Something new for Something New...

So clever. :) Riiiiiiiiiight. Anyway, we've got a new business website up and running! I'm pretty excited about it. If there are any facebook or blog pages pointed to the old blog, please feel free to update. And if any of you happen to see anything wrong with the website, or have any suggestions seriously...don't be shy! I'd rather hear it from you than from some crazy bridezilla girl! :) Actually...I shouldn't say that. I haven't encountered one yet, and even if I ever do, I love my job!

www.snweddingbooks.com

Here comes wedding season!!!!

For the first time...I feel....WICKED

I'm telling you, we did our second anniversary right, taking a bite out of the Big Apple (although, with how exhausted I feel today, I'm wondering if it didn't take a bite out of us!). We had a blast. That really sums it up. A blast. It was incredible.

We drove down Friday, and jumped right in, going to dinner and a Broadway show. Not just any Broadway show... Wicked. AMAZING. I was a little skeptical, because everyone had talked it up so much...but it did not disappoint. Definitely the highlight of the trip. We finished off the night at Times Square.

Over the next 2 days, we ate lots of yummy food (NYC is a Celiac's dream), and meandered (in fast mode) around the city seeing anything and everything our hearts desired. Here's a few of our adventures:

*Happened on a fun flea market in Greenwich Village, and couldn't resist strolling and strolling and strolling through it in the gorgeous weather.
*Explored 5th Ave, with it's shops, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Plaza, the NBC store, the NY Library and Bryant Park.
*Avoided our usual pattern of vacation catastrophe: no one got sick, the weather was gorgeous, we didn't lock any keys anywhere, our car didn't die, and our luggage hung out with us the whole time. A new record!!!
*Laid on a blanket in Central Park for awhile (watching adorable dogs, and people who sooooooo aren't afraid of PDA), and then wandered over to Strawberry Fields and the Dakota.
*Rode the subway lots (and were very disturbed by a 12 year old couple who could've taught us a thing or two about the birds and the bees...ewwwwwwwww).
*Checked out Grand Central Terminal (Brian loved the old fashioned ticket windows, and decided he would love to ride a train into the city some day, arriving at Grand Central...so I think another trip to NYC is in our future! :))
*Took a quick peek at Madison Square Garden and ESPN Zone
*Stayed in a Long Island City hotel, and were sooooo blown away by our room...2 of the 4 walls were completely windowified (he he he...Wicked reference...couldn't resist). It was awesome...not that we were ever there, with our 1:30a.m. nights!
*Walked the Brooklyn Bridge, and again loved it.
*Climbed the Statue of Liberty (and enjoyed a pretty boat ride to Liberty Island...my boy loves boats...)
*Cha-chinged around the Financial District, getting up close and personal with Wall St, Ground Zero, a pretty fountain (yes ooga, I thought of you!), the bull, Trinity Church and the Battery.
*Walked blocks and blocks and blocks out of our way for a gluten-free cupcake and oatmeal cookie from a totally gluten-free bakery.
*Thought we'd try the Empire State Building at sunset...on a Saturday...in May... and got to experience waiting in line for 2 hours with the hundreds of other people who had the same idea :). But it WAS a gorgeous view!
*Learned that next time Amber will wear sneakers until she arrives at the Broadway theatre, regardless of how spastic that would look with nylons and a dress...cuz heels in NYC create quite the collection of blisters.
*Strolled crazy-packed Canal St, avoiding any vendors who wanted to take us in shady warehouses (I just wasn't brave enough without you mom :)). But we did buy a bag from a nice, reputable dealer...
*"So, uh, Brian...I've never been kissed at the Empire State building... So, uh...I've never been kissed in St. Patrick's Cathedral..." ha ha ha. Enjoyed being kissed for the first time at various famous sites (he he he...yes...we're dorks, and not the PDA type, so they were short smooches)
*Toughed through the drive home late last night by singing along to the Wicked songtrack (number 15 is the best...). I'm telling you, you know a vacation was good when you are sooooooo tired driving home, that your emotions are all over the place. I was bouncing from slapping Brian for honking at a guy who nearly ran us off the road, to suddenly finding myself singing nonsensical songs, to gushing about my love for Brian and the last 2 years, to being annoyed at Brian's reaction to the millioneth toll booth, to... well... you get the picture. I'm not entirely sure I was entirely awake during some of those moments...but I'm a firm believer in 2 people in the car awake at all times so I figured if my lips were moving, it counted... A comedic ending to our little trip.

And what a trip it was! Come to think of it, not a bad two years either!

(There's lots of pictures! Sorry! I did cut it down, but we were busy!)

On the 12th Day of May

So. We are what some, ok many, might call... anti-social. In the two years we've lived here, we've entertained non-family members maybe twice. We like to blame it on our busy schedules and tiny apartment, but really, I think we've just come to the conclusion that we're lazy. Either that, or we just like being around each other so much that we don't think to invite others along. ANYWAY...anti-social. So, as you can imagine, we were pleasantly surprised by ourselves the first week of May when we "entertained" not once, not twice, but thrice. Tuesday and Wednesday we had a couple different sets of good friends over for dinner and games, and had tons of fun. Thursday I had a friend who wanted to make gluten-free bread over for a "lesson". All in all, probably more non-family people in our apartment that week than we've had our whole married life. :) It was a super-fun, and super busy week. Come to think of it, May has been an insanely busy month as a whole. I feel like I'm just now catching my breath...and gearing up for the continuing craziness. :) I know you guys know what I'm talking about, so in honor of all of our crazy busy lives, I think an ode of sorts is in order. Or maybe just a song. By the end, you'll be more updated with our lives than you ever wanted to be. "The First 12 Days of May". You know the tune. (Ah hem, ah hem... ready? Just be glad I'm not really singing this...)

The first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including:
a reeeaaaaally big churchy. (Climbed the bell tower...)



Yes, the first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including: 2 wedding book reprints (ready to strangle my printer), and a really big churchy (the Flowermart was fun!).

The first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including: 3 hours of babysitting (cute little girl in our ward), 2 wedding book reprints (new samples are on the website), and a really big churchy (I'm so stinkin' scared of heights sometimes).

Whew, the first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including: 4 tubs of goodness (notice, the sample size is already devoured)

3 hours of babysitting (loved playing outside), 2 wedding book reprints (hopefully third time's a charm), and a really big churchy.

The first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including: 5 hours of cleaning (a neighbor's apartment...), 4 tubs of goodness (who knew freezer jam was so easy?), 3 hours of babysitting (played Cribbage while she slept), 2 wedding book reprints (new printer is in the works), and a really big churchy.

The first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including: 6 bucks worth of carwashes (and a couple hours of scrubbing), 5 hours of cleaning (return home, and MAN...mine needs it too...), 4 tubs of goodness (and 4 cups of sugar...yikes), 3 hours of babysitting (what are the rules for Cribbage again?), 2 wedding book reprints (and diving into the next one...), and a really big churchy.

The first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including: 7 friends a movin' (we miss you terribly Val, Dustinn, Bradshaw, Olivia, Robin, Charlie and Eliza), 6 dollars for a carwash (next day, pollen coated), 5 hours cleaning (can hands get perma-pruned?), 4 tubs of goodness (for use on homemade GF bread, waffles and anything else Brian can reasonably justify), 3 hours of babysitting (she talks while she falls asleep...love it), 2 wedding book reprints, and a really big churchy.

The first 12 days of May were chuck-full of CRAZY, including: 8 hours of fundraising (5 of those were filled with spaghetti), 7 friends a movin' (think we chase them all away?), 6 dollars for a carwash (Tink was happy for a minute), 5 hours cleaning, 4 tubs of goodness, 3 hours babysitting, 2 wedding book reprints, and a really big churchy.

The first 12 days of May were chuck-full of activities, including: 9500 MacAurthur is a bad address (but we did eventually make it to the company picnic), 8 hours of fundraising (gotta get the Young Women to camp), 7 friends a movin' (but they all have Utah connections), 6 dollars of car washin', 5 hours cleaning, 4 tubs of goodness, 3 hours babysitting, 2 wedding book reprints and a really big churchy.

The first 12 days of May have been completely nutty, including: 10 days of not working out (doctor's orders...no I'm not pregnant), 9500 MacAurthur is a bad address (picnic at the water treatment plant?), 8 hours of fundraising (car wash in the rain tonight?), 7 friends a movin', 6 dollars car washin', 5 hours cleaning, 4 tubs of goodness, 3 hours babysitting, 2 wedding book reprints and a really big churchy.

The first 12 days of May have been as long as this posty... 11 types of flowers planted (cute balcony)

10 days of not working out (dumb pulled lung, or deep chest muscle thing), 9500 MacAurthur proved to be fun (Bri showed off his sporty. Quote of the day: "Johnson! You're really athletic for a white guy), 8 hours of fundraising, 7 friends a movin', 6 dollars in carwashes, 5 hours cleaning, 4 tubs of goodness, 3 hours babysitting, 2 wedding book reprints, and a really big churchy.

And finally, the first 12 days of May honestly just about killed me (he he he...but in a fun? way), 12 days to plan NYC (happy anniversary trip this weekend!), 11 types of flowers planted (love the violets...they smell scrumptious), 10 days of not working out (I blame Jillean Michaels...but as of today she's back), 9500 MacAurthur picnic, 8 hours of fundraising, 7 friends a movin', 6 dollars in carwashes, 5 hours cleaning, 4 tubs of goodness, 3 hours babysitting, 2 wedding book reprints, and a REALLY BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG CHURCHY!

Whew...bet you're glad that's over. Honestly...so are we. :)