Time to pack...

We fly out on Sunday morning and have not even taken the suitcases out of the guestroom closet.

I can think of hundreds of other things I should be doing right now, instead I'm sitting at work DREAMING of Maui with zero concentration on what needs to get accomplished before I leave for a week and a half.


by Violator3
This photo may represent Steve and I when we refuse to depart from the Hawaiian Islands. However, my dress looks nothing like the one in the photo and Steve is wearing a khaki linen suit.

hope everyone has a wonderful {relaxing} weekend!
And for those of you that are traveling to Maui, please don't stress when it comes time to pack.

The Sweet Spot

Is oh so sweet, but definitely oh so painful. As a wedding gift from my dear friend Lisa Beth Spry, she gave me the gift of sugaring. Sugaring is similar to waxing, but consists only of sugar, lemon juice and water rather than the substances used to make hot wax. I have fairly sensitive skin, so waxing was pretty much out of the question for me. Spry is a huge fan of sugaring and now may have me hooked. For me, the pain was pretty intense and at one point (during the 45 minute procedure) thought I was going to have to stop, but I made it through alive and feel good today.



I highly recommend Sweet Spot in Fremont for anyone interested in hair removal.

Just add Diet Coke

To a box of chocolate cake mix and you've got a delicious chocolate cake!

No eggs, no oil and no water needed.
Directions:
Combine the chocolate cake mix and can of Diet Coke
Bake as directed on box





To maintain the "healthiness" of the cake, add fat free cool whip rather than frosting.

I didn't believe Steve the first time he made this recipe, but I've made it a few times since and have received excellent reviews.

:: Weekend Getaway ::

Our trip up to Victoria, BC was PERFECT and traveling by seaplane is definitely my new favorite form of transportation. It's simple and gets you to your final destination much faster compared to car, train, boat, etc PLUS it's beautiful! Even with the gray skies, it's so fun to look out the window and see familiar landmarks up-close.

Saturday morning, we flew to Lake Union from Kenmore (7 min flight) and then flew from Lake Union to our final destination of Inner Harbor, Victoria (45 min flight). On the way back yesterday, we received special treatment from a few of my sisters friends at work and enjoyed a scenic flight to Bedwell Bay, Vancouver, picked up four passengers and then headed back to Lake Union and then on to Kenmore (after a private tour of downtown Seattle from the sky).

If you ever decide to make the trip up to Victoria, I would definitely recommend staying overnight and booking your room at the Inn at Laurel Point - beautiful rooms and VERY reasonably priced.

Things to do and see in Victoria:

- Experience the Royal BC Museum

- Take in an IMAX movie at the museum

- Walk around the grounds of the BC Parliament Building

- Walk through Inner Harbor

- Check out the lobby (or stay the night) at the beautiful Fairmont Empress Hotel

- Explore the shopping along Douglas St. and Government St.

- Have a drink or watch a hockey game (no thanks on the latter) at the Sticky Wicket

- Walk through Chinatown

Almost two full days and one night was plenty of time for us to spend in Victoria, but we would definitely like to go back up during the Summer months and enjoy more outdoor activities like kayaking, bike riding, etc.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the weekend - enjoy.





















* I'll share a few more fun photos from inside the museum later

Leaving on a Seaplane

Courtesy of my sister Megan, Steve and I will be flying to Victoria, British Columbia tomorrow moring on Kenmore Air (Megs employer for the past few years) for a weekend of relaxation. I'm thinking this is exactly the relaxation we'll need before we take off for Maui next weekend.

Photo taken by Megan Coffey

I haven't been to Victoria since I was a kid and I don't really remember it so I'm looking forward to exploring a new city. We're both most excited to a) experience a flight on a seaplane and b) to take photos, but to be honest, I'm a bit concerned considering the maximum luggage weight per person is 24 pounds - this could be an issue.

What are your plans for the weekend? Whether you're spending it with a loved one or friends, I hope it's a good one.

Did you know?

That the best time to purchase a new mattress and box spring is at the end of February?
If no, then you are right there with me. I had no clue about this until two weeks ago when we went to Macy's to test out beds. Apparently, all of the new beds come out in March so the lowest prices are in February. Considering, I had one of the best nights of sleep last night on our new Sealy Posturpedic "Moon Scape" Plush Euro, Pillowtop Mattress with Memory Foam bed last night, I figured it was a smart tip to share with all of you. I don't think I've ever owned a "new bed" other than my crib or trundle bed as a child so this was a big step. Another tip I'd like to add is that you have the option for either a low-profile box spring, which is usually 5.5 in. or a standard which is 9 in. We went with the low-profile because the mattress is so thick and we didn't want it the height going over the end of our sleigh bed...and I'm short and didn't want to have to leap into bed.

Here's the bed - I would have taken a photo of the actual thing, but our room is a mess.

And here's the new duvet cover (from Crate & Barrel) that we received as a gift two weeks ago, but used for the first time last night - love it! And can't wait to get the matching pillow shams.

A little something for our wedding guests...

I will say it over and over and over again, but there are not enough words to express how thankful Steve and I are for our family and friends that will be making the trip out to Maui for our wedding in the next few short weeks. When we began planning our wedding, almost a year ago, we didn't predict the economic downturn that would be occuring and quickly reaized that we were planning a destination wedding during the hardest economical time most of us have ever been through. When we tell people that we have 105 guests making the trip out to Maui for us, they're shocked, as are we. We are so excited for the weeks ahead and as a tiny gesture of our thanks, we mailed out the below envelopes to all attending guests this past week.

The little "care package" of sorts includes:
- Personalized luggage tags
- A personal brochure (made by Steve and I) with important details about Maui, the wedding, etc.
- A helpful brochure from Maui Kannapali Villas, which is where most guests will be staying and where our welcome BBQ will be held on Wednesday night.

The countdown continues...and so does the snow...

I woke up to snow and freezing temperatures this morning. And to start my week, in an attempt to scrape the snow off of my windshield, I locked my keys in the car, along with my purse and cell phone, while it was running!! Usually, Steve leaves for work before me, but thankfully he was still home so he was able to unlock it with my spare. I don't mind that all of this happened and laughed instead of getting upset BECAUSE two weeks from today, I will be waking up to THIS!

Seafood Lovers Delight :: Cioppino

One of my goals of 2009, was to test out new recipes - well, last night I did just that. I made something for the very first time and received an excellent review. And not to toot my own horn, but it was one of the best seafood dishes I've ever had.

There is a bit of a story behind this choice for a meal. A couple of weeks ago, I took advantage of the Southwest Airlines 3-day sale and purchased tickets to San Francisco for Steve and I as his birthday present. I wasn't going to tell him about this gift until we celebrated his birthday in Maui, since it's three days after the wedding, but I slipped and forwarded him an email in which I had explained to a friend that we were heading to the Bay Area at the end of April for a few nights. That said, I figured a San Francisco style dinner was in need, so I immediately contacted the best amateaur chef, that I know, in San Francisco, my dear friend Jackie and asked what the best San Francisco themed dinner recipe she had. She immediately suggested Cioppino and I began working out my Whole Foods shopping list.

The recipe Jackie suggested came from All Recipes. I did some further research and made a few tweaks from other recipes I found.
3 tbsp butter
Half of a large onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 large can of crushed tomatoes (~2 cups)
1 can of chicken broth
1/2 cup clam juice
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp dried basil*
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/2 lb cod, cubed
1/4 lb bay scallops
1 lb small clams
1/4 lb calamari, cut into small rings
1/4 lb crabmeat - ask the Seafood specialist for the largest pieces.

* All seasonings were purchased in the Whole Foods seasoning section - very chep way to go. I suggest the seasoning serving size to be based on taste - so, add a little and test it out.

1. Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
2. Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the shrimp, cod, scallops, clams, calamari and crabmeat. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm sourdough bread!





The total time this took from start to finish was about an hour. The most time consuming part was probably the trip to Whole Foods, which I didn't mind at all.

With the leftovers, we plan on having it over linguini this weekend.

My Apologies

For being such a horrible blogger lately. To be honest, I never realized how much of my life would be consumed with wedding details during the last month and a half. So much stuff going on that it was necessary to take a "personal day" off from work yesterday - it was fabulous!! I'll be back soon.

I must love confess...just a bit...

I'm ecstatic to celebrate my upcoming wedding at my bridal shower and bachelorette party with most (almost all) of my girlfriends this weekend. I honestly feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have been able to surround myself by such amazing women throughout my life. I've put together a bit of a collage to give you an idea of who these incredible women are and who will be celebrating with me on Saturday. Thank you all so much for your friendship - each of you mean the world to me.













I apologize if I have left any of you out of these photos. And for those of you that aren't able to make it, I'll be thinking of you.
I love you all!!

Cabin in the Woods

When I think of a remote cabin in the woods, I have a million different thoughts of what it might all include. After spending New Year's in Seaside, Oregon at our friend Todd's family cabin, I now have the perfect image to fit my description. It was the coziest cabin, (just steps from the river) with all the cabin-like necessities and most importantly, a wood burning fireplace. We weren't in complete seclusion in the woods, but it sure felt like it.



Late Tuesday night, we drove down to Seaside - we had only planned on staying one night and then continuing on to visit the Blyth's cabin in Detroit Lake (which is where we spent the last NYE), but the drive was just too long so we ended up staying both nights with Todd and Kristi at the cabin which is 2.5 miles east of the ocean.

The river before and after a day and night of pouring rain



I hadn't been to Seaside in years so it was fun to see how the small town had changed. (For those of you that are familiar with Seaside, the arcade is exactly the same except for rearranging of a few of the games.) While the guys spent a few hours fly fishing on the Necanicum River, Kristi and I walked a few miles along the beach. That afternoon, we drove down to Manzanita, had a drink at the local bar and then ate dinner at The Lumberyard in Canon Beach. After eating a delicious dinner, we headed back to the cabin, played a few rounds of Clue, and celebrated midnight with champagne - the perfect NYE in my mind.


Manzanita

On New Year's Day we checked out a potential wedding location for Kristi and Todd at Gearhart by the Sea - since our visit, this location has now been confirmed and wedding plans are in full-swing for the two of them! I'm so excited for their summer wedding on the coast! On our way out of Oregon, we stopped by Fort Stevens, to check it out for a potential future camping locaton - it's perfect...in the Summer.



Ceiling of the cabin - Maybe it's just me (wishing we had sunshine), but I thought the ceiling looked like the sun.

:: Congratulations ::

to my dear friend Kristi and her wonderful fiance Todd on their Christmas day engagement. We're all so happy to have you both back up in Washington and can't wait for your wedding!

My wish is that you two will continue to always make one another laugh...I have a feeling that won't be any problem at all.

Onward to 2009

2008 was an exceptional year, but I am ready and willing to embrace the new year! For many reasons, I am more excited about 2009 than any past year. For one, I will be getting married NEXT MONTH and a second major milestone is that I will be turning 30 and like my dear friend Carrie, I am learning to accept (and maybe even like) the idea of turning a year older.

Here are a few of my goals/resolutions for 2009:

1. Try out new recipes. I love to cook, but too often will find an excuse to make the same familiar dinner or appetizer. My personal favorite cookbook, introduced to me by my dad (who I consider an excellent chef) is America's Test Kitchen - endless recipes and includes very detailed instructions and tips.

2. Learn new crafts. I've realized over the past year (especially with the wedding projects I've taken on) that I truly enjoy crafting. It relaxes me and forces me to focus on just that one thing rather than the millions of other thoughts I have going through my mind.

3. Read more often. Rather than consuming my evenings with TV, I want to start reading more. Currently enthralled in the Twilight series.

4. Make use of our trailer. (preferably in the warmer weather months) This is a joint goal with Steve. He spent the money and many long hours to perfect our "second home." Therefore, we must get out and enjoy it. I received this book for Christmas and can't wait to finalize the plans for our next destination. I was shocked to realize during our drive to Oregon this week, that there are quite a few cities and towns in WA that I've never even heard of i.e. (Arctic and Brooklyn...huh?). I need to get out there and explore my home state!!

5. Take more photos. As a Christmas/early wedding gift from my future-in-laws, we received a new camera that I am now officially obsessed with. I would love the opportunity to take more photos of families and children - please contact me if interested ☺

This list is only a snippet of what I plan to accomplish this year, but like Jamie and Shelby, I hope that publishing this list will help remind me of a few of my goals throughout the year.

I am raising my water bottle (unfortunately at work, otherwise it would be a glass of champagne) and toasting all of you and wishing you each a fabulous year full of LOVE, Adventure, Health and Happiness.

And to wrap this up, I'm including one of my most favorite images we captured this year, which happened to also be taken during one of the most memorable moments of my life.

Haleakala sunrise, Maui

Wedding Invitations

I mentioned a while ago that I would share my (mostly) homemade wedding invitations and then it completely skipped my mind. I have to say that I am definitely not the craftiest person in the world, but with the help of a few of my girlfriends and the girls on the Hawaii knot.com message board, I was able to come up with quite the creation. I realize the quality of these images isn't the best, but you can get the idea of what I was trying to come up with. Faux airline tickets was fitting for Steve and I considering we met in the airport security line, we love to travel, we're having a destination wedding, etc.



The temporary crafting area (aka our dining room table)



Ticket/Invite holder



Two ticket stubs included in each invitation - most of our guests don't know this, but the 15A and 15B are the seats we sat in the night we met.



RSVP/Response cards :: Vintage Hawaiian postcards - 20 different designs



And my favorite part :: the personalized postage for the outside main envelope. We had asked out parents for a wedding photo and didn't tell them what we were going to do with it. Through stamps.com we were able to get these made and I love the end result. My side got my parents stamp and his side got his parents stamp. Needless to say, both sets of parents were shocked and very excited when they received their official invitation.