Life Lately...

So, it's been more than a month since my last post! I didn't intend to drop the blog like a hot potato, but it's been hard finding time to sit and focus. In an effort to catalog the craziness here's what's been up...

We'll start with Memorial Day Weekend which I'll call Buffalo Trip #1. My family started out Friday afternoon trailing a Uhaul to Buffalo, NY to move my sister's family. It was a jammed packed weekend, but what I learned is that the further north you go into Western NY the more farm lands you see. Which for some reason really surprised me, and it was actually really pretty. My pictures don't do it justice so I'll spare you!

Exploring the Village of Williamsville

After that, as I mentioned before, my sister's family stayed with Mr. B and I until last weekend. We spent the last 5 weeks grilling, running the museum, going to the park, eating dim sum, serious attempts at juicing (read this article for a laugh) and general fun-ing around the capital. My niece was the perfect helper watering our plants*, and providing endless entertainment. We all thought 5 weeks sounded like forever, but in reality it FLEWWWW by! Sadly.

*Our plants look amazing! We're so proud of our very small produce haul!

Perfecting the BBQ

Callie being very tolerant!

Saying goodbye... for now

Goodbye party with all the girls!

This doesn't look like much, but this pretty much brings us to the present. Last weekend Mr. B and I made Buffalo Trip #2 for the final goodbye. After 30 years of basically living in tandem it's time for my sister and I to spread our wings. It was a sad goodbye, but we already have plans on the calendar for the next several months. Until then, we'll stick with FaceTime. 

With all the action early on, the summer feeling has set in hard for me! If there's any such thing as senoritis for grown adults I have it! With our wedding and honeymoon on the horizon I can barely stayed focused.  

We're on the go again this weekend to the beach to finalize our wedding menu. I'm really excited to see what they have in store for us!

Until next time...

#FlashbackFriday

Several weeks ago Mr. B and I took our engagement pictures with our photographer. She's so cute and petite I could put her in my back pocket. The day was pretty cloudy, but the sun came out for a few minutes just for us. In no way is this blog turning into a photo montage of our engagement and wedding pictures, but just this once I thought I'd share a tiny taste. And by tiny I mean 2. 

Happy Friday!

The Low Down

The short of the long for today...

1. I had just pulled out of our neighborhood heading to work this morning feeling fabulous in a pair of skinny black pants and wedges when I noticed a hole in the side of my pants. I sat there debating all the alternatives and decided that turning around and going back home was the best option compared to my pants splitting down the leg in the cafe at work. So, back home it was and since I was home I changed my entire outfit. Go figure.

2. Today marks my first day of a 2 week free trial of ClassPass. Have ya'll heard of this? It sounds pretty cool. It's basically 1 pass for unlimited fitness classes at participating gyms in your area. The only catch is you can't go to the same gym 3 times in a month. I think that might be tough, but I'm going to see how the next 2 weeks go. Maybe I'll find a new favorite gym!

3. As mentioned previously, I have some exciting work news. I've accepted a new position at work and will be officially starting next Monday. Wooohooo! This opportunity couldn't have come at a better time, and I can't wait to get started!

4. Lastly, our lil' urban garden is growing in leaps and bounds. Last week I decided to use our basil (which looks award winning by the way!) to make a quick sauce to go over chicken. It's definitely in the pesto family.

This has been adapted from Giada:

1 cup fresh basil

2-3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Blend it all together and gradually add in 1/3 cup olive oil

Use it on everything! It's lemony and basily (not a word, but ok) and delicious!

Happy Wednesday!

BM... the bridesmaid kind

I'm dedicating today to a bridesmaid shout out! There is clearly something special about rallying the girls around. I love the hype, and for me it never gets old. Unless I gain a new best friend between now and the time I'm deemed as too old to be a bridesmaid I think I walked my last aisle alone last weekend.

So, the only way to say goodbye is with a running list:

long or short?
chiffon or cotton?
cut your hair
color your hair
up do
leave it down
pull it back
strappy sandal
peep toe
nude pump
pack comfy shoes
pack your stickies
get a tan
workout
keep your make up natural
lipstick or gloss?
no gloss? 
ahh, more gloss, got it.
smile!
make sure to smile!
keep your flowers down
hold my flowers
walk slow
always look at the bride
fluff my dress
find your partner
dance
rally

Some of my faves...

Cheers to all my ladies! 

xoxo - A

What's Up Wednesday!

I'm linking up today with Mix & Match Family, The Larson Lingo and Pinterest Told Me To for What's Up Wednesday. Join the fun the last Wednesday of every month and answer these questions...

What we're eating this week... last night I made a quick and easy dinner. I wanted to use something from our herb garden, so I made pork chops with a rosemary and garlic sauce, sauteed spinach and orzo. It was actually pretty good, and I'll probably be putting it into rotation!

What I'm reminiscing about... this past weekend I was in my best friend's wedding. It was so much fun, and I can't stop thinking about how awesome the band was! Plus, being a bridesmaid is always more fun when you love your dress (and hair and makeup)! It was a fantastic weekend spent with friends and family, and a perfect way to kick off wedding season!

What I'm loving... sea salt spray! I've been over using and over abusing John Frieda's Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray. I'm currently growing my hair out for our wedding, and the thought of blowing it dry now that it's getting warmer sounds miserable. So, I've turned to air drying my hair with a little sea salt spray and hairspray. Easy, breezy!

What we've been up to... As I mentioned we were at a wedding last weekend which happened to be where we'll be getting married. We capitalized on the time there, and met with our florist and finalized our cake! I don't care much for wedding cake, but I think it's going to be pretty good!

What I'm dreading... I'm so ready for summer to be here, but honestly I'm not looking forward to the scorching heat!

What I'm working on... one word - WEDDING!

What I'm excited about... I can't wait for our guests to receive our save the dates. They should be going out soon, and it finally feels like the festivities are kicking off.

What I'm watching/reading... everything Bravo! It's a horrible obsession, plus I want to be best friends with Andy Cohen. 

What I'm listening to... I think I've found my new summer song - Meghan Trainor "Dear Future Husband" It's pretty catchy and very timely!

What I'm wearing... Before we went on our cruise at the end of March I found the jumpsuit below at Belk, and I've fallen in love. I recently wore it to our engagement party, so it can definitely be dressed up for something special.

What I'm doing this weekend... attending an oyster roast/graduation party for my sister and brother-in-law which really means eating my weight in oysters.

What I'm looking forward to next month... I think I've mentioned before that Mr. B and I will have roommates for May and June, and we couldn't be more excited. My sister, brother-in-law and sweet niece will be staying with us before they move to Buffalo. 

What else is new... exciting news on the work front. Waiting for the final pieces to fall into place before I spread the news, but cheers to having something new and exciting on the horizon!

Have a great Wednesday, ya'll!

Wednesday Wine Down

Can I call it Wednesday Wine Down if it's not quite wine time? The answer is YES! We can dream, right? And Jimmy Buffett got paid for always thinking it's five o'clock somewhere, didn't he? Anyways, I digress... 

While Mr. B and I were at Southern Season over the weekend I found some great summer wines that I've been ready to have more of. 

First up, Edmeades Zinfandel. I was told that it would be great chilled, and paired well with anything grilled, smoked, or barbecued. It was pretty tasty, and I definitely recommend it!

Second up was described as a great seaside and poolside wine. I usually only like sparkling rose, but this was really good!

l'escargot rose

On to something different, but you'll need a glass of wine for it... spray tans. But not just a spray tan, but mobile spray tanning. First, I have to say that several years ago I definitely said spray tanning was gross and I'd rather be fair skinned than orange, but it's true that everyone looks better with a little glow!

There is a company around town, Glo, that will come to you in the comfort of your own home and spray you down. I'm sort of obsessed! My sister and I will be bridesmaids in a wedding this weekend, and I have set up a little "sip and spray" for us to enjoy!

So, go grab yourself a glass of wine, and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Weekend Recap

Well we're officially less than 6 months away until the big day, and we spent the weekend enjoying every minute. Mr. B and I started off the weekend with a celebratory homemade cocktail and Mr. B's famous grilled steaks. It was the perfect end to a very long week!

Blanca Julep
courtesy of Food & Wine

8 mint leaves
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
2 1/2 oz favorite bourbon
1 oz club soda

Muddle mint, lime and simple syrup together. Add bourbon and club soda, then fill with ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and lime wedge. Enjoy! Makes 1 cocktail.

Saturday morning we got up early and headed to our favorite coffee shop and the farmer's market for our first visit of the season. I was on a mission for herbs, and I didn't leave empty handed. I love planting herbs every season, and I'm much better at keeping them alive then flowers. Herbs are easy for me... they are either very clearly alive or dead. I left with a ton of basil, rosemary, garlic chives, cilantro, parsley and oregano. I see lots of great meals in our future! 

Just half of our urban garden... look at that basil!

After we got our plants situated, we cleaned up and headed out for a day date. We ended up at Weathervane and Southern Season in Chapel Hill. Mr. B and I love a good gourmet store, and could seriously spend hours looking at everything! We couldn't help ourselves and left with some goodies including Vivian Howard's Blueberry BBQ Sauce. We used it on grilled pork chops and grilled green beans for dinner and it did not disappoint! 

After Southern Season, we treated ourselves to a couple beers at Carolina Brewery and ended our date back in Raleigh at our favorite watering hole, House of Hops. There isn't much of an outdoor ambiance at House of Hops, but Mr. B is enjoying himself while showing off what he likes to call "engagement beer".

Sunday was just as fun and relaxing. We really caught spring fever, and enjoyed planting our new herbs so much Saturday that we ended up at Lowe's and left with tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, banana peppers and cucumber plants. I'm hoping we can keep those alive, and we'll have a small stash later in the season!

Every weekend after grabbing coffee at our favorite coffee shop, Mr. B and I pass the same little sub shop, SubConscious, and comment every time about how it must be good if it's still standing. If you're from the area you've probably seen it before and thought the same thing. The parking lot is always empty, but in a weird way the building seems very inviting. So, today was the day! We decided after our coffee that we'd come back for lunch. Let me tell you. We are way behind on what was a great sub! 

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying the last few hours of what was a fantastic weekend, and a great start to spring here in the City of Oaks!

Happy Monday, ya'll!