A Backwoods Boy and a Fairytale Princess

Welcome, 2012, so nice to see you.

2012-01-02T18:56:00.000-08:00

It's Monday night and Nate, Harley and I are chillin' watching some American Pickers and eating chocolate chip cookies. Ahhh, nice way to wind down, especially after paying bills which always puts me in an ugly mood. We spent the weekend in Mass with our friends Black Rob and Diane. We left on Friday after work and got there in time for game night. We played Scribblish with the Rea's and their friends Laura and Steve. It's a pretty funny game, from the makers of Cranium, and was right up my alley.

Saturday, New Year's Eve we hung out most of the day, went and did groceries for the party that night and then had people over for a NYE celebration. Played a little flip cup, girls won, what else is new, and just hung out. I can't get over how old I'm getting. I kept feeling like it was waayyy later than it was. I'd groggily look over at the clock fully expecting it to be 11:00 and it was like 8:30. I was counting down the hours to count down the seconds to 2012 and kiss my husband. By the time that was over I was crashing hard. The last friends left around 1:30 or 2, I think, I was pretty dead to the world at that point.

Sunday was a day full of fun and just hanging out. We went to Plymouth, just to walk around. Looked at Plymouth rock, debated as to whether or not Christopher Columbus was on the Mayflower and walked the entire length of the Plymouth Jetty. (Probably not the most safe in the dark like that, but a beautiful view from out there in the water.) We had dinner at Olive Garden and came home and played a few hilarious rounds of "who's on my head?" I think it's called Celebrity, but we re-named it. You write the name of a famous person and switch, then lick it and stick it to your forehead and each person has to guess whose name in on their head. Fun Tip: we played themed rounds of "music", "cartoon characters" and "notorious bad guys". I was then, unfortunately, forced into watching a popular short film about a couple of girls and their adventure with a singular cup (you know the one I mean) when I admitted to having never seen it. Why we didn't make a reaction video is beyond me, we'd have a million hits by now. So disgusting.

The view from the Jetty. Not the best iPhoneography, but you get the idea.

On a less disgusting note, I'd like to share this delicious recepie a friend shared with me. I tweaked it a little, since I was being cheap, but stil oh-so-good!

Pomegranate White Wine Sangria

1 Pomegranate
1 bottle of white wine (I used a Riesling because it's sweet, and I like sweet)
2 cans of Sprite
5 oz. of Triple Sec
Lime slices

Instead of the triple sec, we used Mango flavored vodka because, well, that's what we had and I'm too cheap to buy triple sec. When my friend Bri made it she froze the lime slices in water in a muffin tin as ice cubes which provided a very nice presentation, but I decided to do this too last minute so I just threw them in there. That's all you do. Throw it all together. We let it sit for a little bit, just to get all good and combined. Also, who knew the best way to get pomegranate seeds out was to whack it with a wooden spoon? All this time and excess effort... Oh the beauty of YouTube. Check out my handsome hubby gettin' all domesticated on ya...

Later lovelies,

Long Time, No Blog

2011-11-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

Oh hello! I didn't see you there.

Long time, no blog, eh? I've been super busy over the past few months. Between winding down from the wedding craziness, starting my full time job with Lewiston Auburn Magazine and keeping up with my personal life, it's just been super nuts. I started with L/A Mag in what I believe is the busy season. Between Chamber events, late summer and fall special events such as the Dempsey Challenge and everything we've got going on it's been really, really busy which is really, really great.

On a different note, I get to go visit my Godson tonight! yay! I am so excited, I can't even tell you. I need to hold him in my arms, and tell him how much I love him. I was able to be there for my best friend through a long and difficult labor, and be present at his birth on December 1, 2011. It was such an incredible experience and one I will never forget. He was born early, which made for a very scary but incredibly joyful day. He's been nicknamed "rockstar" for his rapid growth and stamina. He came home last Sunday and I'm so excited to see him again.

Besides that, gotta finish up my Christmas shopping, cooking, crafting and baking! Back to work!

The Honeymoon Phase

2011-10-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am still so much in the Honeymoon Stage...

It might not really seem like it from the outside. We've entrenched ourselves back into reality. Committed ourselves to work. Come home late to crock pot dinners. End up soaked in dish water, cleaning solutions and sweaty from trips up and down the stairs with laundry, only to crash into bed at night and do the same the next day.

Our 1/2 hour TV show at night is the closest resemblance to a "date" most days. But still...

...I am so in love with this man. I know he's my husband. I know I am officially Danielle Eaton now. I know we are going to spend the rest of our lives together. I know we are going to build and family, and a home, and a life together, but it doesn't feel surreal. It feels so normal. It just feels right.

Still beaming,

Home-made Dog Treats

2011-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

So, I wanted to share with you this recipe I tried out last night to make home made dog treats, and I tried to take pictures, but my camera died. My backup camera died. So not my first camera, the one I took on our honeymoon that died in the middle of it. Not that one. The back-up. The one I had to pull out of the back of a desk somewhere and change the batteries every two hours. That one. Dead. Changed the batteries again and everything. Dead as a doornail. (I learned where that expression came from once, but I forgot.) So instead of my own beautiful photos, here's a picture of a cute puppy. You're welcome.

Cool Pup

Anywhosie, here's the sweet recipe I sort of referenced earlier, it's so easy!

2 1/2 Cups flour (they're going to call for whole wheat or something healthy like that, but who are we kidding? You have regular flour in your cabinet just like me)
Garlic Powder (I don't measure, I use my gut)
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Large Egg Beaten
2 Tsp. Flavoring (Chicken or Beef Broth, Liquid from can of Tuna, etc.) Note: you will need more than 2 tsps.

I used my beautiful apple green mixer with the dough hook attachment for this and it worked awesome! (Thanks Mom and Behne Family!!) Combine the flour and garlic power. Begin mixing and adding the wet ingredients. The dough is really tough, so you'll want to add more flavoring until it gets loose enough to work with. It's also very elastic, so rolling it out was difficult. Like stand on your toes to put all your weight onto the rolling pin and it still springs back into a ball, rubbery. Eventually you can roll it out into about 1/4 inch thickness. I of course used my bone shaped cookie cutter, but I'm also thinking of making them into candy bar shapes and making funny wrappers to look like candy bars. But it's not, it's a dog treat, get it?! ha! ...anyways, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Voila! I made my batches chicken flavored and Harley approved. It's obviously more work making these, but super cheap ingredients you've got laying around anyways!

Bone Appetite!

(I crack myself up!...)

Portland, Parties and the makings of Apple Butter

2011-09-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was a lot of fun. Friday we went to P-Town (that's Portland, for you non-Mainers. The "big city" when you're livin' in a small town) for Nate's cousin Brandon's Birthday. We went to Pat's and then to Gritty's for a few drinks with Brandon, his new girlfriend Bri and their friend Lacey along with a few others. It was a lot of fun to get out and meet new people. I love Bri. She's really nice and easy to talk to, and that's always such a relief when someone's dating your family member. I always dread Nate or my siblings ending up with someone we can't stand. That would be awful, so it's so exciting when you learn you actually really like the person they are with. I hope we'll get to spend more time them in the near future.

P-Town

Saturday I was busy all day and Saturday night Nate, Tom, Hillary and I all headed out to Litchfield for a party in the woods behind Brandon and Devan's house. Don't ask, it's a yearly ritual. It's a fire, and beer pong, and hanging out in the woods. It was surprisingly hot out for a September evening. There have been years this party in woods is in November and you pretty much want to sit on the fire you're so cold. I spent the night relaxing and chatting with Hillary, Bri and Lacey around the fire, which was nice. I was so dead tired, I couldn't stand to be on my feet for one moment longer. Get it? Couldn't stand it?! haha never mind...

Apples

Sunday Nate and I just did chores around the house and groceries, then we went to the Lydon household. Kate made her Chicken Cordon Bleu Choweder. That might sound weird, but it is soooo good. I HAVE to get the recipe from her and share it here sometime. mmmmmm! We also started our Christmas projects by making Apple Butter. Well, really Kate made the Apple Butter, I just helped jar it.

Marilyn

Totally different story: my camera died while on our honeymoon. I know, awesome timing, right? I need a new camera so bad, I just don't have the money for one right now, and of course I'd really love a nice one. One I can actually get good shots with. But I'm pretty sick of the un-original photography on here right about now, aren't you?

Here's dreaming...

You don't have to Like them, but you do have to Love them.

2011-09-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week so far. I am so looking forward to tomorrow night and celebrating Brandon's birthday in Portland! I've got a busy, packed day Saturday and hopefully some chill time with football, friends, and good food on Sunday. Last Sunday night we had Kate, Jason (and Jack!) over for a fire in our new fire-pit in the backyard and some apple crisp. Well, it was supposed to be apple pie, but Hannaford had literally no pie crusts left. There's like 3 different brands of them and they were all gone. They were all out of Hannaford's brand chili powder as well, so I had to buy the more expensive name brand. I guess it's fall and time for pies, chilis and stews! mmmmm We "settled" for the apple crisp and vanilla bean ice cream.

Heart Apple

This week has been very busy with work as well. I'm on my last two weeks at Encompass while transitioning over to full time with Lewiston Auburn Magazine. The magazine has recently relocated to a newly renovated space on Lisbon Street. Here's the LA Mag team cutting the ribbon! We're sharing the space with Captive Elements Art House, which is of course, right up my alley as well. The folks at Captive hold art nights where everyone gets together to hang out and make art. I'm really looking forward to getting more involved. Ever since High School I've complained that I stopped painting, I stopped dancing, I stopped acting. I stopped doing all those things I love and that bring me peace and serenity. Hopefully I can get back into some of things!

So on a less uplifting note, I just can't get Jamey Rodemeyer off my mind. Nate and I were watching the news last night and learned of his suicide due to bullying. I watched his "It Gets Better" video and it just breaks my heart. We started talking about it, especially if we want to have children. It terrifies me to bring children into this world that they might have to be subject to such cruelty and hatred. The thing that's terrible is that I said "if our kid were being bullied like that I would call that bully's parents!" but the reality is, if a kid in high school is behaving that way, they have most likely been behaving that way all their lives, therefor their parents are either feeding into and supporting that behavior or refuse to admit it and choose to remain ignorant to it. I'm not sure which is worse.

Rodemeyer mentions Lady Gaga a lot in his video and is set to be buried in his "Born This Way" T-shirt. Nate and I always fight about Lady Gaga. He thinks she's a freak. She's a little too dramatic, even for me, but I always defend her artistic choices. I like to remind him that he listens to (and likes) Jason Aldean's song "Dirt Road Anthem" of which lyrics include "we like cornbread and biscuits, and if it's broke round here we fix it". Not exactly a lyrical mastermind if you ask me. He couldn't even come up with another non-starch food product? Really? I still hold to my argument that Lady Gaga is the Jimi Hendrix of our time, as far as dramatics and pushing the artistic limits are concerned. And today, I hold even more respect for her for what she does to support those who are different. She marches to the beat of her own drummer and stands as role model for others to do the same. She was an inspiration for Jamey Rodemeyer, though she alone wasn't enough. There's has to be justice for kids like Jamey. Bullying has to be taken more seriously. There's silly teasing, which every kid partakes in, and then there is hateful, heartless, lethal bullying. There is no grey line between the two. No one deserves to be treated that way, not even the bullies themselves. My mother always said "You don't have to Like them, but you do have to Love them" because every human being is deserving of our love, tolerance, acceptance and understanding.

Equality

Much Love,

Softball Tournaments and Gender Revelations

2011-09-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

What an awesome, busy, crazy, beautiful weekend we have had. Friday night Nate and I both got home fron work around 6:00. We both crashed on the couch and kicked our feet up doing the usual "Don't you want to cook dinner tonight, hunny? Oh no, you make dinner better, you should do it." game. Nate got up to grab the mail and found a wedding card from the Thomas family with a gift card for Margarita's. Halleluiah for not having to cook! haha, that taco salad and prickly pear margarita were sooo goooood :)

We did some groceries that night and got all ready for the softball tournament on Saturday. Nate, his cousins Devan and Brandon and team played while Aunt Jeannette, Brandon's girlfriend Bri and myself cheered them on. They won the first game and lost the second two, but all in all it was a very fun day.

Besides the major facial sun burn. Case in point:

Later that evening we had Kate and Jason's Gender Reveal Party. We got to find out if we are having another God-Daughter, Carley, or a God-Son, Jack. I made T-shirts for Nate and I with blue gummy bears on them. (Yes, those are gummy bears, not blobs.) We decided to guess boy, just because everyone else was saying girl. I thought we were going to be totally wrong, but....

They are having a boy! Baby Jack! I am so excited for them! It was so fun to catch up with everyone and chat with the girls (Chrissy, Nicolle, Justine, and Meg).

Sunday we laid pretty low and kicked back. I wasn't feeling so hot, so it was nice to relax a bit. Back to grindstone on Monday, you know.

Hope you all had a blessed weekend as well...

Back to Reality...

2011-09-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

Is this real life?

Life has been a little crazy lately, to say the least. I'm always saying that aren't I? Life's so crazy, blah, blah, blah. But no really, for real this time. The first big-un I suppose would be the fact that I am now Mrs. Eaton. :) It hasn't totally sunk it yet. I say "my husband" easily enough, but have botched my name every time I'm asked since then. "My name's Danielle Sicotte. I mean, uh, Eaton!" I sound like a crazy person, haha!

I realise I haven't written much about the wedding here, and that's because I started a separate blog just for the wedding. Please visit it and read much more about all the little details. The next big thing that's happened for me, is that I have accepted a full time position with Lewiston Auburn Magazine. It's bittersweet. I've come to love working at Encompass Marketing, my co-workers and bosses are awesome and I love the work we do, but at the end of the day you have to do what's best for you and your family. Nate will be 26 in December and kicked off his parent's health insurance. We've looked into getting insurance for him, independently through his business, but it was out of this world expensive. Being a carpenter, he's not in the line of work where he can go without health insurance, so a full time job offer with benefits was like manna from heaven. Plus I'm really excited about getting more involved with the magazine. I think it will be a perfect outlet for my creativity (and OCD) and be a lot of fun.

Desk

I'm not sure what this photo has to do with anything, but it's what came up when I searched for "desk" and I really liked it. Why was I searching for pictures of desks? Because I'm obsessed with organization and it makes me happy. I thought we've been over this already...

I am not a multi-tasker.

2011-08-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

One thing I most certainly know about myself: I am not a multi-tasker. And in my book, that's ok. It actually kind of irks me when people brag about their so-called multi-tasking skills. I think it's all a big fat lie. Lately I've had a lot on my plate, between working two jobs of which I have many responsibilities, and planning my wedding (which is in 18 days. *gulp*) I've got a lot of balls in the air. Because of the time frame I'm working with, everything is top priority. There is no "I'll get to that tomorrow". So I find myself suffering from newly developed attention deficit. I'll be working on something for 15 minutes at the most, before something else pops in my mind and I have to stop, pull out my notebook and jot it down on it's appropriate list. That will remind me of something else that needs doing, that will only take a second, so I start on that. But wait, there's something else. By the end of the day I feel under-accomplished, since all I seem to have done is make lists and be continually distracted.

A.D.D.

I've heard a statistic that 80% of creative people also have O.C.D. Maybe that's why just looking at pictures of clean, pretty, organized rooms like this one make me feel to happy. I think this is supposed to be intended for a little girl, but I want this room. I want an office/dressing room-giant closet/craft & sewing room like this some day....

Pink Room

What we talking about again? Oh, multi-tasking, right! I wish I was one of those people who can just be crazy busy all the time and have 100 things going at once at not be bothered at all by it. But that's just not how I work. I need my ducks in a row. I need to take my time, focus and check and double check everything. I need it all delivered in a clean, pretty package. I can't stand messiness and disorder. I guess don't need those things, I just want them.

Look Good Doing It

And sometimes, you just can't have them. Sometimes you just have to keep going at 100mph, hoping a break is in your future, using every last bit strength you have to do the dishes at the end of the night, and not stress out if you don't have time to blow dry your hair in the morning. Embrace messy hair:

Messy Hair

Later Lovecats,

Thanks of the Week: Busy Days, Bachelor(ette) Parties and Booze

2011-07-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy busy couple days....er, weeks...well, months. haha. Even with all life's craziness, you gotta take time to stop, look around you, and remember all you've got. Here's what I've got:

Work Hard

1. Being busy and working hard. Much of the time being really really busy makes me into a stressed out, angry monster. Lately, I've been ready to cry, and scream and pull my hair out with how much I have going on, but it's not bringing me down - and I think it's because even though I'm insanely busy, it's all for good reason. I'm juggling two part time jobs, but am happy with my work at both of them. There's a lot to do and a lot of meetings and timelines and proverbial balls to keep in the air, but I'm happy to have these jobs and be doing this work, so it doesn't really get me down. The wedding is really what's throwing me the curve ball. I'd be contently busy with just my professional work, but nooo, I've got to plan a wedding on top it. Every night of the week is being planned and filled with wedding to-do's. Yet again, I don't get upset about it. Would I rather watch "How I met your Mother" and stuff my face with ice cream when I get home from such busy days? Yea, but I'm only this busy because I'm about to marry my best friend and man of my dreams, so I can't complain, I'm so blessed.

Heaven in a Glass

2. Wine. For the afformentioned reasons, I've been drinking a lot more lately than I usually do. Which, let's be honest, there's much worse things I could pick up and it helps me sleep at night, so get off my back! Where's my wine...

mmmmm...Johnny

3. This picture. It just makes me laugh. :)

"We're the three Best Friends that anyone could have.."

4. Bachelor(ette) Parties. Nate's bachelor party is this weekend. He so deserves some time to relax and just hang out with his buddies. Do I have "The Hangover" fears running through my mind? Yeap. Listen Boys: as long as you bring him home with all his teeth, no wild animals, tattoos or black eyes, I'll be happy. My Bachelorette party is the weekend following. I already know we're going to have some girl camping time and I'm so pumped. I think I'll still be making lists and planning, but hopefully I can relax...just a little.

Now back to work! Be blessed my friends <3

Thanks of the Week: Mechuwana, Green Shoes and the Lake

2011-07-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

A little late thanks-of-the-week:

Mechuwana Memories

This week I'm thankful for Camp Mechuwana's Music Theatre Camp. My mom, sister, brother, grandfather, godmother, and cousins were all there this week. It's really always been a family affair. I have so many fond memories of camp. They performed "Sardines and Biscuits" this year, the show I performed my senior year at camp. I played Joan Rivers. This year the role was played by a boy. So funny.

Relaxation

Learning how to "take a chill pill", as they say, is a work in progress for me. I am proud of myself for being more aware of my stress level and taking time to just to breathe and enjoy myself. Amidst all this wedding planning and working two jobs and just being uber busy, per usual, it's tres important to take a minute for yourself every now and then, and induldge in a mid-afternoon pick me up: an organge soda float, as I did today. :)

Green Wedding Shoes

My camera is seriously lame, but my green wedding shoes came in. Be still my heart....

The Lake

I just love going to the lake. Harley loves to swim, and though I'm no mermaid (as much as I might wish I were) cooling off with a dip in the lake is so nice. I'm loving that my husband to be has a go to lake camp, nice when it's as hot as it has been lately.

Post-4th Catch Up

2011-07-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

So it's been a super busy couple of weeks, last week with Monday off, just flew by. We had an awesome 4th of July weekend. Saturday morning Nate worked while I got some housework done, then we both got wedding stuff done and went to camp for the evening. Sunday (the 3rd) we celebrated the 4th, just because it was easier for everyone. I look forward to that lobster all year long...mmmm..... Then Monday, on the 4th, I went to the beach with Kate her sister, mom, mom-in-law and sister-in-law and her two boys. Her oldest, Ethan, just wanted to be in the water the whole time. I have to admit, I didn't really mind it, I love swimming in the ocean.

But man were those waves strong! That's Ethan laughing at the three of us getting knocked around...

And then Kate and I laugh when Chrissy gets taken out by a wave. Don't worry, like 2 seconds later we got taken out too...

Kate and I built a sandcastle. It was fun to do all that fun kid beach stuff you never get to do. I can't wait to have kids just to be able to play with them and not seem like the freak adult playing by myself. :)

Last night we went down to camp and Harley had a blast. She just loves to swim. She jumps right off the dock, it's hilarious. We took her for a boat ride for the first time, not knowing how she'd like, but she loved that too. She liked to stand right at the front with her ears flapping in the wind, pretty funny. She also was digging under water, I've never seen a dog do that. She hold her breath, sticks her head under water and digs for rocks. She can hold her breath a pretty long time. Such a weirdo.

In other news Nate's little sister Kristen is engaged! Her boyfriend, now fiance, asked Nate for his blessing last weekend after the 4th party, and asked Kristen last Saturday. I'm so so so excited for her!! I'll have lots of wedding plan wisdom to bestow. :)

Later dudes,

Thanks of the Week: Facebook and Fireworks

2011-07-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have been totally slacking on my Thanks of the Week post. No sense of commitment. Bad Danielle, bad! It's been a bumpy couple weeks, but things are finally starting to sort out for me, so without further ado, my thanks:

1. Social Media: I know that seems like a weird thing to say you're thankful for, but with all this stress of needing more employment, social media has been a great way to reach out to friends and family for help. Because of my social media pleas I was able to obtain a part time position working in sales for our local magazine: Lewiston Auburn Magazine. I am so excited the people behind this project are just a hoot to work with, and so inspiring and motivating. I love the project and the spirit of community behind it, I'm very excited to be involved.

Yoga

2. Yoga, and my yoga instructor, Alice. I swear she should be my therapist. She always lets me rant and complain and whine and cry and get all my frustrations out. Then she very calmly reminds me everything is going to be ok, gives me a nice little nugget of advice or wisdom and then we're onto to yoga. Besides a nice little workout, setting just one hour a week aside to just spend time with myself and center has been really nice. My last class was last Monday, and will probably be my last class until the wedding is over and my finances are in order, but I need to try and force myself to make that time for myself at home.

Keep Calm

3. My Wedding! OMG, can it just be here already!?! I'm so excited for our wedding to get here. We still have so much planning to do, and I'm so over it. I think I must seem cynical and un-girly to my friends and family. But seriously - I just don't care about all the little details anymore. I want to have a fun day. I don't want to stress over it, because the centerpieces aren't what matters. Becoming Mrs. Eaton is what matters. The starting of the rest of our lives together is what matters. I'm ready to move onto the next things in life.

Sparkler

4. The 4th of July Weekend: Praise God for the 4th of July Weekend! Camp on the Lake. Lobster. Relaxing. Family. Long Weekend. I. Love. It.

The Face of Desperation

2011-06-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

I've been in a really weird, bad, sad mood as of late. I know it has to do with the fact that for last year I've been killing myself working two part time jobs. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially the worrisome/compulsive in nature. There's a difference, too, between a job that carries a lot of responsibility and the work doesn't end from one day to the next, like my two jobs, and something like waitressing where you aren't as personally responsible and you clock out and your work is done. Perhaps working one of each kind wouldn't be so bad, but two of the former is just too much.

Contemplate

It kills me that I work so hard and earn so little. I'll be earning even less as one of my part time jobs is ending. I'll now only be employed part time. I'm stressed. I know we won't starve or anything, as Nate is still making good money, but it will impact our day to day life. We'll eat more spaghetti for sure. Great. So I'm the hunt for full time work (with benefits, please!), my problem is twofold: 1. there's very little out there 2. I just don't know what to do with myself.

It's less the stress of reduced income, it's the fact that I don't know what to do. I feign indecision often, but really and truly most of the time I knuckle down, figure stuff out and make bold decisions. These days, though, I'm just lost. I'm starting to question the past few years and my decisions, and that's not a great feeling. I'm realizing, I've focused on Marketing as of late because it's easier for most to understand and a commonly (though often incorrectly) used term. Then I remember: I didn't major in Marketing, I minored in it. I majored in Advertising, and I chose it because it is the creative arm of Marketing. It's not ROI and Sales Projections; it's copy writing, concepting and design. Problem = Lewiston/Auburn isn't teeming with creative Advertising work.

Pretty Pink

So now what? (Pretty organized office spaces make me feel better. breathe. breathe.) I need to be creative, I need to be challenged and I need to be on the move. I like to work with people on a personal level, but don't like the salesy, insincere B.S. I'm jealous of my former college mate who now owns a sustainable catering company just outside of Boston with her sister and friend. They cook incredible, sustainable, locally grown meals, serve local brews in mason jars and look like they have so much fun. I also love reading blogs, one in particular, A Beautiful Mess, always inspires me. This lady and her sister started a shop together - she collects and creates vintage and vintage inspired clothing, crafts and home decor. Her sister has a little bake shop where she sells cupcakes and bubble tea. They now have an online store to sell their goods and are so incredibly creative and succeful. I just don't get it. How do you just decide you want to do something one day and then do it?

I love to cook, though I didn't really grow up being challenged culinary-ily, so I'm still learning so much. I love to create - paint, craft, sew, etc - though I never really give myself very much artistic credit. I was voted most creative in high school and earned the art excellence award, but didn't pursue anything creative really, because, again I just have a hard time calling myself an artist. I am super organized when given the time and motivation. Like creepily I get a high off just looking at overly organized spaces - hence the previous picture.

Be Yourself

Any of these things sounding like a career path to you? Let me know if it does, cause I sure as hell don't seem to know what I'm doing - and for the obsessive, organized planner, this is painful for me. Relieve me of my pain, please.

On a totally different note, I was able to accompany Kate on her ultrasound appointment yesterday, and it was SO COOL! We got to hear the baby's heart beat and see it's little head and body and where it's arms are growing. I've got the ultrasound picture hanging on my fridge, I'm so pumped for her and Jason!! yaaaay!!

Tiny Toes

So if you've got any ideas on that job front, let me know! Pretty pretty please....

Later dudes,

Thanks of the Week

2011-06-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

The blogging community always reminds me to quit my belly-achin and be thankful. If you want to do something, then do it, and be thankful for what you have. So I'm going to try and be better about spending more time reflecting on the things I do have, and the blessings of my life, rather than the bad/depressing/stressful stuff. So to start my weekend off right, here's what I'm thankful for this week:

1. These ladies. They, along with my mother, God mother and an assortment of aunts and family members, threw me the most beautiful, cutest Central Park themed bridal shower ever. (Click Here for the Central Park explanation.) They clearly put so much work into my shower, and so many lovely family and friends came. Though terribly uncomfortable by being the center of attention, my MOH and bridesmaids threw a beautiful shower and deflected the burning gazes as much as possible.

Snow Cone Cat

2. Summer Time. And this funny picture. We've had so much rain lately, I just try and take in as much sunlight as possible (...on my way to and from my car in between jobs...)

3. This little girl, Miss Grace. She's Nate and I's God daughter and she is just the most precious thing. She'll be turning two this weekend and will be becoming a big sister later this year. I'm so thankful for the Behne family and love them to bits!

Moustache Baby

4. On the topic of babies, I am so, so, so eternally grateful and hopeful for my best friend Kate, she's having a baby!!! yay!!! She's been struggling with conception for the past three years, and had some tough times (you can read more about her on her blog: A Bushel and a Peck) So, this pregnancy is a little nerve wracking and while I'm anxious, I am also so hopeful and pray for her and her little baby every second. I want my little niece or nephew to make it here so I can hold him or her in my arms....and put fake moustaches on them. :) Yes, Kate, I am going to do this to your children. No, I don't care if it's a girl or not, I'm taking moustache pictures of them. haha!

5. Last, but most certainly not least, my soon to be husband. He has been so great and supporting through this wedding planning. (He stuffed all the invitations himself when I wasn't feeling well.) Though he works 7 days a week and is constantly giving of himself to everyone else, he tries his best to make time for me and help me no matter how tired he may be. And that's why I'm marring him. Ekkk! I'm getting married!! yay!

My Broseph - the High School Graduate

2011-06-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Have you met my baby brother? This is my little bro: Jacob Joseph Sicotte. :) He graduated from St. Dom's High School this weekend. No easy task, I was there at one point too. AND he hearned his Eagle Scout Award.

I'm so very proud of my not-so-little anymore litte brother. I love him so much, and love seeing him grow into such a respectible, handsome young man. I can't wait for him to be in my shoes, and marrying some awesome girl. Ok, maybe I can wait, college is going to be so much fun for him.

But really, I love us growing up. We had so much fun as kids. Well, I think he and our little sister had more fun that me. I'm a bit older than them both, and my mom used to work nights, so all summer long I'd have to watch them while she tried to get some sleep. Our day's usually consisted of some form a torture: my tying my sister to a tree with a jump rope or tricking my brother into thinking a dog treat was a peice of beef jerky and laughing hysterically while I watched him eat the whole thing. I'm laughing now just remembering it! :)

Maybe that wasn't everyday - more often than not, the two of them were ganging up on me, hiding on me or getting me in trouble, which always worked. "Danielle - you're the oldest...." blah, blah blah. lol. We have so many great memories of family camping trips, sitting around the fire singing, or excursions to theme parks where I always forced my brother to ride the roller coasters with me. (He used to be a big chicken and would scream like a girl, but I think my hard work paid off and he likes them now.)

Really, I love this goofy, brilliant, talented kid and I can't wait to see where the rest of our lives take us!

Rester's Remorse

2011-06-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

As I've gotten older I've learned some things about myself. One is that I don't know how to pace myself. I never have. I'm full throttle until I pass out. Yesterday was the pass out kind of day.

Passed Out.

So perhaps my problem is, like, 60% not pacing myself and making time to rest, but 40% is not knowing how to say "no". I say "yes" to everything and everyone, all the time. The problem is, I want to say "yes"! I want to spend time with family and friends. It's not until I get home and see the piles of laundry, and dishes in the sink, and the new ant invasion which seems to happen if any particle of food is left on the counter for more than 3 seconds. (This is on the heels of the mice infestation, which we thought we had taken care of, but we have not. uhhg.)

Do Not Disturb.

The really hard part of a day like yesterday is that it's great- I feel much better, I had such a splitting migrane and just felt so run down and just slept and finished my book and rested all day, but...I feel so guilty about it! (I think we may be hitting on something here.) I literally can not sit down for two seconds without feeling guilty that I'm not doing something that needs getting done. Am I a total freak or do other people do this too? I don't know were it stems from (cough:raisedCatholic:cough:cough), I used to spend lazy weekends around the house as a teenager all the time. My mom and I used to watch home rennovation shows all day, and I never once felt bad about it. It's all this "adult" responsibilites crap. There's always something to clean or something to cook or something to do, always, and I'm never satisfied.

Hammock

Any tips on how to make time for rest without feeling bad about it?

Reminders.

Why I am a squishy peice of clay.

2011-05-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am a squishy peice of clay. Soft dough, a blank canvas, an empty page and I'm not afraid to say it. And furthermore, I want to stay that way.

Dough

In reflecting on myself, my strengths and weaknesses I often find myself saying "I'm a social chameleon! I can blend into my environment and get along with most anyone." Then rescinding on that like it's a bad thing. Who wants to admit they change themselves to suit those around them? That just makes you seem like you don't have a personality of your own, or that you don't stand for anything.

Blank

But that's not what I mean. I mean that I am pliable. I miss being in school, because I love learning. I love learning most anything. I love the challenge of not knowing how to do something, and spending time working on it until I do. What a satisfying feeling.

Empty Page

Why is it then, in the employment world, I never stop hearing "experience". You need more experience, don't have enough experience, experience, experience, experience. Gah! It's making me crazy. How shortsighted is such a comment? I find a blank canvas, unmolded clay to have so much more potential, so much more value than something already created. I'm not saying you should paint over a Monet, but come on, how many Monet's come your way. A Bob Ross maybe, some local painter who is pretty good, sure. But why settle for something already established and "ok". Wouldn't you rather the soft squishy clay you can mold to your liking? Furthermore, where's the value on passion, on energy, on creativity. These values seem to have gone out the window. All my life I thought they counted for something, and I'm not getting that feeling these days.

Play, Dough

I'm just getting pretty tired of trying to fit myself into such narrow molds. Who wants to say they are done shaping themselves anyway? If you've no room left to grow and reshape yourself, whats the point of that? If your not growing and moving and learning, what's the point of living, because that's not living.

"Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death." Albert Einstein

Not the best start to our week.

2011-02-21T17:00:00.000-08:00

I have leanred a few important lessons this weekend. Let's turn negatives into learning experiences, shall we?...

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1. BJ's gas pumps do not have automatic shut offs. So if you're not paying attention while you pump your $3.16/gallon gas, you will waste $3.16 by having a ton of it pour back out onto the pavement. (Bonus: pay attention to the coupons as you enter. If you just run in to grab some laundry detergent, and just happen to buy the brand for which there was a coupon for, the employee at the exit who hole punches your receipt will make you feel like a dummy for having wasted $3. No worries though, you've already wastes that on gas on ground.)

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2. People who run red lights are a-holes. They are a-holes because, generally, they are not the ones who get in an accident. The one's who get in an accident are the poor fool driving behind him, on his way to hosipital, having the worst week of his life, half asleep and not paying attention, following you through that red light....and my finance. Thanks red light runner. You're an a-hole.

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3. Dirty furnaces use more oil than clean furnaces. When you don't have your furnace cleaned, it can use over 100 gallons in a month, with the heat kept down all the time. When this happens, and you wake up to a freezing cold house with no heat or hot water, you have to wash your hair in the tub with pots of hot water. (Bonus: don't bring said pots of hot water to a boil. Scalp burns are no walk in the park.)

Here's hoping to a better rest of the week...

One weekend down, one more to go!

2011-02-07T06:48:00.000-08:00

So the first weekend of performances for To Kill a Mockingbird have gone off with a smash! We had a snow storm on Saturday, but my family and Nate's family and some of our friends still came out...the show must go on!

This is, obviously, the best part: it's the payoff for all the hard work we put in. We have a brush up on Tuesday and then four more shows this weekend. But I still can't help wondering how people do this professionally, drama's anyway. When I walk off that stage I am so emotionally exhausted. I pour out all my heart and soul and feel so drained when it's through. I suppose we know that the story we are telling is an important one, and every night the audience is watching with new eyes, and we want to have just as important of an impact on them as we did the night's before.

I look like I'm about to hurl on that Bible! ha!

I have to say, I'm so happy my performance was so well received, or that my character is so hated anyway. My sister came back after the show and was like "you kinda freaked me out" and Nate kept saying "I knew it was you up there, but I had to keep looking because I thought it wasn't" and that he felt freaked out and upset by how distraught I was. That's acting, when your audience member shares your emotion, and then is concerned that you are really feeling what you're portraying, which I'm not, really. For that moment, yes I feel what Mayella feels, and when I'm off stage I have a bit of heaviness to my heart as I try to process through what we're doing, but I'm not exactly have screaming/crying fits in the green room. :)

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On a different note, I am starting a yoga class tonight. I'm pretty pumped. I've been looking for something active do while, while also regaining my sanity and finding time to recharge, hopefully I'll really like it and I won't break my neck! haha! Isn't this picture just to cutest! :)

Snow Day in Maine

2011-01-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Well it is, yet another, beautiful stormy day. I look out the window and it's literally a wall of white. Just snow, snow, snow. I'm hoping rehearsal isn't canceled. The training I was supposed to adminster on Tuesday that was caneled because of..oh yea, snow, that was rescheduled for today has been postponed again. Crazy Maine weather!

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So I'm just working from home today, doing stuff around the house. It's 11:30 and I already have cabin fever. I'd like to get some shopping done today, but not sure if I should venture out into this or not.....I love this picture. I wish my room looked like this, so cool.

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I guess it's an ok day for a snow day, cause I am so sick. uggh. It seems like I'm sick waaay more often than other people. I try to eat healthy, get a normal amount of sleep, but I always get it!

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It's just a cold, and I don't actually feel that awful. You know when you get those colds? When your all stuffed up, hacking up a lung, sore throat and voice is all scratchy, but you don't actually feel that bad, so you try to go about your day and your business but everyone you encounter looks at you like you've got the plague. That was my day yesterday, so I figure it's a good day to save the general public the misfortune of having to see what a hot mess I am today.

You know when you were a kid, in the cartoons whenever someone was sick they'd be sneezing, or when they were drunk they had the hiccups. I never understood that. I wasn't drunk as a child all that often, but never got the sneezes when I was sick. Well now, I understand them both. I can not stop sneezing! ha ha I also think you get the hiccups not from being drunk, but from laughing so much while drunk. That's just my experience! :)

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Well to finish my random thoughts for the day, I just had to share this picture of my beautiful little sister! Ain't she just gorgeous!!

Have a wonderful, and safe, wintery day!

Stretching my acting muscles

2011-01-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

How do I manage to fall of the face of the earth so often? Oh yea, I'm just way too busy. I literally barely eat or sleep, does everyone else in the world function this way too? I often wonder that. And with all that I have going on, I get myself cast in a play on top of it. Nate thinks I'm crazy, but it's difficult to explain. Yes, being involved in theatre is a huge commitment, and literally consumes your every waking moment, but when you love it, you don't mind. It's something at the end of your day to look forward to. Being with people who make you feel good about yourself and doing something you love, everyone should try it.

Well, as mentioned, yes I am going to be performing in Community Little Theatre's production of "To Kill a Mockingbird". If you know me, this might come as a bit of a shock. For those who don't, let's explain: I am your stereotypical musical chorus girl. I like to sing, and dance and smile and just twirl around. I like comedy. Exhibit A: my sister and I at summer camp. I'm portraying Joan Rivers, and she Melissa Rivers. It wasn't the role I thought I wanted, but I'm hilarious and just can't help it. :)

Exhibit B: some of the cast of CLT's performance of "The Scarlett Pimpernel" We were playing tarts, which is the nicer word to use. I'm on the far right.

My long lost friends Crystal and Bridget with myself from the same show....

So, To Kill a Mockingbird? What?! Not a musical. Not a comedy. I am so out of my element. However, this has been an incredibly rewarding challenge. When Linda, the director, asked me if I'd be interested in auditioning for the part of Mayella, my reaction was something along the lines of "I'm sorry. Have you met me?" She joked that if cast she would see if she could work in Mayella's Dream Ballet in there. (an Oklahoma! joke) But I thought, hey, if she thinks I could do it, I'll give it a try-and got the part!

If you're unaware, To Kill a Mockingbird is the story of Scout Finch, a little girl living in the south during the drepession. She lives with her brother Jem and their lawyer father Atticus.

Atticus has been chosen to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a young white woman. Mayella. Yea, sounds like fun, eh? She's a terribly tormented and complex character. In the end you realize she is really both a victim and the villain. You hate her, but feel pity for her at the same time. I keep telling everyone I want to pull a Charlize Theron in "Monster"- both because people keep telling me "you're too pretty to play Mayella" (not wearing make-up to rehearsal shut them right up) but more importantly because the characters are similar in the victim/villain duality. They both do awful things, yet you feel bad for them....so tragically sad.

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Putting so much of myself into this role has been both exhausting and rewarding. I've learned one major difference between drama and comedy, for me anyways, is that when you're doing comedy, yes you get to get up on stage and be someone else, but you're not really putting yourself out there. With drama, however, is terribly intimate. You have to open yourself up in new and uncomfortable ways. I feel naked, and exposed, emotionally anyways. I just hope it all pays off in the end. I hope lots of people will come out to support myself and my cast-mates and see first hand all the hard work we've been putting in.

Break a Leg,

Holiday Catch Up

2010-12-29T06:49:00.001-08:00

Ok, wow am I a blog slacker! Finally I can breathe again! The holidays totally snuck up on me this year, so Nate and I had yet again a "up until 1am Christmas Eve finishing making and wrapping presents" kind of night. (I have the best intentions to stay on top of it, but never do...oh well) I'm warning you now, this post is picture hee-aa-vy!

This year, the weekend before Christmas, the best and I took our moms to Boston for a little girls' getaway shopping weekend. On our way in, we stopped by the Square One Mall on Rt. 1. I was totally impressed by Kate's Mass-hole driving, she could fit right in! We shopped a little and had dinner at a restaurant called Twitters. It seemed really cool, and the food was pretty good, although the service was awful. Our waitress took forever to get back to us, and never brought me a water, though I asked three times. I could have forgiven her, but as I was on the last couple bites of my Chicken Marsala I found a bug in my food! Talk about grossed out! The best part is, our waitress said she would take it off the bill after Kate shot her dagger looks, but then came back to the table offering us a free dessert instead. Kate lost it, went and found the manager, and gave him an earful in front of a bunch of busy tables. That's why I love her. :)

We went shopping in Faneuil Hall, which was decorated so pretty for Christmas. Kate was pretty impressed by this ginormous tree....

We had lunch at the Purple Shamrock, which was soooo good! I'd only ever been in there when it's a bar, but the Irish food...yumm-o! There were carolers in Quincy Market, and we sang with them. Kate and I decided this is going on our 24 before 25 list. (More to follow on that.)

We shopped and shopped and dropped into the Cheers store. They didn't know our name...

We stopped by my old stomping grounds, the North End, to get some lobster tails/dove tails/elephant tails (I never know which place calls them what, so I just stand there rattling off animal tails until someone understands what I'm asking for) from Mike's pastry. I never actually got anything from Mike's before, because man is it busy in there. Line is out the door. I used to just get my goodies from the little bakeries that are open 24/7, which is great for late night drinking snacks. Did I say that out loud? Anyways, Mike's Lobster Tails were delicious and HUGE!

As part of the trip and our Christmas gift to our mommies, we took them to see the Nutcracker!

The inside of the Opera House is so incredibly beautiful. I wish we had dressed up more, but we were shopping all day in our sneakers and jeans, lol. Makes you feel out of place when you're in such a beautiful old building. ....Maybe once CLT gets control of the Great Falls Building we can renovate it to look like this! Now that's dreaming!

Me, my mama and Aunt Kara going in to see the Nutcracker! Soo excited! My mom had never seen it before. Aunt Kara took me to see it while I was still living in Boston and we sat like three rows back. It was nuts, you could hear every brush of their step and the squeak of their toe shoes. We sat much farther back and up high this time, but could still hear that squeak! :)

The best and her momma, they were so pumped to see the Nutcracker!! I love watching Ballet. I get so mesmerized and lost in the beauty of it all. I'm so excited to go see Black Swan now too! It makes me a little sad and miss dancing, though. I've vowed to start taking yoga or dance again. I've realized the reason I loved ballet so much is because I'm controlling and compulsive. The fact that I can't control the world around me makes me absolutely nuts, but when I was dancing I had control over my body and got so much satisfaction from the precision and control ballet offered me. While dancing I could tune everything out and just be inside my own head, it was kinda nice, and I need to find time to do that again.

All in all we had an awesome weekend. We stopped into Kittery for even MORE shopping. Yes I am in the car! "Help! Get me outa here!!"

I don't know how we fit all our stuff! Next year we're totally going to do it again, but we'll be taking a bigger car and the Lydon and Pouzol women will only be allowed ONE suitcase! haha!

Ok, now fast forward to Christmas Eve Day. The best and I baked ALL DAY LONG. Morning to night, didn't sit down once! We pre-made 4 batches of dough, and as usually the case had the best intentions of making more ahead of time, but....we didn't. So we made most of the doughs that day.

Platters waiting and ready to be filled. We made 14 platters with 11 different kinds of cookies. We had grander plans that that, as usual again, but decided to bite of only what we could chew. (get it? he he)

Snickerdoodles baking in the oven....mmmmm.....

Eggnog cookies, while not my favorite, were so pretty cooling...

Worst part of peanut butter kiss cookies...unwrapping all the kisses!!

And the Thumbprint cookies defeat us once again! Ahhhg! That's Thumbprint cookies 2 - Kate & Danielle 0. What the heck?! We ended up using a pre-made sugar cookie mix to make the thumbprints.

And there you have it! So pretty :) So what kinds of cookies did we make? I will tell you:

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies with Strawberry and Blackberry Jam

Chocolate Crinkles

Eggnog Cookies

Snickerdoodles

Red Sugar Cookies with Frosting

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Chocolate Molasses Cookies

Brownie covered Mint Oreos

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Phew! Well there you have it. After all the craziness preparing for Christmas Nate and I had a wonderful weekend spending time with our families, relaxing, eating delicious food and just enjoying each other. It was very nice. :)

Ok, time to start preparing for next year!!....

8 days till Christmas, just can't be

2010-12-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

So the best and I have been super busy getting ready for the holidays. I got to swing by a new place downtown to try their bubble tea. It wasn't as good as the bubble tea I used to get in Boston, but it was still yummy...
Ok, so one of the first projects we've completed was making coasters. We took a strip of industrial rubber wall base and cut the lip off. Then we cut it into sqares. We printed off pictures of our friends and modge podged them on. I love making modge podge a verb.

We put a couple layers on top of the pictures. This is the stage where I was freaking out, being a modge podge newbie, I panicked that it goes on so foggy. But no fear, it dries nice and clear!

Oh, how we heart modge podge!!

Nate and I FINALLY got our tree. I was crying about it so much, Nate brought home a tree for me, and we spent an evening decorating it. Ain't it puurrrdy?

Lastly, our vanilla was ready to be bottled! We strained it through coffee filters to get any vanilla chunks out.
This ended up taking for-ev-er, so we strained it through a tea steaper.

Then we poured the strained vanilla extract into the little bottles we got. Kate got this funnel at Home Depot on sale for like a dollar....oil...vanilla extract....close enough...

Kate made these cute little bottle labels, you can't tell but they have pink ribbons on them.

In a moment of boredom I decided to make Harley a sticker head...she clearly wasn't happy with me...So I called her more names. "Hey, don't call me a sticker head!"

Oh the simple pleasures...

peace out,

Holiday Woes

2010-12-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

...and the frantic list making has commenced. I used to wonder, as a child, at how adults could be stressed over the holidays. Christmas means hot chocolate, decorating the tree, baking cookies, snow days, candy canes and a big Christmas feast. Now all those things just feel like work. The aweful part is I really do enjoy them, but when you don't have the time to sit back and do them laxadaisily, I begin to feel like I'm doing them because I have to.

I am reminding myself I still have 11 days until Christmas, to finish my shopping, crafts, get (some) decorations up. I know this Christmas will be somewhat of a washout. I should try to take pleasure in that I've done very well past Christmases, hosting parties and making a large percentage of my gifts.

It just stinks always feeling like "oh well, I'll do that next year." You can't go through life waiting for tomorrow to do what you wanted to do today. It's just a sad reality of adulthood, that you won't have the time to do everything you want to.

So I'm going to frantically keep working on my lists, fight off this cold, and hope for the best!

Crafty Christmas, well under way!

2010-11-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm so behind on blogging this, but the best and I have gotten well under way with our Crafty Christmas! Firstly, we are baking up a storm. Every week we are each baking a huge batch of cookie dough then throwing it in my big chest freezer. Then the week of Christmas, we're going to spend a day baking and making Christmas cookie platters for friends, neighbors, and parties.

We didn't take pictures last week, but we made Eggnog Cookies and Chocolate Crinkles. The Crinkles were to die for. period. end of story, so freaking good. The Eggnog cookies were a little weird. Kate and I both liked them, but my hunnie Nate who's reaping the benefits of our cooking sprees, didn't like it all it. It kind of has that weird spiciness to it. The recipe calls to sprinkle them with nutmeg, but it was a little too much. When we make the big batch we're going to sprinkle with cinnamon instead.

This week we cooked up Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies and All-in-One Cookies, since honestly I lost my recipes and forgot to pick up any ingredients, and I already had everything needed for this recipe. Well it's been going really well...

We mix up huge batches of cookie dough...

Put them in the freezer to harden before putting them in gallon size zip lock bags.

There's a little bit of bowl licking...

And of course we have to test our creations....we decided to try the All-in-One dough as a thumbprint cookie with jam.....putting the jam on the cookie before cooking it...bad idea....

This is the face of failure. It's looking at you.

Spoiler Alert: if you are related to me, stop reading this.

Ok, so on to some of the gifts were making. Kate found a "recipe" for vanilla extract, basically vodka and vanilla beans, and found a site for these cute little bottles:

It's going to take right up until Christmas for this stuff to be ready. In the meantime I'll be designing and label for the bottles.

We've also made ornaments. Here's mine:

Kind of dark and hard to see, but we found some glittery floral stuff and pretty ribbons with glittered monogram letter stickers. Kate's are much more funky:

You can't really tell but that red ribbon is zebra print, and it's awesome! She also made these fun fish crayons! Cool huh?

Until next time,

I heart The Green Wedding Shoes

2010-10-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ok folks, if you don't read The Green Wedding Shoes, you don't know what you're missing. This is one of my most favorite wedding sites, evvveeerrrr. Because a.) I really want to wear green wedding shoes, and b.) I feel so inspired when I read it. I get totally pumped that I can in fact throw an awesome, classy, rustic, warm diy wedding. I love how simple and beautiful the ideas are and totally plan on stealing lots of ideas from here.

Nate and I are having our engagement photos taken this Sunday, I know, I know a year late and dollar short. Anyways, my theme is woodsy/camping/lumberjack :) Here's my inspirations:

You like?

I need more Pumpkins!

2010-10-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

So let me first make this clear, in absolutely no way am I ready for this show to be over. I am having so much fun and I love this cast to pieces. But, I am really ready for things to slow down a bit, and to be able to spend more time at home and with family and friends. I owe my poor aunt a phone call from about a month a half ago, I haven't seen Grace in weeks, and my mom is now calling me every other day bribing me to come over with food. "I'm cooking steak tonight"... "I just made a big batch of chicken and broccoli al-fred-oooo!!"

Fall is my most favorite season ever, and Halloween is my favorite holiday, even over Christmas. Although the past few years have been weird. I'm at that stage where I'm kind of over the dressing up and partying myself, and look forward to the day of having my own little ones to dress up to live vicariously through, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. :)

I'm really craving some retail therapy: to spruce up my fall/winter collection. I'd really love a nice blazer, to wear with slacks or jeans:

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I need a new pair of converse. Mine are grody to say the least. By the way: even though I get heckled all the time; once you go lace-less, you never go back. Laces make me look like I'm wearing clown shoes.And an infinity scarf...I don't know what it is about infinity scarves I find so interesting, but I'm just totally infatuated at the moment...

So after these next couple weekends, I'm going to (hopefully) rejoin society and become a real person again. Apple pies and Halloween decorations here I come!

Who am I again?

2010-09-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Have I pretty much fallen off the face of the planet? Yeah. But hey, that's musical theatre for you. Besides working my two part time jobs, I'm choreographing for Children of Eden at Community Little Theatre, and while dead tired, have been having a blast!! I've gotten to reconnect with old friends, and meet many new ones.

Just to share a little, this is the seldom seen calm, nice choreographer...usually she's a clapping, foot pounding, dance step screaming nightmare! :)

Do you see how not everyone leans the way I'm showing...this is my life! lol just kidding! There is only one trained dancer in the cast, but I bet you'd never know it after watching the show!

Kids love me. I have no idea why...

While I will be very sad when the shows over, and miss all the people who have become like family to me, I will be happy to have some time to myself and to enjoy fall and the holidays! Crafts are calling my name....

'till next time,

Nightmares

2010-08-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

So the past couple of nights, I have been having the weirdest dreams. I sleep like a rock, which is not like me, but I have such strange and frightening dreams, I wake up feeling awful. The night before last I was dreaming about zombies...eating people, naturally. It was that weird, it's like I'm watching a movie, kind of dream. Like I'm walking around and people see me, but no one interacts with me. So I'm walking around literally watching people eat other people. Ew.

photo credit

The zombies in my dream were not this pretty, I just didn't want to scare ya. :) Then last night, I'm dreaming of sharks, jumping out of their tanks and, guess what, eating people. Great. This one was just as terrible. Cause they don't just chomp them down and be done with it, they like chew them. That's all I'm going to say. Ick.

photo credit

Dream dictionary tells me that, in dreams where people are being eaten alive, it represents that you feel some aspect of your life (such as work) is consuming you. Indeed, this may be true. Nate and I have both been working way too much. And there's no real end in sight to it, which is a little disheartening. But hey, that's why I finally went to the beach yesterday! Wahooo!

photo credit

I hadn't been to the beach in well over two years, and it was so nice! :) It's probably because Nate hates the beach. He doesn't like the sand, doesn't like swimming in the ocean: me, I love it! I went with my mom, sister and her friend. The three of us girls went right into the ocean, and it was freezing! But awesome! Got my bottoms pulled down by a wave a couple times, but it is so nice to swim in the ocean.

Now that I've been to the beach, I can welcome fall with happy and open arms. (though with this 90+ degree weather this week it will hardly feel like the beginning of September!!)

Have a good one,

Ham and Jam and Spamalot!

2010-08-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

So, for Kate's 23rd birthday I took her to see Maine State Music Theatre's production of Monty Python's Spamalot! It's the musical version of Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail. Holy Hilarious is what it is. I love this show so much. It just fits our humor. We laughed and laughed. So much so that during a scene of intense laughter Kate proclaimed "I'm laughing so hard I think I'm gonna puke!" and the people in front of us turned around and said "please don't puke..." totally meek and serious, which just made us laugh even harder.

Before the show we had dinner and drinks of the deck of the Seadog. It was so yummy!

Me and the best :)

We just had so much fun and it was really nice to just spend an evening relaxing and having fun. Lord know I don't do that nearly as much as I should. And really, these are the moments in life that make it worth living. All in all, a totally awesome and really fun evening. I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend of more of the same!! yay!

Sunday's the Day

2010-08-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well, not the day exactly, but I am going wedding dress shopping on Sunday. Oh My! I feel like a terrible bride, woman, person for having a more overwhelming feeling of dread than I do of excitement. Is that very terrible? I'm just overwhelmed, and nervous. There's so much pressure to make everything perfect. I don't do pressure well. Anyways, here's what I'm thinking. I know I want something relaxed. The theme is a woodland wedding, so obviously not too sparkly, glittery or formal. I think I don't want strapless, only for my general lack of girth in the bosom area. Strapless always fall down on me.

I'm kinda liking the lace thing:

Kind of love this one, though I want my hair down. Will having an interesting back on my dress force me to wear it up?

Not the dress, I just love this shot! ha ha how did she get up there?!

I'm not crazy about this dress as a whole, but I like the cutout, or low backs.

I'm just excited to try dresses on and learn what I like and don't like and have my family and friends there for support. :)

Wish me luck!

Overextended

2010-08-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Overextended, is an understatement. I always feel busy and stressed, but I have never fallen off the face of the planet quite in the way I have the past few weeks. Come February I will be crying for summer, but right now, all I want is for fall to come, because in some delusional way I think fall=less stress.

ha ha

I'm just in need of some good old fashioned R & R. Last night, at the Mechuwana camp fire, the kitchen staff girls sang a remix of Katy Perry "California Girls" entitled "Mechuwana Girls". In one of the lines they sang "pasty skin, so white we'll burn your retinas" and I just about peed myself laughing. They cut me to the core. I haven't been to the beach once this year, nor did I go at all last year! That's just tragic. I must find time to go! Maybe a beach day would calm my nerves.

Or some retail therapy.....

shopping?

No, I just dropped big bucks for new living room furniture. More on that later. But just take today for instance. I have two hours before I head to my next job. Two precious, glorious, beautiful hours. And what am I going to do? Lay out in the sun? No. Take a bubble bath? No. Read a book? Take a nap? Go for a nature walk? No, no and no. I'm going to do laundry with my precious, glorious, beautiful time. Yes laundry. I literally haven't done laundry in over a month and have nothing to wear. I was scraping the back of my closet this morning. AND I have my first solo client meeting tomorrow, so I can't really rock the wrinkled, 6 year old blouse look.

Laundry

So wish me luck. Someday I'll post fun craft and cooking things again. Someday.....

Until then,

What Makes me Tick

2010-06-02T07:47:00.001-07:00

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner has asked who or what are your favorite things? Here ya go:

1. My wonderful, handsome loving fiance Nate and our big lug of a black dog Harley Girl :)
2. IDK, my BFF Kate?
3. My Family, especially these two
4. Sushi...mmm
5. Christmas Time

6. Comfy Sweatpants

7. Dancing

7. Did I mention this nut?

8. Summertime

9. movies

10. Being Upta camp and spending time with the people I love...

The End,

Picking up Momentum

2010-06-02T07:03:00.001-07:00

So I can finally breathe again! It’s crazy just how busy life can get, but now that the show at St. Dom’s is over and I have finally started to settle into my new (part time) job life is feeling a little more grounded. This past Memorial Day weekend Nate and I went upta camp. We had a great time, it’s always nice to spend time with family and Rob and Diane, and it was making me even more excited for our wedding! The weather was so beautiful; it was easy to visualize us standing there at pride rock saying “I do”. So besides Harley getting a hold of a chicken bone and ralfing all over the couch in the middle of the night, it was a great weekend.

I wanted to share some of the projects Nate and I have going on. Nate’s getting back into building his hallway mirrors. Ain’t it purdy?

He's making these to sell, so if you want one let me know!! :) We are also making them with chalkboards instead of a mirror and a variety of colors and finishes.
I don't think you read my blog, but if your name begins with a K and ends with aylee, stop right here!

My old friend Kaylee has a baby shower coming up so I've been working on some things for her. When we were in middle school she Kate and I would watch Monty Python and The Holy Grail and thought it was just the funniest movie of all time. So Kate and I are making her a little MP&THG gag gifts along with a "real" one. Here's the first gag onsie....

And some burp cloths I've been busting out. The pink and brown ones are for Kaylee and she's making Riley's nursery all pink and brown, so cute! The others I'm thinking of putting on Etsy. Would you buy a cute homemade burp cloth?
Lastly, our upta camp finds! We took the four wheelers down the road to go look at the old school house that had collapsed this winter. A couple years ago, Kate, Jason, Rob, Diane, Nate and I had taken a little trip down the school house to investigate. At that time it was still standing. We took some old bottles, but inside there was the most beautiful old cast iron cook top wood stove. I wanted it so bad, but it probably weighed a ton. Well, the room collapsed on the building this winter, which is just so sad, and the wood stove was a casualty. (Yes, you can break cast iron, with enough force it cracks). But we did steal these old windows!

Not sure what to do with them, but something will come to me!

We also found this little side table in the attic of the garage upta camp. There's also a beautiful old rocker up there I want to steal. :)

And, Nate found this "tool box" and I immediately said I bet I could make something out of that! lol not sure what, I'm thinking a planter, but we'll see.

Problem is, I am so sick today!! Uhhg!! I went to bed with a sore throat and a pounding headache and it only was worse when I woke up. So besides going to work I'm going to take it easy today, these projects will just have to wait....

Keep on Keepin' on,

Big Changes for Me!

2010-04-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

So I'm making a pretty drastic life change. I am leaving my job at Argo to work for Community Little Theater in Auburn. It means I'm taking a big pay cut, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to do what I do, and do it for the theater, which is such a huge passion of mine. I'll get to immerse myself in a culture filled with incredibly gifted actors, and directors and productions teams. I can listen to show tunes in the background at work ALL DAY and no one will complain or look at me funny! I think it's going to be just great!

I'm really nervous about all this change though. It's going to be new, crazy hours. I'm going to have to work another part time job to pay the bills. I won't have the steady paycheck I'm used to, but you know what.....

I'm smart enough, and brave enough, and talented enough to do this!

Wish me luck! (Also, if you'd like to pay me to throw your parties or events, or buy my crafts or something so I can eat that would be cool too!!) Kay, thanks!

Livin' our Love Song

2010-04-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

Today is how did you meet your husband/fiance day at Kelly's Korner, so here goes:

Nate and I didn't meet until summer after my sophomore year in college. When we thing back, we realize we were at the same place at the same time, and just never happened to notice each other. The reason for this is his best friend and my best friend have been dating since they were 14. Nate, Jason and Kate all went to Oak Hill High school together. Kate and I have been best friends since we were five and went to elementary and middle school together, but when High School came around I went to St. Dom's.

Nate and I finally met one night at a bon fire at Jason's house. Kate had invited me to come over after my banquet shift, and Jason was having a few friends over. When I arrived Jason and Nate and a few of their buddies were sitting around the fire hanging out. I immediately took notice of Nate but he didn't really say much to me. Kate and I pretty much hung out by ourselves that night and went to bed before all the boys. I crashed on the couch, which later I found out Nate was mad at me for because there was an air mattress on the floor and he thought that would be more comfortable and felt like a jerk for sleeping on it.

The next morning I was trying to chat Nate and up and he really wasn't saying much. I learned that his family had a camp on a lake and I invited myself and Kate and Jason to come to the lake to hang out that day. We spent the whole day out on the boat swimming and having a great time, and Nate literally didn't say two words to me. I made complete fool out of myself, because when I'm nervous I talk, a mile a minute, and sound like a bimbo. But somehow I managed to impress him (and his family, as I learned that after we left that day Nate's dad said to him "you better hang onto that girl!")

So, that's it! Ever since then we've been together. We've been through living in separate states while I was at school and working crazy different hours.

After 3 years of dating, my family and Nate and I went on a trip to NYC for Thanksgiving, and the day after Thanksgiving Nate took me down to Central Park. We went for a horse drawn carriage ride, went for a walk around the park and found this very beautiful stone bridge....

WHERE HE PROPOSED!! (This is the reenactment my mother made us do!! ha ha) So on August 20, 2011 I will be Mrs. Danielle Eaton! Yay!! So Exciting!

I named my blog after us, after "Livin' our Love Song" by Jason Michael Carroll. The song is so perfect for us, because he's a woodsy, hardworking, hunting, manly man and I've always been the gentle, pampered princess :) but somehow, we are perfect for each other!

(P.S. This is the location for our wedding ceremony! Won't this view be killer?!)

Feelin' it Friday

2010-04-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

Today is a good day. Today I say "Bring it on world!" Things may not have been going my way lately, but you know what? I can take it! And it's Friday! And it the the weekend! And it's not winter anymore, so yay!!

http://weheartit.com/entry/1966986

I have the weekend with very little to do, and my love to spend it with. I am lucky to be me.

http://weheartit.com/entry/25977

I will be inspired. I will be creative. I will be free.

http://weheartit.com/entry/1817622

"Don't be afraid to Fail, be afraid not to Try."

http://weheartit.com/entry/1963955

"Love is enough"

Summer Lovin'

2010-04-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

I just have to say, I am loving this weather! I'm so excited for summer!! Here's a little summer lovin' for ya!

Maybe I REALLY want a bike....

Yay!

Soooo...anyone for a picnic??

Picture Therapy

2010-03-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

So, I started this blog as a diary really, and for the most part I haven't gotten too personal with it. But I'm going to be real with you today, and real with myself for that matter. If we can't be open with each other we'll never get anywhere. And if we can read about each other's real problems, maybe we can find inspiration and strength from one another. I love art, so this is like a little picture therapy for me. So here goes...

I have come to realization that I really suck at processing stress. I know everyone struggles with stress, but it really consumes me. I've been feeling this way lately. It's drama, and work, and my house being a mess, and everything starts to just weigh very heavily upon me. I start to feel like this:

Water

I just feel so overwhelmed by everything. It starts me make me feel physically ill. I am one of those people who's stress manifests it self physically. Either my body will ache, or I'll feel sick to my stomach and it will get to a point where I just shut down emotionally to avoid the pain. I push everyone away and keep to myself to try and keep my sanity, and the isolation starts to make me feel really sad:

Sad

People around me will try to reach out to me, but this really just pisses me off. I get so angry and moody and lash out at everyone to protect myself from having to cope with my stress and my feelings.

Mad

The worst part is, after all the tongue lashings and freak outs, I feel terrible about myself. That's not the kind of person I want to be! I want to be someone that brings joy to people's lives, not the crazy moody one you have to walk on egg shells around. I get so angry about something and lash out, and then feel terrible for it. So now I'm not only mad at whoever I was mad at, but I'm even more angry with myself for losing my cool.

I just feel like my world turns completely upside down...

Upside Down.

Uhg.

What I need is to find some inner peace....

Peace

Ok.

I need to find some better stress mechanisms. This is what dance and art used to do for me. It was always a way to escape, calm down, and meditate, but I'm not in high school anymore. I don't have parents paying for my dance classes or spare time to pour my heart onto the canvas.

Dance

How do you find the time to cope with stress in a healthy way as an adult? Maybe this new healthcare will mean my dance classes or yoga could be covered? I can keep dreaming, I guess. I'd like to know your thoughts, and what you do to cope with everything that boggs you down.

Just Breathe

Keep on keepin' on,

St. Paddy's Day Fun

2010-03-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

First off: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Ok, I know it's Wednesday, but I just have to share a little about my weekend. I had an awesome girl's night with my former coworkers from St. Mary's. I really miss working with them and seeing their beautiful faces everyday, so I cherish our "catch up" time. Saturday I cleaned like a madwoman all day long (my house is now a pig's stye once again, but oh well) and went to a bon fire with Nate's family that night. Then Sunday I had rehearsal then I came home and made a big St. Patrick's day Dinner for our friends Kate, Chris, Chrissy and little Grace. I made corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots and bought mint ice cream for desert because it's green and I was lazy.

Having company really tires Harley out. She gets so excited! She's such a people (person) dog. And Grace just L-O-V-E-S Harley! How cute is this!!

*Note: please don't judge my ratty old couch, I'm poor.

Grace was just snuggling her right up! I love that my dog is patient and loving. She's a big lug, and I'm always worried she hurt someone, never intentionally but because she doesn't realize how big and strong she is.

But when I see this, it just melts my heart!! She loves Grace, and don't let her cool "I don't care" attidue in this picture fool you, as soon as she leaves she runs around looking for her and then mopes...like a little baby :)

Twall, Holes, and Cooking

2010-03-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

Just dropping by to say hello...

It's been a pretty quiet weekend. I had Nelda, a friend of Ann's, come over and help me set up my sewing machine yesterday and get me started. I am so excited! We started a pair of pajama pants and totally screwed them up, ha ha, so I spent much of my afternoon ripping my messed up seams. I did, however, manage to pull this little beauty off:

It's a cover so the pillow slips in the back and it can come off to be washed :) I wanted to make two but I messed up try #1, so there wasn't enought fabric for a second, oh well!! I just have to say, I really love Twall. I have a funny story as to how I remember that Twall is called Twall but it is completely inappropriate for this blog ha ha ask me in person some time...

Friday was the Variety Show, and the kids did a good job, it was cute. Here's my brother, Jake's act. (He's in the green) He and his friends Guy and Joe did the song "Diggin' Holes" from the movie "Holes". Goofballs:

And on a completely random note, I got my Pioneer Woman Cookbook in the mail!!! AAAhhhh!! I am so excited!! If you don't know about the Pioneer Woman you need to go check her out. She's funny, and always fun to read, and she has the best recipes! None of this cooking light BS, she cooks good, down home, comfort food! She's the bees knees :)

That's all for now. Have a wonderful Sunday, and enjoy this weather if you are here in Maine, we don't see days like this too often!!

For the Love of Drama

2010-03-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have always known that I really really love drama. I just love the theater and love to be on stage. Ever since I was little, 7 to be exact, and my mom brought me to try out for "Oliver!" at CLT I've been hooked. It may seem shocking if you don't know me very well, because I know I'm very shy and quiet, but get my up there on a stage in front of tons of people, and Oh Boy look out! ha ha

The reason I bring it up is because I AM SO EXCITED about directing this show at St. Dom's. We've had a read through a one rehearsal so far and I just love it! I really love acting AND directing, and just anything to do with it! I'm a little overwhelmed with all there is to do to get this show off the ground, but it totally motivates me! I wish all my work could feel like this. I am really excited about working with this group of kids, because they are funny, and committed, and so motivated and excited to put on an awesome show! I've gotten very lucky. But, truly, I need to find a way to get this feeling all day. To find something to do that I think about all day long. That I just can't wait to do. That 3 hours flies by like it was 3 minutes. That I lay in bed thinking about, not able to sleep, because I'm so excited about my ideas. Something that makes me this happy.

Suggestions?

ABC's of Me

2010-03-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

I found this on another blog and thought it was really cute:
ABC's of me

a-Age-23..oh boy!
b-Bed size-King all the way baby
c-Chore You hate-Laundry!! Or just the folding of it :(
d-Dogs Name- Harley Girl
e-Essential to start your day-Coffee, what else?
f-Favorite color-Pink but favorite to wear is Purple
g-Gold or Silver-Gold
h-height-5'8
i-Instruments you play-piano for a bit in grade school, because I have long fingers and everyone told me I should, but I was no good :(
j-Job Title-Executive Assistant
k-Kids-None yet
l-Living arrangements-in our little fixer upper ranch with Nate and Harley Girl :)
m-Moms name-Mary Kathryn, but don't call her Mary, she goes by Kate
n-Nicknames-Dan, Dani
o-Overnight hospital stay other than your own Birth-never..knock on wood
p-Pet Peeve- Bratty Children
q-Quote from a movie-"I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite"
r-Right or Left handed-Right
s-Siblings- Jake and Michelle and soon to be Kristen & Matt!
t-Time you wake up-7-7:30
u-Underwear-...yes
v-Vegetable you dislike-I LOVE vegetables!!
w-ways your run late-getting ready, being lazy
x-xrays-my spine, for scoliosis, by back looks like a "c"
y-Yummy food you make-ummm everything!..psh please!
z-zoo animals- penguins

Drama all around

2010-02-08T10:59:00.000-08:00

So, my latest news is that I am the new Drama Society Director at St. Dom's! I am so super excited. I went out a bought a bunch of stuff to decorate my bulletin board with, and we are having auditions this Friday! I am so pumped! We are doing Little Shop of Horrors, one of my very favorite plays. I knew I couldn't come through the gate with anything too "churchy" or "cute-sie", because the kids hate that stuff, but I think I did pretty well with a black comedy :)

In other news, I never dreamed just how stressful planning a wedding is going to be. I've had some trouble working with some of the people from my reception site, and I just about lost it. I'm not the kind of person who gets overly upset. I can be over charged a dollar, and I would never point it out. What's the point? It's a waste of time. But for some reason, if you mess with my wedding, I will mess you up! ha ha I think it's because all your life you have this pressure that your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life, so there is so much stress trying to make it perfect, even though I know in my head it will never be perfect. So let's just hope I don't turn into a total Bride-zilla! ha ha

2010-01-25T10:40:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a very nice, quiet weekend for us. I got to spend Friday with Kate eating too many cookies and watching "Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging", the movie version of a book we read as kids which was very funny. It's always nice to get some quiet one on one time with your bestest. :)

Saturday Nate and I worked around the house, went and saw his little brother play basketball and went out for dinner. Matt's basketball game was hilarious, because they are really still too young to play the game correctly, so it's kind of a free for all! ha ha I really cherish time Nate and I get to do things just the two of us. It seems like we're always so busy, and I know in a few years we won't be alone anymore ;) so I'm cherishing the time we spend alone while we've got it!

Sunday, Kate was supposed to go see Inspecting Carol with me, but her nephew J.R. decided to make his appearance that day, so my good friend Danielle filled in last minute.

Inspecting Carol starred one of my very closest theater friends, Mitch, and it was a great laugh. Very funny play based on Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol. Lots of fun!!

Shop 'till ya Drop

2010-01-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

Kelly from Kelly's Korner is doing a "Show us Your Life", I've never participated before, but love this topic, it's where do you shop?

Well, being from the arctic tundra...aka..Maine, there aren't a lot of options. Physical stores I can get to are pretty much Wal*Mart and T.J. Maxx, which I do alright with if I don't go in expecting anything...

What I really love is Forever 21. http://www.forever21.com I shop online because a. I hate trying clothes on in the store, they never feel right, and b. Lord have mercy on you if you go in that store! There is no organization whatsoever! But I do love to shop online from the comfort of my couch :)

I also really love the site shop it to me, it finds all the sales at all your favorite stores! Love it!

Haiti in my Heart

2010-01-15T06:19:00.000-08:00

So I know this is all anyone is talking about lately, but Haiti has really been weighing on my mind. Just the other day I was sitting at work, wishing I was somewhere else, really just whining and complaining. And then a news brief about Haiti popped up, and all of sudden it hit me: I am a spoiled little brat who acts like the world revolves around her. How dare I have the audacity to complain about such trivial things, when there are people in the world experiencing the most profound suffering and grief! I have a delicious meal on the table every night, Nate turns up the heat when I whimper that I'm cold, I have my family here around to support me and love me, and my family will grow twice as large in my upcoming nuptials. I have everything I could ask for, yet I was sitting there crying like a little brat! I immediately prayed for forgiveness, at the same time, thanking God for reminding me that it's not always about me, and that no matter what, there is always someone carrying a heavier cross than my own.

2009-12-30T07:19:00.000-08:00

I'm getting all geared up for New Years Eve! I can not wait for 2010 to start! 2009 has been a very eventful year for me: I graduated from college: magna cum laude (which I am very proud of), started my first real job, moved into my first "home" of my own, and got engaged! I can not wait to see what 2010 will bring!

This was New Year's Eve last year. Nate and I usually go upta camp. Yes, that how you say it and spell it: upta. This is his cousin Nick's girlfriend Conner, his cousin Marsha, and myself getting ready to ring in the new year!

But, this year....we are heading down to Mass. to visit our very good friends Rob and Dianne. This is them at their wedding. Their wedding was so much fun! The entire bridal party went out back and switched clothes, so all the girls came out in tuxes and somehow the men managed to get in their dresses. It was really hilarious. And afterward, they had an after party in their back yard with a full bar and soooo much food. Nate and I were so sick the next day, not from drinking, but from eating our weight in beef! ha ha

My only concern is that this one is coming with, and Rob and Dianne have a cat, named Max.Here's a little Christmas story about Harley and Cats: This Christmas morning, while we were at Nate's parent's house, all of us sitting around the Christmas tree opening gifts, Harley realized the cat was under the tree.

Did she politetly say "oh Hello kitty, how are you this fine morning?". ha ha...no. Harely, being Harley, barrels under the tree at lightning speed. Crashs trough all the presents. Nearly knocks the 12 ft tree over (no joke, they have a 12 ft tree) and gets completely tangled in the lights and tinsel. It was like something out of a movie.

So needless to say, I'm a little nervous about the Harley/Max situation, so wish me luck!

Crazy Christmas Sweater Party

2009-12-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday was the annual Eaton Family Christmas Party, and Nate and I were hosts. We decided this year we would have a theme, and the theme was crazy Christmas sweaters. We spent all day cleaning and literally cooked all day long.

We found our sweaters at Goodwill. I went to the women's section, and Nate the men's. I found like six sweaters and Nate couldn;t find one, so yes, he's wearing a women's sweater....with shoulder pads. You can't tell, but the little red dots on my shirt are actually christmas lights!

Harley had to get in on the action too.

Lastly, "the whip". For a few years now everyone has been regifting this giant gold whip, and every year something new gets added to it. We had it last year, so this year we added whip cream and handcuffs. I love that Nate's family is so dirty! ha ha

Crazy Christmas

2009-12-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

So, this weekend is the annual Eaton Christmas Party, and we are hosting! This years theme: Crazy Christmas Sweater Party! Oh Yea! I am so excited, but so stressed too! There is just so much cleaning and cooking to do. We are trying to clean out our basement to have some extra room, but we piled a lot of stuff down there! Also, not totally sure as to what to cook for food, so I gotta get that figured out.

Will blog some pictures this weekend!! I can't show you my sweater yet, it's a surprise!!

My Story Book Vacation

2009-12-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

So this last weekend my family and Nate and I went to NYC for Thanksgiving. We did pretty much everything you're supposed to do. We saw the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square, Central Park, Empire State Building, and saw "In the Heights" on Broadway, which was fabulous.
I made huge batches of Chex Mix, and Muddy Buddies, and these Pie Pops that I saw on Bakerella for the ride down, and they were a huge hit!

I thought my mother was acting a little strange all weekend. Every 5 minutes she was wanting to take Nate and I's picture. Here we are at the Parade:
And then (here's the good part), on Friday Nate suggested we head over to Central Park for a little alone time. He said "why don't we go for a carriage ride?" and I thought that's weird. Nate does not like all that mushy romantic stuff. But this is us on our carriage ride:Then we went for a walk around Central Park. We found a really pretty pond and walked around that and then we came to this very pretty stone bridge. Nate immediately wanted to go up on the stone bridge. I thought he was acting a little strange, and walking really fast, and I was wondering if he was going to do what I though he was going to do, but kept talking myself out of it so as not to be disappointed if he didn't.
But sure enough, we stood on top of the bridge for a few minutes and then out of nowhere he gets down on his knee, pulls out a ring and says "will you marry me?". I was in such shock the first thing out of my mouth was "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"ha ha poor Nate. I immediately followed it with a YES!

This is the embarrassing reenactment my mother made us do the next day...
So that's my story, of how I got engaged the day after Thanksgiving in Central Park :)

Christmas Cheer

2009-11-24T05:33:00.001-08:00

Real quick before I run to work I just wanted to share the Christmas Tree I put together on behalf of my company for the Kora Shriners Feztival of Trees. Every year the Shriners put on a feztival in which local companies donate a fully decorated tree with gifts. Then people who come to the feztival can bid on the trees. Highest bidder wins the fully decorated tree and all the gifts. The money raised goes to the Kora Shriners Children's Hospital, so it's a really nice thing to do around the holidays.

Since Argo Marketing Group is in Direct Response Marketing, I did a DR themed tree: all the gifts are infomercial products, something you can call a 1-800 number to order: I call it "Deck the Halls with Direct Response"

Some of the gifts were the Magic Bullet, PedEgg, Oxy Clean, Sham WOW, the Slap Chop, Snuggie, Strap Perfect, Space Bags, and Mighty Mendit...just to name a few!

I did the tree all in teal and silver, thinking that would be a more unique color, but another tree had the same exact colors, AND the same tree topper!! ahhh! ha ha (I liked mine better anyways)

Check out that pink tree behind our, I thought that was really cute. A big THANK YOU to Kate for coming over and helping me decorate the tree. No one from my company would come and help me, so I had to call in reinforcements. ha ha

Christmas Sweater Koozie

2009-11-15T06:25:00.000-08:00

So this is a difficult blog to write for the following reason:
Had a minor finger surgery day before yesterday. I had a spot develop on my finger and when they biopsied it they found atypical cells and the margins weren't clear. So I had to go see a hand surgeon in Portland to have more of the skin removed. Wasn't the most fun I've ever had, and it hurt like a Mo-Fo but I'm fine, just trying to figure out how to function with this club finger. lol

On another note: check out the awesome Koozies Nate and I made as invitations for our Crazy Christmas Sweater Party:

Materials:
Water Resistant Foam*
Fabric
Decorations: pom poms, buttons, etc
Spray Glue
Exacto knife and good scissors

*we found our foam at a fabric warehouse and it's acctually used in the interior cars but it worked perfectly

We bought a shirt shaped koozie at the dollar store and took it apart to trace it....Nate did pretty much everything since I'm temporarily handicapped....
"Hey guys, whadda ya doin?

Then we spray glued the fabric to the foam and cut them out.....

Harley is no longer interested in craft night....

Sewed some pom poms on to make them extra kookie and sewed up the sides and here they are! So Cute!! I love them. We are going to put them on a bottle of Holiday Ale with a little tag inviting them to the party and drop them in everyone's mail boxes. I'm very excited!

2009-11-05T13:53:00.000-08:00

So it's been a pretty normal week so far. Busy as usual. (Weird Fact: every time I try to type "busy" I always write "busty"..coincidence? I think not! he he) I am sooo looking forward to this weekend to just relax with Nate and Harley girl here and maybe get some Christmas gift crafts going.
Also I am really looking forward to my little vaca coming up. My parents, brother and sister, Bubba, Kara, Nate and I are all going to New York City for Thanksgiving!! Crazy, right? Well I'm super excited, even thought it will be a little weird not to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal with the whole family. I was thinking of making these pie pops from Bakerella for the ride up. Whadda think? I think they look yummy and will get us in the Thanksgiving mood!! :)

This is Halloween, everybody make a SCREAM!

2009-10-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

So, I LOVE Halloween. It's probably my favorite holiday, even before Christmas (but just by a hair). I just love dressing up. But I have a horrible confession to make. It's the day before Halloween, and I don't know what I'm going to dress up as. GASP I know!! I'm like the Queen of Halloween and I don't even have a game plan! So, to get in the mood I thought I would share some of my favorite costumes from the past....Last year, 2008, I was an Indian, Nate was a cowboy of course!
The year before that, 2007, I was a deer. Nate was a hunter. Funny story we went to a party and were on opposite ends of the room, and a guy goes up to Nate and is like "dude...your a hunter! There's a deer here!" Like he thought it was an awesome coincidence!
Same year I also dressed up as Miss Maine to go out with my friends. I thought going as a deer without my hunter might be a little weird..
I think this was 2005, because it was my freshman year at Suffolk, but I dressed up as "Poison Ivy" the villainess from Bat Man. I do love dressing up as a villain rather than the hero
This isn't a Halloween costume, just checking out Humpy Dumpty's Costume for St. Mary's High School's 2009 Production of Alice in Wonderland...he he
Another show, Crystal, Bridget and I as "tarts" from the Scarlett Pimpernell
This was from when I was a banquet server at the Hilton. We dressed up for our company party...and what could be more appropriate than Paris Hilton of course!! ha ha see Tinkerbell on my lap!
And this wasn't for fun at all. This was a job. Yes, I got paid to dress up in costumes. WORST JOB EVER!! ha ha

2009-10-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

So, I'm getting really into blogging. I really love reading other people's blogs, even when it's just their day to day lives. It makes me feel really connected to humanity in general. (I know that sounds weird) Its cool how you can be looking at friend's blog and then start looking at the blogs that they follow, and all of sudden you are learning about people all across the country and the world. One such blog I can't stop reading is Kelly's Korne r I just find her story so inspirational and reading her blog puts me in a good mood! So I picked this up from her blog: tomorrow Nate and I are going to have a date night. Since we are always both so indecisive I decided to borrow this idea from Kelly: when Nate gets home from work tomorrow I'm going to give him three envelopes and have him open one. Inside each of the envelopes is a movie and a restaurant! Here are our possible choices:"Couple's Retreat" and Margarita's

"Law Abiding Citizen" and TGI Friday's
OR

"Paranormal Activity" and Longhorn's

I'm a little nervous about the Paranormal Activity one, but I've heard it's so good! I'm a wicked chicken, but if he picks it, he picks it and I'm telling myself I HAVE to go!! Ha ha! I'll let you know what fate decides!

2009-10-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

So I had an awesome night last night. Nate, Harley and I went to my parent's for dinner. We relaxed and ate spaghetti and caught up. I made some very yummy fried ice cream! I'm so proud of myself for trying something a little crazy and not completely boching it! It's so funny to watch Harley and Cooper play. Harley is like eight times bigger than Cooper. (Cooper is a Jack Russell Teri and Harley is a moose) Cooper is such a little spit fire, I call him Scrappy Dappy Doo because he reminds me of Scooby Doo's Nephew Scrappy who was always looking for a fight. He bullies Harley around and steals her bones, it's really funny to watch such a tiny little puppy bully a big black lab around. But it makes me feel good knowing our dog is very patient and slow to anger, that's the kind of dog I want.

This is my family at my dad's 50th birthday party this last July. (That's why he's wearing that funny shirt)

I love spending time with my family. It's funny because when I still lived at home my brother and sister would drive me nuts! We were always at each others throats, but not living with them anymore I really miss them, and cherish the time we get to spend together.

On a different note, I'm off to Portland Plastic and Hand Surgical Associates today. About a year ago I had a freckle develop on the side of my middle finger right by the nail. I went to the dermatologist to have it removed and they called and told me that the margins weren't clear and that I had atypical cells. (Not sure exactly what that means but I know it's not good.) They're sending me to Portland because it's so close to my nail that they don't feel comfortable doing it. So please keep me in mind today and hope that everything gets taken out so it can be in the past! and let's pray I don't pass out (which is very likely!)

Thanks :)

A Backwoods Boy and a Fairytale Princess

Welcome, 2012, so nice to see you.

Long Time, No Blog

The Honeymoon Phase

Home-made Dog Treats

Portland, Parties and the makings of Apple Butter

You don't have to Like them, but you do have to Love them.

Softball Tournaments and Gender Revelations

Back to Reality...

I am not a multi-tasker.

Thanks of the Week: Busy Days, Bachelor(ette) Parties and Booze

Thanks of the Week: Mechuwana, Green Shoes and the Lake

Post-4th Catch Up

Thanks of the Week: Facebook and Fireworks

The Face of Desperation

Thanks of the Week

My Broseph - the High School Graduate

Rester's Remorse

Why I am a squishy peice of clay.

Not the best start to our week.

One weekend down, one more to go!

Snow Day in Maine

Stretching my acting muscles

Holiday Catch Up

8 days till Christmas, just can't be

Holiday Woes

Crafty Christmas, well under way!

I heart The Green Wedding Shoes

I need more Pumpkins!

Who am I again?

Nightmares

Ham and Jam and Spamalot!

Sunday's the Day

Overextended

What Makes me Tick

Picking up Momentum

Big Changes for Me!

Livin' our Love Song

Feelin' it Friday

Summer Lovin'

Picture Therapy

St. Paddy's Day Fun

Twall, Holes, and Cooking

For the Love of Drama

ABC's of Me

I found this on another blog and thought it was really cute:ABC's of me

Drama all around

Shop 'till ya Drop

Haiti in my Heart

Crazy Christmas Sweater Party

Crazy Christmas

My Story Book Vacation

Christmas Cheer

Christmas Sweater Koozie

This is Halloween, everybody make a SCREAM!

I found this on another blog and thought it was really cute:
ABC's of me