Since getting engaged in March, most of my free time has been in relation to the BIG DAY! The ideas are all circling my head. Something I've dreamt about forever is finally going to become a reality! What I thought would be a great time quickly turned into the worst version of 20(thousand) questions EVER! As I've posted previously, everyone wants to give their unsolicited advice. And everyone has questions for things I just can't answer yet. Whew, what a headache!
Once I got a handle on the fact that this is MY wedding, and the only people I need to make happy are me and the man I'm going to marry, I was able to move past the annoying questions and focus on what I've always wanted. But it's not that easy.
How do you plan a dream wedding on a very limited budget? The Pre-Husband and I will be paying for the wedding ourselves. And until recently, we were a 1 income household. This means that although we now have 2 incomes, we have a lot to catch up on financially before we can even begin to start paying for wedding stuff. With that in mind, in order to start our planning we had to break down the things that were most important so that we could begin somewhere.
First, I have always wanted to get married on the water, or near it. I pictured sand beaches, nice weather, lots of fun. This is the one item in my "if I had a dream wedding where money is no object" plan that I will not sacrifice for. This will mean we need to look for inexpensive venues near the water in Seattle. Do you see the problem? Seattle is a pricey city that rains more than it has sunny weather! We will have to be creative in our venue searches and find something that we can afford that meets the criteria that is the MOST important to me.
Second, we decided we wanted something small and intimate. We only want the closest of family and friends. And that meant cutting down a big large guest list to those people that truly mean the world to us. Our preliminary list was a bit overwhelming, and more than 2/3rds of it was for my side (I have lots of family!) In a perfect world, I would invite all my friends and every last cousin and family member. But I know that the more people I invite, the more room I will need, and the more food I will have to purchase. (I'm on a tight budget, remember!?)
The last thing, the date. I want an outdoor wedding. I'm a sunshine kind of girl! Hard to believe since I've lived in Washington my whole life (and still haven't run away to warmer climates - but that's a story for another time)! However, we want a date that means something to us, and also one that we don't risk the chance of rain. Financially we know that we will have to wait until 2013 to get married - but from there, where do we go?! We're still deciding (but its a toss up between March and August)!
So, how did you start your wedding planning? Did you pick a site and go from there? Did you have a large budget or a strict one? What were/are the most important things for your big day? I want to hear from you!
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Chicken Tortellini Caesar Salad
Welcome to the first Savory Sunday post. The plan is to make these a regular Sunday extravaganza! I love to cook, and love baking even more. Each Sunday I will bring you a new recipe that I enjoy! First up is Chicken Tortellini Caesar Salad. This is a meal that I started making a few years ago and since then has been a huge hit with family and friends.
There are 2 ways you can make this recipe: completely from scratch or out of a bag. Today, I will be doing the out of the bag recipe. Its quicker and easier. It is the perfect meal when you don't want to wait forever for a meal! Let's begin!
With the pasta continuing to cool in the fridge, chop or slice up the chicken breast. Add a small amount of olive oil to a frying pan. I use a light olive oil spray, but you could use any kind of cooking oil. You only want enough to lightly coat the pan. Cook your chicken completely through, so there is no pink on the inside. If chopped, this is generally 5-7 minutes. If you like, you can season the chicken with any item you like. Once the chicken is cooked, take it off the burner and place off to the side.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the salad. Once combined, pull the tortellini out of the fridge and mix with the pasta. After fully mixed, serve up the pasta and salad mixture into bowls. Scoop your desired amount of chicken onto the mixture and Voila! Chicken Tortellini Caesar Salad! I serve mine with garlic bread or Texas toast. In the end, you have a complete meal.
Here is a slideshow of the whole process.
So there you have it. The first dish for Savory Sunday. One of my favorite meals, shared with all of you! Let me know your thoughts!
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
There are 2 ways you can make this recipe: completely from scratch or out of a bag. Today, I will be doing the out of the bag recipe. Its quicker and easier. It is the perfect meal when you don't want to wait forever for a meal! Let's begin!
To create this glorious meal is easy! First, cook the tortellini based on the directions of the brand you buy. I buy the Buitoni brand, but you can buy any tortellini brand (including frozen brands). Once you finished cooking the tortellini, place in strainer and run cold water over it. After the pasta cooled down, and completely drained, place back in the pot and place in the fridge.Ingredients:1 Bag Caesar Salad mix1 Package Buitoni 3-Cheese Tortellini2 large Chicken Breasts
With the pasta continuing to cool in the fridge, chop or slice up the chicken breast. Add a small amount of olive oil to a frying pan. I use a light olive oil spray, but you could use any kind of cooking oil. You only want enough to lightly coat the pan. Cook your chicken completely through, so there is no pink on the inside. If chopped, this is generally 5-7 minutes. If you like, you can season the chicken with any item you like. Once the chicken is cooked, take it off the burner and place off to the side.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the salad. Once combined, pull the tortellini out of the fridge and mix with the pasta. After fully mixed, serve up the pasta and salad mixture into bowls. Scoop your desired amount of chicken onto the mixture and Voila! Chicken Tortellini Caesar Salad! I serve mine with garlic bread or Texas toast. In the end, you have a complete meal.
Here is a slideshow of the whole process.
So there you have it. The first dish for Savory Sunday. One of my favorite meals, shared with all of you! Let me know your thoughts!
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Blog Revamp!
I told myself at the end of 2011 that I was going to begin blogging more. I have so many ideas in my head, and often times I have every intent to put them down in writing, but I always forget or time just slips away from me. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been talking with a friend about her own blog. It made me realize that I really haven't committed myself to blogging and we are already 1/3 of the way into the year!
So, I tried coming up with a new blog template. However after multiple attempts, I decided to keep the layout of my current blog with a couple of updates. To keep myself dedicated to my blog, I've come up with 3 topics that are important in my life, and thought I would share them with you all! Here is a little bit about each topic.
Savory Sunday - I love to cook. I have so much fun in my kitchen. Whether I'm making something from scratch or following a recipe, I can whip up just about anything. And I don't just cook. Baking is what I TRULY enjoy. I love baking cakes, cookies, cupcakes and cake pops! I've taken some decorating classes and make yummy desserts for my friends, family, and co-workers. With that said, every Sunday I will make something new. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or even a fancy dessert! And I will share the recipe and process with all of you!
Wedding Wednesday - Did you know i'm getting married?! WELL I AM!! Back on March 3rd, the love my life proposed! It was the sweetest thing ever. And ever since, my head has been spinning! So much to think about and plan. Rather than try and tell everyone individual about the joys and troubles in my wedding planning process, I figure I'd spill it all here. Each week will feature another adventure in Wedding Planning! And it will BE an adventure.
Fitness Friday - I could stand to lose a few pounds. Well, a few times a LOT. I spent the last few months of 2011 beginning a weight loss plan. I lost almost 30lbs. Since then, I've been at a standstill. I have recently reevaluated my weight loss goals and started using an online, free website called Bodyrock.tv to help me drop these pounds. What better way to get Wedding Ready then by knocking down these pesky pounds and fitting into a beautiful dress!? Every Friday I will talk about my adventures in fitness. That will include diet info, exercise, and my weight-loss progress.
So there you have it! An update to the blog, and consistent writing! I want to share my life, because my life is one large adventure! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to comment if there is something else you want to see!
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
So, I tried coming up with a new blog template. However after multiple attempts, I decided to keep the layout of my current blog with a couple of updates. To keep myself dedicated to my blog, I've come up with 3 topics that are important in my life, and thought I would share them with you all! Here is a little bit about each topic.
Savory Sunday - I love to cook. I have so much fun in my kitchen. Whether I'm making something from scratch or following a recipe, I can whip up just about anything. And I don't just cook. Baking is what I TRULY enjoy. I love baking cakes, cookies, cupcakes and cake pops! I've taken some decorating classes and make yummy desserts for my friends, family, and co-workers. With that said, every Sunday I will make something new. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or even a fancy dessert! And I will share the recipe and process with all of you!
Wedding Wednesday - Did you know i'm getting married?! WELL I AM!! Back on March 3rd, the love my life proposed! It was the sweetest thing ever. And ever since, my head has been spinning! So much to think about and plan. Rather than try and tell everyone individual about the joys and troubles in my wedding planning process, I figure I'd spill it all here. Each week will feature another adventure in Wedding Planning! And it will BE an adventure.
Fitness Friday - I could stand to lose a few pounds. Well, a few times a LOT. I spent the last few months of 2011 beginning a weight loss plan. I lost almost 30lbs. Since then, I've been at a standstill. I have recently reevaluated my weight loss goals and started using an online, free website called Bodyrock.tv to help me drop these pounds. What better way to get Wedding Ready then by knocking down these pesky pounds and fitting into a beautiful dress!? Every Friday I will talk about my adventures in fitness. That will include diet info, exercise, and my weight-loss progress.
So there you have it! An update to the blog, and consistent writing! I want to share my life, because my life is one large adventure! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to comment if there is something else you want to see!
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Are you ready to Bodyrock?!
So, I've decided to do the 30 day Bodyrock.tv Challenge for this month. It will be kinda tricky, since I will spend 4 days in Philly at the end of the month, but I'm still determined to be successful in doing it. I decided to take before pictures, which I'm keeping for myself right now. And I also took a full set of measurements, which I will post here. I'm hoping to see at least a little bit of improvement.
On Monday, I did the FitTest for beginners (technically should have been done tuesday - oh well!). I thought it would be rather simple, since it included rather basic exercises. The concept is to do 4 exercises, 3 times each. You do the move for 50 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest and then move right on to the next move. For a total of 12 minutes. You are suppose to track how many times you can do each exercise in the 50 seconds you are doing it. The goal is to improve your results after the 30 days.
Oh the burn! One of the exercises is Squats, and I've always been able to do a lot of squats without much pain, but somehow by doing them in this interval setting, it made my thighs burn! Here are my results from the FitTest.
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
Measurements:Weight: 256.4lbsNeck: 16"Chest: 45"Bust: 51.5"Ribs: 42"Waist: 43"Belly: 54"Hips: 53"Thigh: 33"Calf: 19"
On Monday, I did the FitTest for beginners (technically should have been done tuesday - oh well!). I thought it would be rather simple, since it included rather basic exercises. The concept is to do 4 exercises, 3 times each. You do the move for 50 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest and then move right on to the next move. For a total of 12 minutes. You are suppose to track how many times you can do each exercise in the 50 seconds you are doing it. The goal is to improve your results after the 30 days.
Oh the burn! One of the exercises is Squats, and I've always been able to do a lot of squats without much pain, but somehow by doing them in this interval setting, it made my thighs burn! Here are my results from the FitTest.
So, some pretty weak scores, but I'm hoping to vastly improve those over the next month! If you want to know more about the challenge, check out Bodyrock.tv. Its a free site with a lot of great exercise and eating tips. Look forward to updating you all as I go along! Maybe some of you could join me!Squats: 19 - 17 - 20Push-ups (Box): 8 - 7 - 6Tricep Dips: 4 - 5 - 3Crunches: 10 - 10 - 10
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 30
10 facts about you! And now, what are your stats?
1. I have wanted to be an architect since I was 12 years old.
2. I was once almost arrested in Washington DC, in the midst of a war protest in 2002, however the cop realized I was just a crying college tourist who was lost in the crowd, and apologized profusely!!
3. I hate being alone at night, it’s one of my biggest fears.
4. I thoroughly enjoy laying in the dark, with a lava lamp, and listening to the doors, jimi hendrix, led zepplin, and music like it. No, i don’t do drugs, but it’s very relaxing!!
5. I signed up for a 5K on May 13th THIS year - YIKES!
6. I desperately want a record player!
7. I’m afraid that I’m never going to be good enough for anyone - including myself.
8. after taking Hot Yoga at the end of last year, I really miss it and want to take a more regular class.
9. I wish I could live closer to my family. I miss talking with my lil brother at night and playing with my lil sister.
10. I absolutely love to cook, but feel like i never have the time to do any cooking!
28 yrs old (I had a birthday since the first post!)
5'4"
256.4lbs
Measurements done yesterday.
waist: 43in
hips: 53in
bust: 51.5in
thigh: 32in
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
1. I have wanted to be an architect since I was 12 years old.
2. I was once almost arrested in Washington DC, in the midst of a war protest in 2002, however the cop realized I was just a crying college tourist who was lost in the crowd, and apologized profusely!!
3. I hate being alone at night, it’s one of my biggest fears.
4. I thoroughly enjoy laying in the dark, with a lava lamp, and listening to the doors, jimi hendrix, led zepplin, and music like it. No, i don’t do drugs, but it’s very relaxing!!
5. I signed up for a 5K on May 13th THIS year - YIKES!
6. I desperately want a record player!
7. I’m afraid that I’m never going to be good enough for anyone - including myself.
8. after taking Hot Yoga at the end of last year, I really miss it and want to take a more regular class.
9. I wish I could live closer to my family. I miss talking with my lil brother at night and playing with my lil sister.
10. I absolutely love to cook, but feel like i never have the time to do any cooking!
Stats:
28 yrs old (I had a birthday since the first post!)
5'4"
256.4lbs
Measurements done yesterday.
waist: 43in
hips: 53in
bust: 51.5in
thigh: 32in
Complete honesty, due to my engagement, my birthday, and a week long vacation in Vegas - I didn't exercise as much as I should have. because of this, virtually none of my stats changed at all. but today, I started the 30 Day Bodyrock.tv challenge. those numbers WILL change in 30 days!
Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)