Cute clutch

I saw this clutch in the latest issue of People Style Watch and had to seek it out. It’s the “Jenny” clutch by Gianni Bini and it’s on sale at Dillard’s for $53.40 (it was originally $89.00). I like the fact that it’s all leather and that it’s gold. I don’t have anything like this and think it would go nicely with a fancy more formal outfit or dress up a typical night out ensemble.

Belly dancing?

My friend Danielle, who I admire greatly invited me and some of her other friends to a belly dancing class on Monday nights. Our conversation went a little something like this:

D: In addition to Pilates, I will be taking Belly dancing every other Monday night (alternating with work schedule). You will feel it in your midsection! My mom got me into this. It's $10/class.
ME: I may be down for belly dancing and I know right where the place is. Do I have to bear my middle section and wobbly bits? LOL!!
D: Ha! That's optional! You can buy a cute skirt with coins to shake shake shake!
ME: Hahaha! Good idea. Let me know the next time you're going and I'll try to come.

I think I’m going to go and try it out. Why not? It’s better than doing nothing and I am looking to do more than ice skate. Now that the wedding is over and the holidays will be over in a snap, I feel like I can take time to focus on me and improving my health. This would definitely be a good start.
I also noticed that some sort of martial arts studio is opening around the corner from my house. I would be interested to see what kind of classes they offer. I think alternative methods of working out will be a great way to get started. It keeps me interested and when it’s a class, I feel guilty if I don’t go. Sometimes I need that extra discipline to keep me on the right path.
We also desperately need to go food shopping. Geof has been traveling a lot the past 2 months and we have been eating out a lot or bringing food home most of the time. This is a habit that must be kicked!
I know you’ve seen me post goodies that I’ve made or indulged in over the holidays, but I truly do want to make some changes. I guess the first of January would be a more appropriate time to post this, but I figure now is as good a time as any. I want to get my priorities straight and focus on changes that I would like to make.
I haven’t been blogging for long and I usually keep things pretty light, but sometimes it helps to be honest and put some of my more serious thoughts out there. Thanks for listening and that’s all for now!

Awesome giveaway!

Head on over to The Pink Chick's blog and quick! She is giving away a pair of little lambie slippers and sleep aromatherapy products from Bath and Body Works in honor of her 100th post. He blog is fabulous and so is this giveaway!

My new addiction

I dvr’d the new season of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” and I’m hooked. I’ve heard friends talk about all the housewives shows, but never got into it. I figured I would check it out. I really like Jeana and Tamra. Vicki gets on my nerves, but I do feel bad for her sometimes because it seems like her husband Don isn’t very loving. I don’t know, I just think they have a strange relationship. Gretchen is beautiful and it does seem that she’s truly in love with Jeff. I think I’m still forming my opinion of their situation. He is old enough to be her father and that kind of freaks me out. The new housewife Lynne seems like a cool mom, but she spoils her kids like crazy.
I can’t wait to see all of the drama that ensues this season. Life seems very different in Orange County.

Christmas Eve & Day recap

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! I can't believe it's over already. It feels like it came and went in a flash this year. All in all it was a wonderful holiday and I am ready for the New Year.
Christmas Eve my mom came over brought her dog (he is a black lab named "Happy") and celebrated with us. We watched "A Christmas Story" and "Christmas Vacation" like we always do and ate lots of good food. I finally got around to making the chocolate covered pretzels and I made the Noel Spritzer drinks. I’m definitely going to be making that drink again. It was delish!
Christmas morning we woke up and opened gifts. We had a big surprise in store for my mom. On our honeymoon and vacations I've been on in the past, I/we’ve gone swimming with the dolphins and she said that is something she has always wanted to do. With everything she did to help us with the wedding, we wanted to give back in some way. Geof and I planned it out and got her a trip to Orlando in April. I am going to go with her. We're going to Discovery Cove so she can finally swim with the dolphins. Her reaction was everything I hoped for and more. She was in utter shock and once it sunk in she was teary eyed and so happy. It was a very special moment.
After presents were opened, Geof made breakfast for us, and then we cleaned up and went to my aunt's for Christmas dinner. It was so nice (as always) and all of my little cousins were running around bragging about what they got. It was very cute.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Flyers game

Tonight Geof and I went to the Flyers game against the Ottawa Senators. The Flyers won 5-4...yeah! Geof was given the opportunity when we went to the Sixers game the other night to get a membership to the Cadillac Grill for the rest of the season and we would get 2 club box tickets to the Flyers in return. The membership more than paid for itself with the cost of tickets, so it was a good idea in my opinion.
We went to dinner at the grill again and it was really nice. We had some wine, sliders, rosemary fries and flourless chocolate cake. After dinner we went to our seats and they were great. We were seated right at center ice. We had another nice night!
I still have a ton to get done before tomorrow night. I need to finish my baking/cooking, finish wrapping and get my aunt and uncle a gift. I am definitely going to go the gift card route at this point. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

Geof & I

View from our seats

Flourless chocolate cake

The game

Four Christmases

Last night, Geof and I went to see Four Christmases. This is one of the best Christmas movies I've seen in a long time. From the trailers for the movie, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I did. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon were great together. We were laughing out loud at many parts. It was the perfect movie to see before Christmas. The only complaint and strange thing I noticed is that Reese seemed to have a lisp in certain parts. What's that all about?

Baking day

Today I baked lots of Christmas goodies. I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies and brownies. The chocolate chip cookies were made from scratch with the good old Nestle Toll House recipe. I still want to make chocolate covered pretzels, buckeyes, cupcakes and gingerbread cookies. Here are some pics from my baking:

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Sugar cookies

Brownies

Chocolate chip cookies

We’re winners!

Tonight we had another Sixers game to go to against the Indiana Pacers. It was an exciting game down to the final seconds…literally (they beat us by one lousy point). Geof is a partial season ticket holder and for that he was invited to the Cadillac Grill to meet one of the players, enter in some raffles and check the place out (since it’s members only). We had a lovely dinner and met Jason Smith who plays for the Sixers. He is so sweet and 7 ft. tall! I have never felt so short in my life. I have a pic below.
We went to our seat and watched the game and then went back to the grill at halftime to see the results of the raffle. We won two prizes! I won an Andre Iguodala autographed basketball and Geof won a 4-pack of club box tickets to a game in January. We had a nice little date night!

Geof, Jason Smith and me

Yum...pumpkin soup

Us at the Cadillac Grill

Productive present wrapping

I dug out the majority of the Christmas gifts and here are some pics from my evening of wrapping. I still have some more shopping to do and gifts to wrap, but this is a major check off the list.

Tomorrow is my last day of work and then I am off all next week. Woo-hoo!

Holiday cocktail

I think I will make this on Christmas Eve. We like wine and cranberry, so this should be good. It will be really easy and quick to make too.

2 cups chilled dry white wine
1 cup chilled cranberry-apple juice drink
1 cup chilled sparkling water
Apple slices, if desired
Fresh mint, if desired

1. Mix wine, juice drink and sparkling water.

2. Serve over ice. Garnish with apple slices and mint.

All I want for Christmas…

Coach Legacy Lip Gloss Charm - I just think this is too cute!



Gap Ruffle Scarf in Cinnabar Red - I like the ruffles




Cannon PowerShot 8.0MP Digital ELPH Camera - in pink of course!



Dogeared Grace Necklace - I love their designs. Everything is so pretty and dainty.



NARS Blush and Lipgloss set - I love NARS products and these shades are perfect.

Last but not least…my dream gift!

Louis Vuitton Neo Cabby GM - A girl can dream, right?

Tag...I'm it!

Linda tagged me today to share some details about myself.

First of all, here are the deets:
1. Link to the person that tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

So here are 6 random facts about me:

1. I have been teaching ice skating the past 12 years as a hobby/2nd job.
2. I like my 2 dogs more than some people.
3. I remember lyrics from songs very easy, but forget other stuff.
4. I love scary/horror movies.
5. I have to watch "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and "A Christmas Story" every Christmas season.
6. I hate chicken on bones, but love boneless/skinless chicken.

Now I tag:
Nicole
Tasha
Meghan
Emily
Melissa
Serious Shopaholic

Productive weekend and recap

Friday I came home from work and Geof, the dogs and I went to Rosetree Park for the Festival of Lights. It was really pretty and got me in the spirit. We saw another couple in the park that had a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel like ours’ and we were chatting with them. It was fun talking to them about their dog and the similarities in the breed. His name was Murphy and he was adorable. I wish I remembered my camera!
Saturday we had the holiday party at the ice rink and it was lovely. So many students and parents came out and brought some great food and drinks. The kids had a nice time and so did we. I swear the spread of food gets bigger each year. We left there very full even after an afternoon of skating.
From the rink we went straight to the mall and then Target to do some more Christmas shopping and get wrapping paper. The mall wasn’t half as insane as I thought it would be.
Yesterday, we went to Linvilla Orchards and got our Christmas tree. They take you out to the farm on a hayride and you get to walk around and select your own tree and chop it down. Once you chop it, you tag it and then ride back to the main area. Once you get there you can drink warm apple cider and toast marshmallows by the campfire. It is the perfect ending after getting the tree.
Once we got the tree, we came back to the house and put it up. We did the lights and then decorated it and the rest of the house. By the end of the day I was exhausted and still am today. I love the holidays, but they’re definitely tiring! Here are some pics from around the house:

Our tree - I still think it could use some more ornaments

Console table

My grandma's china cabinet that my dad gave to us and my hodge podge of decorations on top

Christmas village

Busy weekend ahead

I think I'm finally starting to get into the Christmas spirit. It is very late into the season, but things have been so busy that I haven't had time to give Christmas much thought. This weekend will be filled with many holiday activites! Tonight, Geof took me to the Festival of Lights at a local park and it was beautiful. We took the dogs and they really enjoyed it too.
Tomorrow I have the holiday party at my ice rick (I teach figure skating part-time) and then we will be doing Chrismas shopping and getting our tree at some point. We go to a local farm/orchard and cut our own tree down. It's a tradition we just started last year and I am excited to keep it going.
Hopefully I get a lot accomplished this weekend and have more updates!

Wedding pictures!

My wonderful photographer Cindy Guessford recently posted some images from our wedding on her blog. I had to share and I cannot wait to see the rest!


The guys playing Rock Band before the wedding

My handsome hubby

The rings in my bouquet

Getting ready and all ready to go


Me all smiles!

When he first saw me

Me and my girls

Geof and I

Beautiful day

Legally Blonde: The Musical

Geof took me to see Legally Blonde: The Musical on Friday night and it was fantastic! I have always loved the movie and thought it would be fun to go see the musical. He was a little less than thrilled to go see something so girly, but he was a good sport and enjoyed himself. I was surprised that a lot of couples were there.
We started the night out at one of our favorite restaurants called Jones. They basically serve all different kinds of upscale comfort food. For instance, you can get baked mac ‘n cheese as an appetizer. That is definitely my kind of place. We shared the mac ‘n cheese and then I had a grilled cheese and tomato soup and he had a turkey club. We shared a side of boursin mashed potatoes, which were so good. For dessert, we shared a slice of peanut butter pie and it was heavenly.
The show was at the Academy of Music and it was high-energy from beginning to end. I thought it represented the movie very well and the music/songs were very catchy. Bruiser (Elle’s dog) was adorable and the UPS guy had everyone cracking up.
Overall we had such a nice night. This is my first show that I have gone to in a long time and I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing some more often.
Here are some pictures from the night:

Me at Jones having a cocktail

Baked Mac 'n Cheese

Geof and I at the show