sister said it made my eyes light up (although in the pic I think I look like I'm ready to die from exhaustion!).  I loved it.  Mom immediately started crying (good sign!) and her BFF Paula pulled out her tissue too.  It's wonderful.  It's comfortable.  It's fun and different and I LOVE it.  Oh, and it was only HALF OF MY BUDGET! So I bought it.  Or rather my wonderful, fantastic mother surprised me and bought it for me.  It will be in by April, leaving me tons of time to get alterations and buy accessories to go with it.

I love it!!

Playful Pugs

Today I present you with a video (we made it on Dan's iPhone! Very cool!) of Mikey and Molly playing with a pop bottle they found at the baseball field.  It went on for close to 20 minutes and it's pretty hilarious.

Enjoy...

EDIT: I apologize for the sideways video.  I'm not sure how to fix that.

Friday Five!

This is something new I'm going to try.  I wandered on over to My Little Life earlier today and she has this five questions up each Friday.  I think it would be fun to play along.  So without further ado...

1) What is the first nightmare you remember?

I had this reoccurring nightmare from since before I can remember until I was about 18.  I was being chased through our house by his HUGE wolf.  It was big and black and it would chase me up the stairs (we lived on the top floor of my grandparent's house) then I'd slam the door and lean against it.  I could hear it out there growling and then it would get quiet.  I'd look and it would be gone.  I'd be excited until I realized it was coming for the back door.  So I'd run to shut that door and it would ALMOST get in.  Then I'd realize I hear the front door open and it would continue with me running back and forth for what seemed like ages.  Eventually I'd be running across a bridge that was made of rope and I'd fall through and wake up.

Strange...

2) Even if you're not a sports fan, what is your favorite sport to play/watch?

I love hockey.  I'm Canadian.  I can't help it.

3) If you could pull off one piece of trendy fashion, what would it be?

I dunno...maybe something about leggings.  I like leggings but I refuse to wear a t-shirt and leggings, they have to be under a dress or long shirt.  So maybe leggings with just a nice tee or something...

4) Did you make good grades in school?

Yes.  Except once I hit grade 8 my French grades hit the can.  I found conjugating those damned verbs really hard! SO MANY!

5) What magazines do you subscribe to?

None!! lol

I used to have a subscription to Bon Appetit but it was a gift and once it ran out I left it alone.  

Cha cha cha changes!!

You may notice me switching back and forth between colors and layouts over the next couple of days.  I'm really not impressed with what I've got going on here so please bear with me.

Weddings...weddings...weddings!!

I thought about starting a Wedding Wednesday today, thinking that it would be a wonderful addition to the blog and I could keep all my wedding-ly thoughts in here.  I also thought it would be nice to have something solid, like a feature, once a week.  Then I realized it was Thursday.  So our first edition of Wedding Wednesday will be today, Thursday.  (You'll get over it.)

First I thought I'd start by introducing you to my wonderful fiancé.  Then I realized how much time and energy that would take so instead I invite you to venture here, to our wedding website, and browse around.  It has all sorts of need to know info.  So with introductions out of the way I thought I'd move on to my current obsession - the colours and theme/feel for our wedding.

I really want to use red.  I love a nice bright red.  It's cheery and happy and just makes me smile.  Then I needed something to go with red.  Well that decision was made easy when I walked into the ballroom we've decided to use and they had these huge yellow and red daises on the tables.

Think this...but with yellow.

So I've found my colors, I've ran them by Mr. Dan and by the girls, my mom, my dad, his parents...well everyone that apparently gets a say in my wedding decisions...and they all love it.  Awesome, because I wasn't going to change it anyways.  So now we move on to other things...like dresses, the groomsmen, bouquets, invites, yadda yadda yadda.  I want this wedding to be fun but still classy.  I want people to have a good time but I want it to look nice.  So I did some more searching online and came up with some inspiration....

I love the red dresses and the casual feel of this.  Also, Dan
has requested cheesecake (his only request) so it fits!

This is quite pretty.  More orangey than yellow but it's just an idea.

Kind of pink-y but I really like the feel it gives you.  Just need red
for some more pop!!

Oh and for good measure, and as a little tease, here's the dress I tried on while I was away.  I really think it might be the one.  I have pictures of me in it, but I will be posting a full bridal fashion show next week so until then you can look at the stock picture.

No I wouldn't wear the gloves...

So apparently I'm fat...

AND NONE OF YOU ASSHOLES TOLD ME!!!


Kidding!! Obviously, as an *ahem* larger woman I know that I could stand to lose a few pounds.  It's really been a lifelong battle for me, as it has for many women, and I know it's not a battle that I'll always win.  I'm okay with the fact that I'm a chubby lady.  I'm (to quote the doctor) "really healthy", aside from my obvious chub.  And the only reason I was in there was to get my levels (B12, folic acid, etc) under control and discuss the possibility of babies and how to start preparing.*** So we got that down and I thought I was good to go when...


He starts to lecture me on:
- How I should eat healthier (Uh, did you ever ASK what I ate? No. Whole grains, fresh fruits/veg and lean meats...) 
- How I should exercise 90 mins a day to get me down to my healthy weight (yeah, I should, but tell me where do you find almost 2 hrs a day to go to the gym? I can only find 30 mins 3X a week) 
- Also, about how I must not be eating well because if I was then I wouldn't have low vitamin levels (or it could have something to do with the fact that I'm anemic and low levels of this stuff tend to run in the women in my family...so we all get supplements and eat healthy....?)

I'm really tired of medical professionals assuming any problem people have is assoicated with their weight. Yes, some problems are weight related but seriously - since when is my folic acid levels or my iron levels related to my waist line?! Oh and then he told me that "You're in really good shape and very healthy for a large young lady." So, what you're telling me is that I'm healthy but if I was skinnier I'd be healthier? WELL DUH! I get that. I came to see you for a consult on my levels and blood work...I didn't come here to have you tell me how fat I am. 


So, loyal reader, just an FYI according to the medical profession I am chubby.


I think I deserve a snack....
Just kidding!!


***DAD! STOP! I know if you're reading this you're saying "YES! BABYS!" That's not the case.  We just want to be prepared so that when we do decide to have kids we'll be ready to go.  Sorry to disappoint but you're just going to have to hang out with the pugs for a little longer. 

Road trip!!

So as you know, my loyal reader, my hiatus has been long (almost 2 weeks!) but I promise it was worth it.  I have returned to you with eye candy! But you don't get to see it yet.  First you need to sit through my explanation of the glorious trip that Dan and I went on.

So pay attention.  There might be a quiz at the end.

My aunt lives in Lunenburg, Mass. It's about an hour outside of Bahhston and it's a lovely little New England town with nice homes and rolling green lawns.  Dan and I decided that this Labour Day weekend we would take some extra vacation, pack up Red, head the pugs to Mom's and drive from Halifax, NS to Lunenburg, Mass.  On the way we would stop in St. Stephen, NB to visit friends, then Kittery, Maine to go shopping and eventually we'd make it Rindge, NH to play at the cottage.

Meet Red, my Yaris hatchback.

So we dropped off the dogs and headed out.   It takes about 5 hours to get from Halifax to St. Stephen and there was a hurricane predicted for the following day but that didn't deter me (Dan was a little nervous, though!).  I headed off into the rain and eventually we made it to St. Stephen.  The next morning, after a lovely breakfast at the Red Rooster country store/gas station/restaurant, we headed across the border.  Luck was with us and the lovely American gentleman at customs told us to "Have a safe trip."  And we were off!!  12 hours later (8 p.m.) we arrived in Lunenburg.  And bless my aunt, she had the wine ready to go!!

Rindge, NH and tours of Pack Monadnock and the Cathedral of the Pines were to follow.  Here's some eye candy for you...

Cathedral of the Pines.  More info:
http://www.cathedralofthepines.org/

Holy beautiful, Batman!!

That is my lovely fiancé's hand, pointing out where Boston is.

This is our proof that we made it to the top!

So after our adventures in NH we were ready to head into the big city.  BAHHSTON HERE WE COME!!  We set out early on Tuesday and headed into Boston via the Subway.  I must say the subway is WAY better than our silly Halifax Metro Transit...but I digress..

The first stop in Beantown was the New England Aquarium, one of my favorite places!! I'm obsessed with the penguins there.  They have 80 different penguins...with 80 personalities!! They also have a HUGE coral reef (we're talking 4 or 5 stories tall here, people!) filled with sharks and fish and all manner of underwater creatures.

These two love-birds were staring at us the whole time!

Mrs. Turtle was chillin' at the bottom of the reef.

OH and did I mention I found a...

BUTTON!! From over at Blogging with Button

Button knew we were coming to town and arranged to be in Bahhston (one of her not-so-favorite places) just to hang out for the day.  Needless to say after we did some shopping and sea-creature watching we dropped into the hotel to chill out for a bit.  We needed to freshen up and find the rest of the crew.

You'd be tired after being boiled!!

Dan decided to stay at the hotel to use their wi-fi and sleep number beds but Button and I, along with those faithful NEY'ers from The Knot (Katanne and NQB) headed out for some dinner and drinks.  I must say wandering around Boston with 3 ladies from New York can make for an interesting night...

Our bartender, Jim.

We decided to close the place down! Jim bought us some shots to celebrate.

Button, Kat, myself and NQB enjoying an evening in Bahhston.

The next day Dan and I said goodbye to the ladies and headed back to Lunenburg.  However, the story isn't quite over...I went wedding dress shopping that afternoon.  But more on that another time.

Blogger hates me!

So I know I've been MIA for about 2 weeks...BUT I CAN EXPLAIN! I went away to visit family/party in Boston last week and I had 2 posts set up for you all.  But they never appeared.  Now I don't know what I did wrong but my theory is that Blogger probably just hates me.  So the next three posts will be back dated.  You can look *here*and *here* to enjoy them.

P

Chili!!!

This is a DELICIOUS recipe that I've been making for years.  It can be done with extra lean ground beef or ground chicken.  It's also only 3 points per 2 cups on Weight Watchers!!!


Ingredients
1 lb extra lean ground beef

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 pound mushrooms chopped
1 large green pepper seeded and chopped
3 cups corn kernels
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans
2 stalks celery -- chopped
1 tin tomato paste
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large stew pot. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is wilted, about 5 minutes.

In a separate pot brown extra lean ground beef or ground chicken.

Add mushrooms and sauté another 10 minutes. Stir in green pepper, corn, tomatoes,
beans,  celery all seasonings & tomato paste.  Add browned beef/chicken.  

Cover and cook until vegetables are tender.  I've been known to leave it on low for as long as 4 hours, but it can be ready in 30-45 minutes if you're strapped for time.

You can add more spices if you like it hotter.

SERVING SIZE: 2 cups
POINTS: 3 

What you need to know about...

Halifax, Nova Scotia!


I thought since I was going on vacation for a few days and abandoning you, dear reader, that I would give you some more information about where I'm from.  So here goes the basics, and not so basics, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

This is Halifax, NS.  We're the capital of Nova Scotia and the largest city on Canada's East Coast.  We have a population of 398,000 in the HRM (Halifax Regional Municipality) and account for almost 40% of Nova Scotia's total population.

We have several sightseeing attractions such as Peggy's Cove Lighthouse, the Halifax Citadel, our old town clock and our famous waterfront (we have the third deepest harbour in the WORLD!).

We also have several post secondary schools such as Dalhousie University, Saint Mary's University, Mount Saint Vincent University and Nova Scotia Community College (to name just a few!).  


We have 3 sister cities:

•   Hakodate, Japan. We both have star forts.
•  Campeche, Mexico We're both "a capital of a state" and is "a city of similar size to Halifax on or near the coast having rich historical tradition".
•  Norfolk, Virginia Our economies both "depends heavily on the presence of the Armed Forces, and both cities are very proud of their military history".

Halifax is a great city and a love the people here.  We're just as friendly as you'd imagine East Coast Canadians to be; we'll invite you over for a drink, to watch the hockey game or give you a lift if you need it.  We love tourists (even if they can't drive) and like to think we're a "big city".  We're really a small town feel in a growing city.  The economy is picking up, jobs are available, crime is low and we have frequent concerts on the Commons (KISS, The Black Eyed Peas, Paul McCartney...).  Halifax really is a great place to be!

For more information you can go to halifax.ca