Wedding Recap {The Personal Attendant}

Word of advice to all you brides out there....make sure you have a kickass personal attendant. 

Robyn and I have been friends since college and I knew that there was no other person who could be my personal attendant. She knows me SO well, she knows what makes me happy or sad or angry and she somehow always knows exactly what to do to help my mood. On top of that she is organized, she cares about me, she is loyal, and she knows every one of our parents {super helpful during family photos}. 

I honestly don't know what I would have done without Robyn that day. She was beyond a ROCK STAR. 

It was Robyn's idea to meet the week of the wedding to go over all the details of the day. Because I work in printing, I was able to whip up a book of wedding day information for Robyn, my photographer, videographer and my mom. 

Side Note: I HIGHLY recommend doing this. I think it's super important that you (the Bride) are not the only person to know all of the day-of details! The book had vendor's phone numbers, families phone numbers, wedding party phone numbers, an itinerary, a list of venue addresses, and a list of must-take photos. It was a huge help!

Anyways, we met the week of the wedding and went over ALL the details so that she knew exactly how I wanted the day to go. The first thing Robyn did Saturday morning was take my cell phone. She fielded all phone calls and made sure that there was nothing to stress me. I literally didn't have to worry about a single thing! 

On top of making sure that I didn't receive any calls, complaints or questions she also came up with the most perfect way to tackle my biggest wedding day fear----crying the whole damn day. 

I was so nervous about being a blubbering mess the whole day and Robyn created the smartest, sweetest, most brilliant and most hilarious way to make sure that didn't happen. 

Enter: The Laugh Book

The first time I felt like I could lose it is when I put my dress on. Out of nowhere I have this book in my hands. Robyn talked to all of my bridesmaids and complied a hand-drawn book of all my funniest inside jokes, quotes and memories with all of my friends. 

She would only let me look at a few pages at a time...to make sure she had reserves for the rest of the day. 

It worked every time...in the elevator on my way to the First Look, before the ceremony....no fear....laugh book was there! Brilliant!

Some people think that being the personal attendant isn't as "important" as being a Bridesmaid, but I completely disagree. My entire wedding day went perfectly because I had complete and utter trust in one of my best friends. I knew she had my back no matter what happened that day. But more than that, Robyn got to be a part of one of the most incredible moments in my life. The wedding party was down the aisle and the doors closed. It was me, my dad and Robyn standing there...seconds before I was about to walk down the aisle. Something I had been dreaming of since I was a little girl. 

I wouldn't trade that moment with her for anything. And to top it off, she had saved the best Laugh Book picture for last....right before I walked down the aisle when I was nervous, emotional and about to completely let the tears fly Robyn opens that last page to reveal a picture of my ex-boyfriend crying tears of black. Funniest thing I'd ever seen. 

Moral of the story. Make sure you have an incredible friend by your side on your wedding day. 

All photographs by Sara Jayne Photography.

Love Day!

Happy Valentines Day lovers!!! 

I have seen this adorable little link-up going around and decided that today
LOVE DAY
was the perfect day to play along.

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

We started dating on November 10th 2007. Soooo...4 years, 3 months and 4 days! 

November 10th 2007! When it all began!

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

It's a pretty long story {all of which you can read HERE} but the quick version goes something like this:

Our dad's have been best friends since they were in 8th grade so our families grew up together and even spent holidays together. I've had a crush on him sine I was little and finally after almost 23 years he got a clue.

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

We were married on November 5th 2011! I guess that means we've been married for 3 months and 9 days!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?
We were married at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church and our reception was at International Market Square,
both in Minneapolis.

We had about 175 guests at our wedding...I feel like that's a medium-sized wedding.

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!
I call him JJ, or Ju or J.Ju --don't really know why but there they are.
He calls me Toot, Kris Kris or Too {short for Toot}. And, no, I will not be sharing the story.

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.
#1. His name {Jason} actually means "Healer" and it's a perfect fit. He is always helping friends and family and he would do anything to help his loved ones. He is truly a rock for all of those close to him, especially me!
#2. No matter how mad I am at him he can always make me laugh.
This is also the thing I probably dislike most about him.
#3. His appearance. I know that sounds shallow, but it's true....homeboy is a hottie!
I LOVE his eyes, his lips, his super long legs and his tiny little butt.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?
Again, it's a pretty long story {read it HERE} but the gist is that he popped the question on the 50-yard-line of the football field where my favorite team, the University of MN Golden Gophers, play. It was the most perfect proposal and I was completely shocked!

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne and rose petals?
Actually, he's neither. He's never really done the token V-day gifts. His gifts are always really personal and thoughtful, usually it will be a date he knows I will love. For example, a few years ago we were in Arizona for V-day and he took me to the zoo!

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
BOTH! I love date nights, especially ones that take place on a beach!
But, lazy nights at home with my honey are some of my favorites!

hard to tell...but we're on a beach. 

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant other. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
Oh man....this is tough. I would love to travel, there are so many places I want to see and Jason and I always have a blast when we travel.

our first vacation together. Colorado, summer 2007

But, if I could only do ONE thing with Jason I would want to have a baby. Cheesy, I know. But I've always wanted to be a mom and I know Jason will be an amazing dad. Don't get any ideas...it's not happening soon!

11. Tell us what you plan on doing this Valentine's Day.
Tonight we will be going out to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Chino Latino! Then, in a couple of weeks I have a fun little surprise date planned for him!

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's Day?
There are plenty of things that I want, but I'm not asking for anything specific. Some quality time with my man {without phones or tv's or computers} is all I really want.

13. Give us one piece of advice for keeping a relationship strong and full of love.
LAUGH. Life goes by so fast and there are so many factors that can cause stress and sadness and anger. I think it's so crucial to have fun together! You've got to keep things fun and interesting. If you're able to laugh, you'll be able to get through the hard parts of life. Jason and I are constantly cracking up; whether its at a TV show or movie, the crazy things our dog does, each other and ourselves. We truly love being together and always have a blast.
What is more important than that?

14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

 After 4 years and a slew of professional engagement and wedding pictures this one is still my all-time favorite.

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day with the ones you LOVE! 

Straight Guest Postin', MPM & Quinoa Cakes

What it do?

Who else is pumped that it's Monday?

No, you're not? Yeah, me neither. 

Before we can get down to business you ALL need to head on over to my buddy Katie's blog

I am guest posting today and it's a good one...let's just say if you want to see my baby picture and the baby pictures of your favorite bloggers you shouldn't waste another second! 

Go on, I'll still be here when you get back. 

....................................................................................................................................................

Alright, welcome back!

It's Meal Planning Monday and I have to say, last week was a struggle! I was super tired and unmotivated all week. I'm not quite sure what was causing it but I had no ambition. I didn't even get to the grocery store until Wednesday night...which is not super helpful when your meal plan starts on Monday. The good news is that even after two weeks {one good week and one bad week} I have realized that meal planning is definitely worth the time and energy. 

My ultimate goal is be eating more nutritiously. I want a really well rounded and well balanced diet filled with all the essentials. So here's what I'm putting in my belly this week:

Feb. 13-Feb. 17	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
BREAKFAST	Starbucks Latte, Banana, Turkey Sausage	Kashi Honey Puffs, Skim Milk & Banana	Kashi Honey Puffs, Skim Milk & Banana	Kashi Honey Puffs, Skim Milk & Banana	Kashi Honey Puffs, Skim Milk & Banana
LUNCH	Turkey Sandwich, Blueberries, Raspberries & Carrots	Mrs. Grass Soup, Blueberries, Raspberries & Carrots	Turkey Sandwich, Blueberries, Raspberries & Carrots	Mrs. Grass Soup, Blueberries, Raspberries & Carrots	Pot Roast Leftovers
DINNER	Birthday Dinner @ the In-Laws.	Valentines Day @ Chino Latino!	Grilled Chicken w/ Asparagus Linguine	Crockpot Beef Pot Roast w/ Potatoes & Carrots	Turkey Burgers w/ Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas & Olives
SNACKS	Cottage Cheese & Applesauce	Larabar, Cottage Cheese & Applesauce	Cottage Cheese & Applesauce	Larabar, Cottage Cheese & Applesauce	Cottage Cheese & Applesauce

BREAKFAST:

I'll be getting a great, well balanced and nutritious breakfast every morning this week with fruit, dairy and whole grains. 

LUNCH:

 I'm mixing up lunches a little bit this week with some turkey sandwiches on whole grain bread with fat free cheese and my favorite soup. Both meals however will be accompanied by blueberries, raspberries and baby carrots. 

DINNER:

Today is my sister-in-law's FOURTEENTH birthday! 

So tonight we are going over to my in-law's for a celebration dinner. 

Happy Birthday Ally! 

Tomorrow we're going out to eat for Valentines Day and the rest of the week I am looking forward to trying 

this Asparagus Linguine recipe

this Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea & Olives recipe

and to have this Crock Pot Beef Pot Roast again! 

I have also decided to amp up Meal Planning Monday by sharing a favorite recipe from prior weeks. 

This week I'm sharing my recipe for Quinoa Cakes! 

I adapted my recipe from this recipe found on "Let's Dish"

INGREDIENTS:

-1 cup cooked quinoa 

-2/3 cup Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese {grated}

-2 tbsp. Whole Wheat Flour

-2 cloves garlic

-3 tbsp. Egg Beaters All Natural Egg Whites

-1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

-1/2 tsp. Pepper

-1/2 tsp. Salt

-Dash of Cayenne Pepper

-1 tbsp. Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS:

-Cook quinoa according to the box and let cool. 

-Combine all ingredients, except for olive oil, and mix well

-Let mixture sit for 5 minutes

-Heat oil over medium heat in a large saute pan

-Using 1/4 cup of mixture form patties {makes appx. 8 patties}

-Place patties in oil and cook 5-7 minutes per side {on medium heat} until golden brown. 

These puppies are delicious! And thanks to myfitnesspal.com I determined that each Quinoa Cake is approximately 100 calories! I had three for dinner with some broccoli and was more than satisfied! 

These are definitely going to be a staple in my meal plans. 

Phew, OK, I think that's all I have for today! 

Have a good Monday. 

Trippin'

Lately I have been daydreaming of travel. 

I absolutely LOVE to travel and see new places and revisit my favorites. There are so many places I want to go and so many things that I want to see.  

Why does airfare have to be so expensive? And why do I have to work? 

It would be so much easier to plan trips if I had an endless supply of cash and no responsibilities. 

Let's have a little fun and pretend that I just won the lottery! 

First thing I would do is quit my job. And then immediately get some trips on the books...places I've never been to but have always wanted to go:

GREECE!

I would want to spend time in Athens doing touristy stuff and then I would want to spend time in Santorini, Mykonos and Peloponnese {which is where my family is from.}

BORA BORA! 

{I mean, who wouldn't want to stay in a glass bottom bungalow?!}

and while we were way down there we would hit up

Sydney, Australia!

after traveling across the world I'd be ready for some good old U.S. of A. 

I want to check out... 

BOSTON! 

HAWAII! 

SONOMA, CA! 

{I'd like to go during harvest so we can hit up one of those harvest parties!}

and finally I'd revisit some of my favorite places...

NEW YORK CITY!

{husband's never been...dying to take him!}

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS! 

{Tortola & Barbados are my faves!}

NASHVILLE!

{such a fun city! I could live there!}

DISNEY WORLD! 

{Magic Kingdom, Epcot and MGM, thank you very much!}

Where would you go that you haven't been? AND, where would you like to travel back to?

OK, back to daydreaming.....

Tell Me

I am once again linking up with Tracy from Then I Got To Thinking... for "Tell Me."

 I just love this idea! It's so fun having deeper and more personal blog topics. Not that posting about my wedding and new recipes isn't fun because it is and let's face it, that's what I love reading on other blogs but sometimes it's nice to open up a little more and in return learn more about my beloved blog friends. 

Anyways, on to the good stuff. Today's topic is 

"Tell Me...What's an experience you've had in your life that has made you learn something about yourself?"

There is a three year period of my life that clearly stands out as the time that I not only learned the most about myself but also learned the most in general, and it was the time that Coffee Buzz was open. 

To those of you newer followers, my husband and I owned a coffee shop, called Coffee Buzz. It took about a year and a half to plan and open the shop and then we were in business for another year and a half.  It was an independent coffee shop that we built from the ground up; the concept was ours, the name was ours, the design, menu and decor were all ours. 

During these three years I was challenged mentally, physically and emotionally. My relationship with my boyfriend/fiance were challenged {he proposed while the shop was open and we were married shortly after we closed} and my relationships with my family and friends were tested.

My daily life was completely different than that of anyone in my life, except my husband's. We worked 7 days a week for 13 hours a day, we were awake before sunrise every day and in the winter were home well after the sun went down. But, the business was ours. We met some of the most incredible people through Coffee Buzz and learned more than could ever be taught in books. 

What I learned from the ups and downs, stresses and milestones, excitement and disappointment, pride and heartbreak that came with opening and then closing Coffee Buzz is that everything happens for a reason and you'll never succeed if you don't try. 

For me personally, I learned that I am capable of way more than what I give myself credit for and also that failure is OK. The business didn't turn out how we'd all expected it to, but we did it.

What life experience taught you something about yourself?