Our Weekend...

Nathan flew to North Carolina on Thursday to participate in the Duke MBA Games. Basically representatives from a bunch of different MBA schools get together at Duke after fundraising for the Special Olympics and then play games all day Saturday. He participated in a golf tournament, a 5K and his favorite a relay where you spin with your head on a bat and then try to run straight. It sounds like a great time but boy oh boy was he tired by the time he got home on Sunday! Here is a photo that one of his teammates sent him. Go Blue!



While Nathan was in NC I went to Cincinnati to do wedding mumbo jumbo. From dress fittings to expanding our registries to finding cutesy things for the kiddos to entertain themselves with at the reception. I have to go back this coming weekend with my wedding shoes so we can actually hem the darn dress.

I tell you what, my mom is quite the errand-runner. I was soooo tired by the end of the day and she was still listing off things for us to do. Thank goodness we took a break to stop by my brothers place to visit. Max, my 2 year old nephew, proceeded to tell us all the different sounds that the "broccoli-a-sorus" makes. He's growing up way too fast! My brother took the kids to a dinosaur exhibit in Cincinnati and it's all Max wanted to talk about. That and singing his ABC's for us.

Anyway, mom and I headed to Royal Taj for dinner...sooo good! We were too hungry for me to remember a picture before we started eating. It was delicious and we'll definitely be back!!!




Then, because my mom is a ROCKSTAR, we stopped to get some of the best ice cream EVER - Graeters. It was a great end to a great splurge meal!



Thanks mom...it was a great weekend!!!

Favorite Things - Week Twelve

I'm a Turkey Tom. No mayo. No tomatoes.
Nathan is a Beach Club. No mayo.

What are you?

Sharing...

My friend and constant lurker, Laura Morgan, gave me permission to share this email with all of you.

Just wanted to let you know about this:

"March 28th, 8:30 pm. Join millions around the world who are turning off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. By flipping your light switch you can demonstrate concern for our living planet and send a strong message to our leaders that you support action on climate change. Visit www.earthhour.org."

Thought you all may be intrested. Rich and I are getting candles ready! Haha

I hope everyone is well. Wished we all lived closer so we could play games by candle light together on March 28th!

Peace,
Laura

I'll be eating a birthday dinner so I doubt the restaurant will be up for lights out. But those of you at home...this is a nice excuse to cuddle with your honey or plays games with your kiddos by candlelight!

Mr. Freeze!!!!

So, Nathan and I try very hard all week long to follow our healthy lifestyle. However, there is one night a week that we say "to h*ll with it" and just eat whatever we darn well please. Others may refer to them as "splurge" meals...anyway...much of our week revolves around our Saturday night dinner plans. Silly, but it works for us.

Two weeks ago we made plans to head to Toledo for a little zoo-time, El Vaquero and if it was open, Mr. Freeze. To make sure Mr. Freeze was in fact open we had to call the neighboring pizza place as Mr. Freeze isn't listed in the phonebook. Here's how the conversation went:

PP (Pizza Place): Hello, Marco's Pizza. Is this pick-up or delivery?
Me: Umm, yes. I was just wondering if Mr. Freeze was open yet?!?!
PP: Yes, it is.
Me: Oh, great. Thank you!
PP: Uh huh.

Nate thinks they must get dozens of call like that. She remained professional but I could definitely tell she was less than pleased by my phone call. A girls gotta now when the Freeze is open though!

Soo...our plans changed a bit when we got a very special visit from Nathan's dad! He was back from China and driving through for work. So, we hit up the local Zingerman's Roadhouse for dinner instead. It was delish!

Soo...Nathan and I traveled this past Saturday to Toledo for an awesome Mexican dinner, fab finds at *gasp* Walmart AND MR. FREEZE. He's back. And he's as good as last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nate and his Shamrock Sundae...vanilla soft serve with crushed oreos and mint syrup.



Me with my vanilla ice cream topped with crunch coat. Just so you know I ordered a small...can you believe the portion sizes at the Freeze? And also, I don't have man-hands in person. Swear. And I got my eyebrows waxed today. Promise.

Baby Boy

Our friends Ashok and Karishma are expecting their first child in June. They are also moving to Dallas this summer so that Ashok can begin working for American Airlines. I am really excited as I'll be able to visit with them when I travel to Dallas for work!

Anyway...

This past Saturday Karishma's sister-in-law, Traci, put together a lovely shower for Karishma at Jenny's place. It was so nice to see so many great faces again. I even met two babies that were born around Christmas...it was about time!

I participated in a onesie competition. It was very very fun...you're given a blank onsie and fabric markers. This is what my team (Sara, Meghan and I) came up with.



Bet you can't guess what our gift to Karishma was???

That's right, the Brest Friend that she registered for.

Before gifts, she was kind enough to share her delicious cake. (Or so I was told. No slice for the WW lady!) Although the cake was, a cake, Karishma decided to but pie slices. She then proceeded to eat her slice and tried desperately to feed Traci the next slice. We concluded that she was trying to cut the cake "wedding style"...what a silly girl.



Thank you for having me Karishma. Nathan and I wish you and your little family a wonderful and blessed little life...

WWW

(I can't even get the badge to work...ugh! I'll try to add it tomorrow.)

I'm excited to say that I lost two pounds this week. I wasn't exactly jumping up and down since last week I gained two pounds, but at least I was able to get those suckers back off. I'm really feeling good about my overall progress (-13 lbs) but I'm FAR from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. A fellow WWW blogger, Mrs. Mojito, announced today that she reached her goal weight today. I can't wait to announce that someday...soon...hopefully!

So, on to the good stuff. Tonight I made WW lasagna for the third time since I started this process ten weeks ago. That might not seem like many times, but I have rarely repeated recipes since I started. Trying out new things and keeping it "fresh" seems to help me stay focused. Anyway, this recipe comes from the most recent WW cookbook and we just love it! It makes 8 huge servings...but it freezes really well so I always stick two pieces in the freezer for a rainy day when I don't feel like cooking...or for when I'm home alone.

I try to go grocery shopping on Saturday mornings after my workout. I make one huge list of all the ingredients for our week. I should back up a bit, first I plan out our menu for the week and write it on the calendar. Then I check my ingredient list with our pantry/fridge and make my shopping list from there. When I head to the grocery store (Whole Foods especially) I have to keep my head down until I reach an item I need...otherwise homemade Ann Arbor tortillas and 46,000 other interesting items end up in my cart. So...my tip to all of you is to take 30 minutes to plan out your meals and a shopping list of what you really need...and DON'T deviate from the list. I bought Nathan Oreo's to say "good job honey...you're kicking some marathon training boot-eh" and they've been the thorn in my side ever since. I don't suggest buying Oreo's when you can't mow them down like your partner can. Ugh.

Anyways, here is the lasagna recipe:

Lasagna with Meat Sauce

9 lasagna noodles
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (10% or less fat)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 (15 oz.) containers refrigerated marinara sauce
1.5 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles, then set aside.

2. In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, cook the fennel seeds, shaking the pan and stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. (Watch them carefully when toasting; seeds can burn quickly.) Transfer the seeds to a coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Or pound the seeds between two clean kitchen towels with a mallet until finely crushed.

3. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil; add the beef, onion, bell pepper and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the pan juices evaporate and the beef browns, about 10 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and fennel; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened and the flavors blend, about 10 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 375*F. In a 9x13-inch baking dish, spread one-fourth of the meat sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles; spread with 1/2 cup of the ricotta. Repeat the layering twice, ending with the meat sauce.

5. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Romano. Bake until heated through and the cheeses are lightly browned, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*To make ahead, assemble the lasagna without the mozzarella and Romano cheeses; cover and refrigerate up to two days, or freeze up to two months. To cook, that (if frozen) overnight in the refrigerator, cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes. Uncover, add the cheeses, and bake until heated through and the cheeses melt.

Per serving (1/8 of lasagna): 295 Calories, 9g fat, 3g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 20mg cholesterol, 589mg sodium, 33g carb, 5g fib, 21g prot, 355mg calc.

6 points per serving

Shopping Smart

Kelly at Kelly's Korner posted a little while ago about "recession friendly shopping" also known as "how can we all still afford to be stylish?" So many great ideas were given off of her post and I was inspired myself. So many of the women were talking about the great purchases that they'd made at...wait for it...Walmart! So this past Saturday Nathan and I made the trek to Toledo for our splurge meal (more on that later) with full intentions of hitting up the only Super Walmart we know of in a 50 mile radius. It was interesting and enlightening to say the least. I think I'd be more apt to visit if the store were closer, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the fashion they're sporting at Walmart.

Here's what I walked out with:

1 pink and white striped button down with tuxedo-like details at the chest and neckline. $5

1 black and white striped cardigan. $10

1 extra purple scarf. $5



I walked out with three new items for 20 dollars!!! I'd say it was worth it.

I'm hoping to make it back sometime once the summer items are out in full force. A lot of the items in this store were still early Spring.

P.S. I also got a great sussy in my Walmart bag...Nater Gator strikes again by purchasing the Twilight DVD for me. I was quite the recipient this weekend! :)

Knowing

Friday night Nathan and I went to Knowing. It was FANTASTIC. Surprised? I know, Nicholas Cage was wonderful which was a pleasant surprise seeing as outside of National Treasure he hasn't "done much" lately. I'm fairly certain I loved it and Nate liked it. It's definitely creepy and the music made me ANXIOUS the whole time...but I love a scary/eery movie every now and then! I would honestly go again just to see things I'd missed the first time. There was so much going on at times that I'm sure I'd enjoy it just as much.

(Meghan, this movie is NOT for you. You either, Jenny.)



You may have seen the preview about the plane crash. Let me tell you...it was crazy intense! I was not expecting when came after the actual plane crashed. I promise, this is not a spoiler, but seriously...people were running out of the crash covered in fire and screaming. I got really teary-eyed because I just imagined that's what a real crash is like. It was very upsetting, but perhaps one of the best "special effects" moments of the movie.

Tank is FULL

You know what I love? Getting a sussy.

Friday night I got in my car to go to the movies and my gas tank was FULL.

Best. Sussy. Ever.

P.S. I love that Nathan filled up my gas tank...it's almost better than having your "love tank" filled...almost.

Thank you Vicki Gunvalson for your love tank analogy (Real Housewives of Orange County)

Favorite Things - Week Eleven

Have you ever played around on polyvore.com - it's super fun! Basically you can make outfits, like the one above, from all different kinds of clothings and accessory pictures. This website comes in really handy when you're trying to create a special outfit. Whether it's for a date night or a wedding brunch you can create a bunch of different looks and share them with others.

Weight Watchers Wednesday

Can I just say something? BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

I have to report that not only did I not lose this week, but I gained TWO POUNDS. WHAT?? To be fair, the past week I wasn't feeling well at all so I only made it to the gym three times. But STILL...I followed my points diligently and drank my water. Whatever. I weigh myself at the same time during the week and only Nater Gator knows when that is...so lets just say I was not only unhappy but I was pretty upset. Hence the reason I'm stalling on this post. Ugh. I'm really hoping that next week is a better outcome. If anything, it's definitely making me work harder this week.

So the recipe for this week that I loved was the Turkey Stuffed Zucchini from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes. It was so delicious and only 4 points per serving!

We also really enjoyed the Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice, but I highly suggest following the directions Gina provides. I cooked our rice according to the package and it was a little too done.

I started reading some recipes from Laaloosh. I found a delicious red velvet cake recipe. It won't be the same as my southern mother's...but it will do for now!

I put together a recipe book filled with all kinds of Weight Watchers recipes from blogs that I read. Leave a comment or send me an email if you'd like me to send it to you. There are about 30 recipes from appetizers and side items to main dishes.

Pheew!

Sorry for the absence. When I checked our blog on Friday afternoon it showed the following things:

1. That we had no followers
2. That we don't follow any blogs

I was so upset that it had erased all of my favorite blogspots that I signed out in a huff and didn't check it again until this morning. Thankfully, all is well again.

I've got some fun little items for Wednesday that I'm excited to share with all of you!

Weight Watchers Wednesday

First of all, a BIG thank you to Mrs. Mojito for helping me become part of the Weight Watchers Wednesday club-a-roo!

I've been reading some great blogs for awhile now and stumbled across some Weight Watchers themed blogs in December/January. At the time I had three great girlfriends that were trying their best to stay consistent with their Weight Watchers plan...so I forwarded the blogs to them but kept reading them myself as well just for kicks.

When we were in North Carolina, my friend LaGina tried to talk me into doing WW with her. She needed a meeting buddy and since I was already her workout buddy her next plan was to make me her WW buddy as well. She made one appetizer for me WW style - spinach artichoke dip - I almost barfed...I hated that it was all fat-free this and fat-free that. Barf. So I decided WW was NOT for me...I needed real food that tasted normal!

Fast forward to these blogs that I found this January, about two years later. I was reading the recipes and seeing all of the "normal" ingredients that they used. Not only did the nutritional information look great, but the recipes sounded delicious! So, my friend Jenny gave me a quick run down of WW and here I am 7 weeks later and 13 pounds lighter! I have really enjoyed the Flex Plan and all of the simple ways that it's made me feel like a healthier version of myself.

So...Weight Watchers Wednesday was started by some lovely blogging ladies to help others on the same WW course stay healthy while getting great tips for their own WW plans. I've found great advice from these gals...just fabulous advice...and I plan each Wednesday to post a personal WW update, a favorite recipe and a tip for YOU as well in order to begin or just simply maintain your own healthy lifestyle.

This week I'd like to pass along one of my favorite blogs for WW recipes, Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes. I am making her Turkey Stuffed Zucchini tomorrow and I have high hopes for her Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice that I'll make sometime next week!

Until next week...

Personality Test

I just took one online here. It was really interesting. Thanks to The Mrs. and Melissa for posting about it. Here are the results...I think it shows that I am a "softy" but a little too interested in how others think/feel. I'm not too sure about the managing others part...unless we're talking kiddos here and not adults. I'm glad that my career path was right on though! :)

Your personality type:
Popular and sensitive, with outstanding people skills. Externally focused, with real concern for how others think and feel. Usually dislike being alone. They see everything from the human angle and dislike impersonal analysis. Very effective at managing people issues and leading group discussions. Interested in serving others and probably place the needs of others over their own needs.

Careers that could fit you include:

Teachers, consultants, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, clergy, sales representatives, human resources, managers, events coordinators, politicians, diplomats, writers, actors, designers, homemakers, musicians, religious workers.

Calling All DIY Brides!!!

Check this out! Super cute, right?

Found via Brooklyn Bride.

Favorite Things - Week Ten

This week I couldn't think of a favorite thing, so I asked Nathan to tell me what he thinks my favorite things are. Here is what he said: Chipotle burritos, Charlotte, Dallas and just plain living in the south and finally Bravo tv. I decided to write about Bravo TV because I absolutely LOVE it! I'm not hooked on too much television...but pretty much any reality show that Bravo creates I get hooked on. My favorites are tied at Project Runway, Top Chef and Real Housewives of Orange County. Did anyone else catch the reunion of RHOC? Lordy...it was DRAMATIC!

Wedding at the Tables - Details!!!!

Here are a few of the details that we've coordinated for the big weekend. Doing this post just reminded me of how grateful we are for our family especially our parents and some friends that are in Cincinnati...they are helping us with so many of these wedding details!


Here's a collage of what our reception decor will look like...white hydrangeas, pictures and a LOT of black and white damask fabrics!



We'll have black square frames for the table numbers with pictures of our favorite puppy dog and some of us.



A table for the two of us...hopefully we'll be able to enjoy our first meal as Mr. and Mrs.!



We're having our guests sign quilt squares that my mom will make into a Maize and Blue quilt after the wedding!



We'll have a heritage table displaying wedding photos from our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and siblings. Each will be framed separately and placed in a family tree setting with calligraphied labels explaining each couple.



We'll have coloring books, crayons and some other fun pieces for the little guests.





Dancing shoes in white for the ladies and black for the men...we have enough flip flops for everybody to slip on a pair once the dancing really starts!



Even though we have a shuttle from the hotel to the reception hall and back, we want to make sure everybody has a safe alternative at the end of the night! These will be in frames on the bar...just in case!



Speaking of the hotel, we'll have welcome gable boxes for each of our guests when they check into the hotel. Our invitation designers are making specialized labels just for these...our boxes will be white and will have similar treats inside with a couple of Cincinnati specialties!



Can't believe that I get to marry this guy. Have I ever mentioned on here that May 30th of 2009 is 11 years to the day that we first met? Bliss...

Wedding Party and Registries

So we decided not to have a traditional wedding party. The thought of coordinating with people all over the country and putting any sort of expectations on them. So, instead we're having our family members walk down the aisle. It's actually going to work out quite nicely since we have equal amounts once you add in our grandparents. All of the men will be in black suits and the gals will be in a black dress of their choice. Max, my nephew, is going to have a cute Jon Jon on in black and white that my mom is making. Our nieces will be in this dress that my mom and Nathan's mom are making for each of them except with a gold ribbon.



Our registries are almost complete now. We have to make a trip to Macy's to add some items but our other registries are basically complete. Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn were the stores that we ended up going with as well. We had a great time tooling around the stores together and deciding on things from dishes to pots to lamps. Nate was actually quite opinionated once he got into it...especially with colors and our everyday dishes. I highly recommend both of these stores because they have a completion policy. Basically for up to a year after our wedding we can complete what wasn't purchased from our registry for a small discount. That was worth it enough to us!

Teaching and Naughty Words

To put it briefly, I miss teaching EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I absolutely loved my job and I can not wait to get back to it! Obviously as with any job there were rough parts, but none of them couldn't be forgetten or conquered when compared to the bright spots...the children that I spent each day with. I can't wait to get back to work - the work that I am truly passionate about, love and enjoy!

As a teacher you hear so many wonderful stories from students. About their weekend, their goals for themselves and (yes parents!!!!) you especially hear things that you SHOULD NOT KNOW. Working with first graders there is a strong naivety involved. They are innocent and interested in everything...but one thing I've noticed is how hard they try to be "good" people. Here is a classic example of that:

This conversation that occurred one day in my classroom...between myself, B-man, A-man and the Principal...

B-man: Miss Haskin! Miss Haskin! I need to tell you something!!!!
A-man catches up with B-man whose is standing right in front of me.
Me: Yes, what do you need to tell me.
B-man: A-man said the "s" word.
Me: Which "s" word did he say? (please keep in mind that shut-up and stupid enter into the "bad word" category for most first graders!)
B-man: I can't say it. It's too naughty.
Me: Okay, can you spell it for me?
B-man: I don't know how to spell it.
Me: Okay Bman, can you just try your best?
B-man: Okay. S. H. I. T.
Me (thinking: darn it. This is a bad word.) : Well, Aman, did you really say that word?
A-man shakes his head no. His eyes are about to bulge from their sockets. Fear is apparent.
Bman: (jumping in) Yes he did. We were playing and he said sh*t, and I told him that sh*t's a bad word and he shouldn't say sh*t. And then I told him that I was going to tell Miss Haskin that he said sh*t and that he was going to have to pull his WOW card for saying sh*t and his momma was going to be soooo upset when she found out he said sh*t. Cause its a bad word.
(Principal walks by classroom. I flag her down before she completely passes. After she gets the rundown "bad word, guilty party, tattle tale" she asks in front of the boys if she can take care of this VERY serious matter. Principal takes boys to her office for a "talk" of sorts)

A-man returns ten minutes later. Frazzled and tearful.
B-man returns with Principal behind A-man. He's a MESS.
I ask Principal what happened. Well, apparently she was told the same version of the story from B-man. A-man confessed to saying the word once.

Principal: I told A-man that I didn't want to ever hear that word out of his mouth again and that he was going to need to pull his WOW card. I then turned to B-man and said "B-man, you do realize that A-man said that word once but you've now said it 12 times." He hasn't stopped crying since.

B-man was inconsolable. He could not believe that HE had said such an awful, naughty, horrible word. I call his mother after school ended to prep her for what would be walking off the bus that afternoon. We have a nice laugh knowing that B-man will probably never use that word again...even at 82 he'll still think it is the worst word ever.

I just love children...

Wedding at the Table - Menus

We just had our tasting last week and thanks to my mom and dad as well as the Pohlmeyer's we were able to choose our final menu. Here goes nothin'! Please keep in mind that our wedding is May 30th...the beginning of summer and summertime flavors!

Passed Hors d’Oeuvres
Goat Cheese Wontons with Apricot Red Chili Sauce
Pesto Pizza with Brie and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Proscuitto and Gruyere Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Tuna Tartare on Guacamole Toast
California Rolls and with Wasabi and Pickled Ginger

Champagne Toast with Salad
Mixed Greens with Strawberries, Avocado, Grapefruit, Feta and Pine nuts with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Entree
Teriyaki Beef Tenderloin and Asian Crusted Basa Fish
Parmesan Gruyere Dauphine Potatoes and
Grilled Asparagus in Zucchini Bands

Dessert
Wedding Cake from Maribelle...so delicious!
Graeter's ice cream in black raspberry chip, mint chip and chocolate chip
Coffee AND Iced Caramel Lattes...can't wait!
Plue two surprises for our guests...and too many of our guests read this!

Midnight Snack
And again...we've got a couple surprises up our sleeves...and no, that doesn't mean my dress has sleeves...or does it???

Now, for Nathan's surprise. During the cocktail hour Nate has decided to have a signature drink. Please note that he had NO idea what that meant when I first called his "great idea" a signature drink. Anyway, one day he said "I have a great idea! I'm going to make Pini Tini's for the wedding!" Well, I am so excited because I haven't had a Pini Tini since we moved from Charlotte. It's pineapple infused vodka (the part Nate is making) and some other delicious additions. I can't wait for our guest to try the Pini Tini's...and I was able to purchase four beverage containers to serve them from. Wahoo! We're hoping it will look something like this...but with only Pini Tini deliciousness inside!

Wordless Wednesday

Nightmare

So, I'm beginning to think that "Wedding at the Table" was a bad idea. I've had three wedding nightmares since we first got engaged.

1. The dress hunt
2. The hair-do
3. The hair-do AGAIN

All three of these nightmares were directly related to the fact that my "theknot.com" monthly checklist sent me my to-do's for the month and these things were not finished yet.

Never, and I mean NEVER, have I worried about our AMAZING photographer. Alas, my night begins and I am enjoying dreamland...Nathan and I get married...it was a beautiful day...everyone looked and acted lovely...we took pictures for about fifteen minutes at some random park behind the ceremony site which was NOT the church we're getting married in (clue #1 to stop said dream and remember that is just that, a dream)...we then head to the reception and the beautiful Tine our photographer says "Ciao!" (clue #2 that said dream is getting ridiculous...she's German NOT Italian) and leaves before we even dance or cut the cake or really do anything at all. Then my dream skipped ahead to us getting home (clue #3 you're getting married in Cincy...there's NO way you'd make it back to Ann Arbor that fast) and I start panicking that we didn't take enough pictures. And I wanted the beautiful pictures like the rest of the brides and grooms had on her blog. I wanted Sampson in the pictures gosh darn it! So I call Tine, sobbing, asking her if she'd meet us right away to take more pictures (because we're back in the same city at this point??? Again, wake up and smell the ridiculous dream Elizabeth!) and she told me that she couldn't make it. And I cried and cried and cried because I knew we'd never have the beautiful pictures from our wedding that I'd been dreaming of.

And that's when I woke up. Still sobbing. Worried that our pictures would be straight from Olan Mills and not the kind that I'd seen on her blog.

So I say again, maybe this whole "Wedding at the Table" series isn't a good idea. If I have a nightmare tonight that our menu is digusting then I'm cancelling any further wedding talk on here. Forever. :)

Wedding at the Table - THE Photographer

OH. MY. GOODNESS. This is by FAR the most exciting piece of our wedding planning for me...our photographer! Tine Hofmann...She is an absolutely AMAZING wedding photographer!

We had originally planned on another photographer but switched to this photographer after I found her blog and heard such rave reviews from theknot.com knotties. THEN, I found out that Tracy, my mom's bff's daughter, was using the same photographer for her wedding in May 2008! Well below are some of the gorgeous pictures the Tine took for Tracy and her hubby Max for both their engagement photos and wedding day photos.

This one is my favorite...the light coming through makes it seem so dreamy and romantic!

Gorgeous, right? Here are some other favorites from Tine's blog.

I can already see Nathan doing this on our big day...

Sampson needs to have his picture taken like this...drooly mouth and all!

All photos courtesy of Tine Hofmann.

Coming up tomorrow - Our caterer, the menu and Nathan's secret....

Wedding at the Table - Venues

We've spent a lot of time on the phone, traveling around the city and trusting my parents opinions of places in order to get to this very exciting point. We have booked all of our venues, and I mean ALL of them!

Nathan was adament that we have our rehearsal dinner at a Hibachi grill. Not only would it be great for our nieces and nephew, but we absolutely love going to them. In Charlotte anytime we wanted to celebrate we'd head to our favorite Charlotte Hibachi Grill...Kabuto. If you haven't been to a Hibachi you should really branch out and try one. So, after several attempts at finding a Kabuto-like restaurant, we will be having our rehearsal dinner at Fuji Steakhouse with our immediate family. Why just the immediate family? Well, we aren't having a traditional "wedding party" so to speak but we're having our family members walk down the aisle as one...plus there are 20 people between them all!


Men's Golf Location
Photo courtesy of devouparkgolf.com

Saturday morning Nathan and many of the other men that we've invited to the wedding will be golfing in tournament that began with my oldest brothers wedding and now continues with ours! I would be there too...but then I'd see Nathan and it would be game over for the day of not seeing each other! :) They will be golfing at Devou Park Golf Course. Not only is it easy access from the hotel but it's part of the Reception site and it overlooks the city.

Ladies Brunch

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, some of my closest friends and family will be joining me for a brunch. This tradition started with my cousins Emily and Gretchen who hosted their closest family and friends on the morning of their weddings. I think it's a wonderful way to spend my day of anticipation! We will be eating at Greenup Cafe. It's actually owned and operated by a well known chef in Cincinnati, Jean-Robert, and the food is amazing! We reserved the second floor of the restaurant for privacy and I can't wait!


Ceremony Site
Photo courtesy of sttimothys.com

Our wedding ceremony will be at the church I grew up going to in Cincinnati, St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, but the ceremony itself will be performed by my pastor growing up at St. Tim's as well as Nathan's pastor that he grew up with from Toledo. Most Episcopal churches that we've attended as a family have been very traditional and this particular church is very contemporary. I can't wait to walk down that aisle...Nathan's really worried that the cross is going to fall on him before I get there. Silly guy!


Reception Hall - front

Reception Hall - back

Photo courtesy of dreespavilion.com

Our wedding reception will take place at the gorgeous Drees Pavilion at Devou Memorial Overlook. Drees is a traditional reception hall with a unique view of the city. When we were looking for a reception site Nathan had two requests: 1. It had to be one large room - 2. It needed to be unique - Well this was surprisingly hard to find but we think we've hit the nail on the head with Drees. It's one large room and it has a spectacular view of the city and many of our guests have never visited Cincinnati, yet alone Ohio, so we're really hoping it dazzles them! Our cocktail hour is planned for the veranda in the back...should make for a nice introduction to the night!


Finally, on Sunday morning we are having a catered breakfast/brunch at the hotel for our guests to enjoy before heading back home. We're hoping to thank everyone one last time and of course get in one last hug! This same hospitality room at the hotel will be available to our guests only during the entire weekend. We'll have the room stocked with food, drinks, alcohol and games to entertain. We're hoping this space will provide each of our guests with a gathering space for the entire weekend!


Pheew...that was a lot of info! I can't wait to share our photographer with you tomorrow...she's AMAZING!!!!!!!!