I Am Quirky

Family Fun

2012-02-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry for the lack of DIY projects and recipe posts lately. Life has been a little hectic lately between busy season at work and having insomnia. I'm ready to have my weekends back!

Luckily this weekend I have a lot to look forward to. Dave and I are going to a Blake Shelton concert on Saturday night so I get to dust off my cowboy boots! ;) Since my mom will be in Fredericksburg for my cousin's shower on Saturday (I have to work..boo), she is coming up to our place on Sunday to spend the day with Dave and me. She has offered to come up and paint our new place for us! I cannot wait to put some color up on our walls! We are also having a little pre-birthday celebration for Dave. It will be nice to have some quality time with her.

My mom and me after a fun night of Top Golf!

Next week Dave's dad is coming into town to celebrate Dave's birthday and we are having a little birthday party for Dave. I have so much to look forward to which is nice since I feel like my life has been consumed by taxes lately.

Dave's dad, Jonathan, being a sport and sitting in the trunk on the way to lunch!

Country Concert

2012-02-20T12:51:00.000-05:00

Counting down the days until Saturday when I get to hear this amazing voice in concert!

A Day of Love

2012-02-15T14:50:00.000-05:00

A little book I put together for Dave

I know that most guys think of Valentine's Day as just a Hallmark holiday and I'm pretty sure Dave thinks so too, but since I like to celebrate it, he pretends to like it! :) I know that love should be shown everyday not just on Valentine's Day, and I think Dave and I are good about showing our love towards one another on a daily basis, but it's nice to do a little something extra for Valentine's Day.

Heart-shaped waffles

I started off by making Dave heart-shaped waffles from scratch! They sure looked good and he seemed to enjoy every last bite!

Champagne!

The best part of my day was when I got home from work we started cooking dinner together. It was so much fun; something we don't get to do together that often! We made roasted red potatoes, asparagus and a New York Strip Steak. Everything turned out fabulous. We had a nice candlelit dinner with some champagne. It was a wonderful little evening; exactly what I wanted.

Dinner table

I'm looking forward to our chocolate fondue tonight since I was too full for dessert last night!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day yesterday and was able to spend it with someone they love!

Yummy dinner!

He Cooks, He Cleans, He Folds...He's Super Hubby!!

2012-02-10T15:12:00.000-05:00

Chef Dave

I would like to give my husband, Dave, a special shout out. He has been "Super Hubby" lately and I'm so thankful for it! With this being my busy season, I've been working late nights and weekends, so Dave has been picking up my slack around the house. He cleans, he cooks, he does the laundry, folds my clothes, makes my lunch everyday. I was even able to go to yoga and kickboxing this week and come home to a home-cooked meal ready for me as soon as I walked in the door. I feel so bad that he's doing everything but as he reminds me, I would do the same thing for him. We are a great little team and work very well together! I think I might need to bake him some sweets this weekend as a thank you! :)

Delicious Stuffed Red Peppers

I wanted to post a link to this recipe that Dave made last night. These stuffed peppers were so good! It was such a great meal to come home to after a strenuous kickboxing class! It is definitely a must try!

Monogram

2012-02-07T12:28:00.000-05:00

One of my recent purchases from the fabulous site, One Kings Lane, is this ADORABLE monogrammed iPhone cover! Actually, the cover is from Pretty Printing but I was able to buy a discount code through OKL and get the case for half off!! I am excited to show the world my new initials and am so happy with the way it turned out! The case is very sturdy and covers my iPhone in all the right places. Plus, it came with a screen cover and a cloth to clean my screen! OKL is such a great site for home decor at a discount! You should definitely check it out!

Lemon Chicken

2012-02-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

The other night, I decided to try this lemon chicken recipe that I found on Pinterest. It was super easy and the results were aaaaaaaaamazing! The chicken was super moist and the flavor of the lemon made this dish quite refreshing. We let our chicken marinate over night and were very pleased with how the dish turned out. Please excuse my lack of detail with the plating...it was getting late and we were just ready to eat! We served ours with roasted red potatoes and a medley of veggies. This will definitely be made in our house again very soon!

Mixture of lemon zest, garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper


Adding the fresh lemon juice

The finished product! Yummerific!! :)

Super Bowl Sunday Snacks

2012-02-02T16:37:00.001-05:00

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here which means 2 things for me...Puppy Bowl and Fun Treats to Cook! I guess I should be rooting for the Patriots since my husband is a Patriots fan, so "GOOOOO Pats!" :)

I thought I would make my top 5 list of Super Bowl treats that I've made/or would like to make. Pinterest has been a great resource for a lot of these recipes. However, I don't think I'll post what I'm making on Sunday. We are going to a Super Bowl Party and I want it to be a surprise! :)

1. My go to dip for Super Bowl Parties: Buffalo Wing Dip. It's always a crowd pleaser and there are never any leftovers!

2. Chocolate covered strawberries made to look like footballs. I found this on Pinterest and thought it looked super cute. Who doesn't love a good chocolate covered strawberry?

Photo Courtesy of Shari's Berries

3. Pulled Pork has always been a favorite of mine. Serve them on slider buns with a little coleslaw on top...you've got yourself a cute little southern snack!

4. I saw these super bowl brownie burgers on Emily's blog post today and thought they were super cute and a great idea for a Super Bowl Party or a summer get-together.

5. Individual Seven-Layer Dip. When I saw this, I thought it was such a great idea! Super fun and cute!

Hope everyone enjoys the Super Bowl/Commercials/Puppy Bowl...whatever strikes your fancy!

A Relaxing Weekend

2012-01-30T14:01:00.000-05:00

New tape dispenser and post-it note holder for my desk at work! Spices up my desk!

Besides working on Saturday, I had a pretty relaxing weekend. Since my sleeping has become an issue again, a relaxing weekend was just what the doctor ordered.

Mani in Essie's "Turquoise and Caicos"

On my way home from work on Saturday, I decided to stop by my local nail salon and get a mani/pedi. It was so relaxing and just what I needed.

Dave and I had a wonderful date Saturday night at one of our favorite restaurants, Liberty Tavern. I had the skirt steak and Dave had this to-die-for risotto with winter vegetables which I highly recommend!

Dave was so sweet to capture me during my nap... haha

Sunday I napped and watched "Property Virgins" on HGTV. I got hooked on that show! It's so nice to have cable again after 2 years without it!! ;)

A nice little run outside and a yummy home-cooked meal rounded out our relaxing weekend! Every now and then it's nice to be somewhat lazy! :)

Football Sunday

2012-01-23T11:19:00.000-05:00

Image courtesy of

nflfootballstadiums.com

Sunday afternoon was spent watching the Patriots vs. Ravens game. More like, Dave watched the game while I went to the gym, then played on my computer and did some work!

Yummy wings!


Tasty beer - a must for football Sundays!

We decided to make some wings for the game. I used a simple crock-pot recipe which included: wings, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, melted butter and a ranch dry dressing packet. We cooked them on low for about 4 1/2 hours. They tasted great BUT they fell off the bone! I think next time we will try them in the oven. We had a couple beers and relaxed. What a wonderful Sunday evening. The Patriots win also made for a good night! :)

Now to think about what I will make for the super bowl party we will be attending...I think I'll turn to Pinterest for inspiration!! :)

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

2012-01-17T10:04:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! I thought today I would post about the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer that I will be participating in which takes place on May 5th and 6th. As you know from my previous post, this is something that has become very dear to my heart. A good friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and I saw how this disease affected her, her family and her friends. I'm happy to say she kicked the disease's butt and I will get to do the walk with her! On May 5th we will be walking a marathon and on May 6th we will be walking a half marathon!

I need help from YOU ---> I need to raise at least $1,800! Your donation is going to a great cause! Together we can find a cure! No donation is too small! And for all you who itemize on your tax return...it's tax deductible! :) Please support me in this walk! I'm so happy I can do this for my friend and for all the women out there who have been diagnosed with this disease.

My donation page

Thank you for all of your support!

-Erin

Etsy Gifts

2012-01-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've be absent for awhile. I've been quite busy with moving to a new place and tax season starting up! We are almost all set up in our new place and cannot wait to have people over once everything is set up. Tax season has officially started and it looks like my Saturdays will me spent at the office during the next few months! I'm ready for new challenges that I will be faced with this tax season and ready to step it up! :)

Dave's gift


A heart by Montego Bay

Since I've been consumed with moving and work, I honestly don't have too much to blog about. I thought I would take time to show everyone one of the gifts I got Dave for his wedding gift. I had a hard time thinking about what would be the perfect gift for him. Since I got him a Movado watch as an engagement gift, and he doesn't wear jewelry, I found it difficult to find something that was sentimental and would remind him of our wedding. I was browsing one of my favorite sites, Etsy, and came across a watercolor map of Jamaica (where we were going for our honeymoon). I thought this would be perfect for Dave. I contacted the artist and asked her to put a heart by Montego Bay (where we were staying) and she shipped the beautiful watercolor to me! I had it matted and framed and I think it turned out fabulous! Last night Dave hung it in our bedroom and I think it looks amazing! Along with the painting I got him a tie-tack so he could think of me when he wears it! :)

Etsy is such a cool site to find personalized gifts. I got my dad his wedding gift from there - a picture frame with the lyrics to our father-daughter dance so he could put a picture of us dancing in it. I got my mom and Dave's mom a handkerchief embroidered with a sweet note from me. It's a fun site but you might get addicted! ;)

Here's to a New Year! Helllllllo 2012!

2012-01-03T14:54:00.000-05:00

Dave and I welcomed 2012 with a fabulous dinner at Founding Farmers, followed by a party with some of our closest friends. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. 2011 has been an amazing year. Dave received his Master's in Public Policy, we got MARRIED, had an amazing honeymoon and most importantly we became a family. I am so lucky to have Dave in my life. He knows how to cheer me up when I'm down, he would do anything for me and I know he truly loves me. I love him more and more everyday; I didn't even know that was possible.

Dave & me at Jeff's New Year's Party

I have some "resolutions" that I would like to work on in 2012. Each year I learn more and more about myself and there are things I would like to work on.

1. Try not to sweat the little stuff. I tend to stress out about little things (e.g. traffic, running late, clothes..)
2. Keep a workout regimen. I hate to put a number of days/week I will work out. I just want to stay in shape and feel good about my body. (Also get in shape for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler)
3. Stop getting caught up in materialistic things. I put way too much pressure on myself - wanting to fit in, wanting to have the newest designer clothes, trying to impress everyone. Over the past week, I have realized how important my family means to me. I much rather have a family who loves me and truly cares for my well-being than the latest designer handbag. This year I want to concentrate on the people that matter most to me - my family and friends
4. Eat healthier. For the month of January, Dave and I have given up sugar. It will be tough but together we can accomplish anything. We will have different food goals each month!

My hubby, the dancing machine!! :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years. Cheers to a fantastic 2012!

Aquarium Afternoon

2012-01-03T13:37:00.000-05:00

Over Christmas break I got to spend a lot of quality time with my father-in-law, Jonathan. We had never really spent that much time together until now. He is such a kind-hearted person and a lot of fun! He took us to the Boston Aquarium which was AMAZING! It had the best penguin exhibit that I have ever seen; I was on cloud 9!! There is a also this huge tank that is in the middle of the building that goes from the first floor to the top! We saw sharks, huge turtles, manta-rays, and tons of other cool fish. It was a wonderful afternoon and I cannot wait to go back!

We also went and saw a play, "A Christmas Carol", at Trinity Repertory Company. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I've always been a huge fan of "A Christmas Carol." I'm so happy I got to spend all this time with Jonathan. Dave is truly lucky to have him as a father.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-22T13:52:00.000-05:00

Tonight Dave and I leave for Massachusetts to spend the holidays with his family. This will be my first Christmas away from my parents and sister. I'm getting a little sad about that, but I know that I will have a wonderful time with his family! I'm crossing my fingers for a white Christmas! :)

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

XOXO,
Erin

Running Update

2011-12-20T09:19:00.000-05:00

As I've stated in my previous post, I've decided to get back into running. I got accepted into the Cherry Blossom 10 miler that takes place April 1, 2012. So, I've got a few months to get myself in shape! I had to start from the very beginning, which meant starting at 1 measly mile. Since it's so dark and cold when I get home from work, I've been forced to run on the treadmill which is so monotonous to me. Thank goodness for Bravo! Last night I walked 1/2 a mile, ran 3 miles, walked 1/2 mile. I know that doesn't seem like much, but it's an improvement from the 1 mile. Dave has been such a great motivator; I don't think I could do this without him!

Dave with an after run Christmas cookie!

It's so nice to be training for something again. After playing sports my whole life and swimming competitively, I feel like there has been something missing....the excitement of competition! I hope to keep up the running and pick up biking because I would LOVE to do a triathlon one of these days. I'm so happy that I'm running again; I'm starting to feel like me again!! :)


Yummy!!!

Tomato Soup With a KICK

2011-12-19T13:14:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I decided to try out a new recipe for dinner. I was in the mood for tomato soup so I decided to try out a recipe from one of my go-to chefs, Ina Garten. This soup was full of flavor, with just the right amount of kick. It wasn't difficult and was a big hit in our house! Here is the link to the recipe .

First I tossed the tomatoes with some olive oil, sea salt and ground pepper.

Tomatoes with olive oil, sea salt and ground pepper

Next, I placed them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.


Tomatoes on baking sheet

While the tomatoes were roasting, I chopped two yellow onions and put them in a large stockpot, along with 6 cloves of garlic. I added olive oil, butter and some red pepper flakes. I added a tad more red pepper flakes than the recipe called for to kick it up a notch! I cooked these ingredients over medium heat for about 10 minutes so the onions could brown a little.


Onion, garlic, butter, olive oil and crushed red pepper

Next, I added the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme and chicken stock. I didn't use as much basil as the recipe called for and it still turned out great!


Adding canned tomatoes, chicken broth, basil and thyme

Once the roasted tomatoes were done, I added them, along with any liquid on the baking sheet, to the stockpot. I cooked this for about 40 minutes on a simmer.


Adding the roasted tomatoes

After 40 minutes, I took our immersion blender and decided to smooth out the soup. I didn't want big chunks of tomato in the soup. I probably used the immersion blender for about 20 seconds.


The FINISHED product!! YUMMMMY!!

The soup turned out fantastic. We added a few baked pita chips on top, and voilà, a perfect winter soup! I think tonight I will make grilled cheese to go along with it!

NYC Weekend

2011-12-15T14:44:00.000-05:00

The tree at Rockefeller Center


Amazing Grimaldi's pizza

This past weekend Dave and I went to New York City. I have been bugging Dave the past couple of years to go up to New York during the Christmas season to see all of the lights, the tree, and the store-front windows. So Friday afternoon we took the bus up to New York! Dave's aunt and uncle were so kind to let us stay with them for the weekend (they live in NJ, right outside of the city). We had a wonderful time staying up late, drinking wine and talking with them Friday night. They are one of the kindest couples I know and they always make me feel welcomed whenever I visit them.


Sarah and me at lunch

Saturday we went into the city and visited Times Square and then went to Bryant Park. Bryant Park had tons of little shops surrounding the ice skating rink, so we walked into a few of them. Then we took the subway to Brooklyn to visit my friend Sarah. She is a good friend of mine from Texas, who is playing soccer for Long Island University. She took us to this AMAZING pizza place called Grimaldi's Pizza. We had a wonderful lunch and it was so great to catch up with her!

Later that afternoon Dave and I decided to visit the MET. Dave was interested in seeing the Greeks and Romans and the Arms and Armors exhibits. Dave thoroughly enjoyed the Greeks and Romans exhibit. We had a great time. Dave even bought me a book about shoes! What a great guy; he knows the way to my heart! :)

That night we looked at the beautiful store windows. Bloomingdales' window with the penguins was definitely my favorite! We made our way through the crowds to the tree at Rockefeller Center. It was absolutely beautiful! Then we headed back to Dave's aunt and uncle's house for a delicious steak dinner. What a wonderful day it was!

Storefront window at Bloomingdales


Storefront window at Bloomingdales

Sunday we headed to SOHO so I could stop by C Wonder. I picked up a couple of things, but my fuchsia quilted jacket was definitely my favorite! The sleeves are actually long enough for my arms! The ride home was great; no traffic at all!


My new pink jacket

Puppy dog Dave got for me at FAO Schwarz

It was such a fun weekend. Every time I visit NYC I'm reminded how much I want to live there. It's always been a dream of mine to live there. I just don't think my mom would be too happy if we moved there... For now I'm content in just visiting.

Move Over Elf Yourself, Portable North Pole Has Come to Town

2011-12-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

This morning I was catching up on one of my favorite blogs, Little Pink Monster. Natasha had a post about this website, Portable North Pole, where you can create a message from Santa. It is a perfect idea for young kids. I decided to create one for my husband, Dave, and I think it came out super cute!! :) Take a look!

http://washfm.portablenorthpole.com/watch/gb7hXKzhnXKSQuZxMMZ7TSA

Now it's your turn! Go create your own video!

My Goal: To Get Into Running Again

2011-12-01T15:07:00.000-05:00

A few years ago I had really gotten into running. I would run about 4-6 days a week. Running anywhere from 3-10 miles at a time. I even ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, which was a huge accomplishment for me especially since it was during tax season. I was happy with my accomplishments, happy with my body and overall, I just felt good. I've decided to get back into running. It's going to be hard at first, but I think if I stick to it, I am going to feel great! To get my butt into gear I have already signed up for the 2012 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. Unfortunately, it's a lottery process, but I'm crossing my fingers that I get in! Hopefully I can keep you up to date on my running accomplishments.

Any runners in the DC area who belong to running groups and are looking for new members? I would love to join! I just need to get into shape first!

My Friends Are My FAMILY

2011-12-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

As most people know, I grew up in Plano, TX. It was a great place to grow up-wonderful schools, great athletic programs, and the BIGGEST plus of them all...AMAZING shopping! I absolutely LOVED it there. If I ever had to move back, I wouldn't be upset ! ;) However, there were some downsides; the biggest one being that we were so far away from family. Most of our family lived in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and South Carolina. For the most part, we were the ones who would make the trip to the east coast to visit family. Occasionally, family would visit us, but never for the holidays.

Luckily, we had really good friends - the Laughlins. Craig and Vicki were great friends with my parents. My sister and I were very good friends with their daughters, Katie and Sarah. We spent Christmas with them almost every year; they were like family to us! I still remember this like it was yesterday; Christmas of 2001 my mom decided to tell the Laughlins that we would be moving to Charleston, SC that summer. Of all times to give this kind of news and she had to pick Christmas!!! Was she crazy?!?!?! Needless to say, that Christmas was not the happiest. So summer of 2002 we said goodbye to our dearest of friends.


Craig, Vicki, and Katie

We've stayed connected through Facebook, email and a couple of visits back to Texas. My dad probably see's the Laughlins the most since he often travels back to Dallas for business. We invited them to my wedding and I assumed that they wouldn't be able to come because of the distance BUT they came! (except for Sarah - she had a college soccer tournament - we sure did miss you!) Don't get me wrong, I was so excited to see everyone that came to our wedding, but I was beyond elated when I saw the Laughlins. They kept telling me that they wouldn't have missed it for the world. Friday night when I saw them for the first time at the rehearsal dinner I was so happy! I had to excuse myself to the bathroom to let out a few tears (tears of joy, of course), I just couldn't believe they were here! It was so good to see them, just like old times. We (Craig, Vicki, Mom, Allie and me) even danced to our favorite song from back in the day, "500 Miles" by The Proclaimers at the wedding!

The Laughlins are a part of our family and will always be. They are one of the kindest, most loving families we know and I am so thankful that we met them in Plano. Thank you for making my wedding day so special!

Yes, I Decorate My Office for Christmas

2011-11-28T15:38:00.000-05:00

I LOVE Christmas. I constantly have Christmas music playing from November until January. I decorate my home for Christmas, why not my office? Today I put up some lights and brought in a little tree and some ornaments. I mean, how can you not enjoy coming to work everyday when your office looks like this?! :)

Well Rested

2011-11-28T15:14:00.001-05:00

The hubby with our Christmas tree

After a CRAZY couple of months, I can finally say I feel well rested. This four day weekend was EXACTLY what the doctor ordered! I slept in, ran a couple times and just RELAXED. Thursday afternoon we went to my co-worker, Ashley's, house for Thanksgiving dinner. We had a fabulous time with her and her family. We ate yummy food, drank good wine and even played "Dance Party 3". We are so thankful she took us in for the holiday!


Great shot!

Friday was uneventful...I slept ALL day! I'm not kidding you when I say that I slept ALL DAY on Friday. I NEVER do this unless I'm really sick, but I think it was my body's way of telling me I need to take a "chill pill." I woke up, put on a Christmas movie and then proceeded to fall asleep during the movie. This cycle continued all day long.

Dave with our mistletoe

Saturday we decided to take advantage of the nice day and head to TopGolf! It's one of our favorite activities. It was one of the few times I played consistently well, so I was quite proud of myself. :) We came home and put up our Christmas tree and some decorations! I love this time of year! I wish we were in our new place already so we wouldn't be consumed by boxes of wedding gifts! ;)

Sunday was spent organizing, cleaning, relaxing, running errands and writing thank you notes!

Even though most people would call my weekend "boring", I call it "exactly what I needed."

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend spent with family and friends!

What I'm Thankful For

2011-11-23T10:37:00.000-05:00


The Dunns

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I thought I would post about what I'm thankful for. First of all, this Thanksgiving is supposed to be spent at my parents' house (we switch every year between mine and Dave's parents), but since we just got back from being in Charleston and then Jamaica, my mom told us we didn't need to make the drive down this year. So originally it was going to be just Dave and me for Thanksgiving in our little apartment that is overflowing with gifts, but then my co-worker Ashley was so sweet to invite Dave and me to her house to spend Thanksgiving with her and her family. I'm so happy because the thought of spending Thanksgiving without our families was getting me down, but now the Dunns have taken us in and I'm thrilled. It's so nice to have friends who truly care about you and treat you as family. Thanks Ashley and Vic!! :)

Now onto what I am thankful for (in no particular order)

1. Good health
2. My HUSBAND
3. My amazing family who have always been there for me, no matter what
4. My NEW family - I am truly blessed to have married into such a LOVING and CARING family
5. My amazing friends who truly care about Dave and me. I love you all
6. Winnie
7. The amazing life I lead - I am truly blessed
8. All the opportunities I am faced with each day

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving and take the time to think about what you are thankful for.

XOXO,
Mrs. O'Brien (I just like writing it :) )

I'm Going on a Little Vacation

2011-11-08T08:11:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving this afternoon for Charleston, SC. It's only 4 days until my wedding, so today is my final post for a couple weeks! I'm taking this time to enjoy my family, friends and my soon-to-be husband! I'm sure I will have tons to write about when I get back from my honeymoon! Love to all!

XOXO,
Erin

Spontaneous Date Night

2011-11-04T13:12:00.000-04:00

Last night both Dave and I were home early from work. I asked him if he wanted to go to happy hour since this is a rare occasion that we are both home at a decent time. So we headed to a local bar down the street, got a couple of beers, played Golden Tee and some games on the counter-top touchscreen at the bar , and had some yummy appetizers. What an unexpectedly wonderful evening we had together. I just love him! :)

Bachelorette Weekend

2011-11-04T11:26:00.001-04:00

Cute wine labels my sister had made for our wine to drink on the road!


The Group

I know I'm a little late on this post, but I've been a little busy. A couple weeks ago was my bachelorette party! I had the best time EVER with the greatest of friends! All of my bridesmaids were able to make it, which made it even more special! I had a shower in the morning thrown by my aunt, then in the afternoon we took a shuttle to a few wineries! We had the coolest driver ever, David! He sure did make our trip interesting!

At Doukenie Winery

Our first winery was Doukenie Winery. We had a great time there, but we all decided we won't be returning there anytime soon! ;)

The Group at Notaviva

Next, we went to Breaux Vineyards. We decided to skip the tasting and just buy some bottle of wines, baguettes, cheese and salami. We sat at a table and just talked and everyone got to know each other! When everyone starts Facebooking each other you know it's true friendship! :) This was the highlight of my afternoon because everyone got along, we talked about anything and everything and new friendships were started.

Our last winery of the day was Notaviva Vineyards. We did a tasting here and the staff here was super nice. This was the most enjoyable tasting of the afternoon.

Our driver, David, is a little lost

We headed home, drinking wine, listening to some jams, and laughing a lot! What a wonderful afternoon that was! Thank you, girls for an amazing afternoon!

That night we went out to dinner at Fire Works. We enjoyed many laughs and pizza. Then the ones who were left standing, headed to Rumors to finish off the night! What an amazing day with amazing friends! Thank you girls for a memorable weekend!! :)

Artists for an Afternoon

2011-11-04T09:25:00.000-04:00

My Masterpiece! :)

Yesterday afternoon our tax department went to Brush N Blush. I've talked about Brush N Blush in an earlier post. I had the best time with all of my fellow co-workers. We had an assortment of cheese and crackers, wine and beer.

It was awesome to see everyone out of their element! We are all used to working with numbers on a day to day basis, so painting was something that didn't come natural to most of us. However, I am super impressed with how everyone's paintings turned out! We really did have some artists in our crowd! I'm even impressed with how the Partners' paintings turned out; way to go Dave and Mike!


Mmmmmmmm Goooooood!

Oh, and we had Georgetown cupcakes!! YUMMMMMMM!!

I HEART Penguins

2011-11-02T14:06:00.001-04:00

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Ever since reading Mr. Popper's Penguins in 3rd grade, I have been slightly obsessed with the tuxedo-like creatures. I even tried to convince my parents to let me get one as a pet. I figured we could drill holes in our freezer so he/she could breathe and I would stick an air freshener on him, since they are a tad smelly. Why wouldn't that work?!?! :) As you can guess, my parents said no. So over the years, I've accumulated tons of penguin paraphernalia, including stuffed animals, jewelry, socks, pj's, slippers and a whole lot more! Even though I am 27, I sleep with my penguin Pillow Pet, Petey. He is so soft and is my much needed nighttime accessory. My friend even got me a mini penguin Pillow Pet for my honeymoon. I named him Petey Jr. :)

Courtesy of FAO Schwartz

Today I stumbled across this cute penguin blouse from Anthropologie. It's a cute pattern that I would ACTUALLY wear, unlike those tacky Christmas sweaters with penguins all over them! ;) I'll put this on my wish list!

Ask me any penguin question and I'm sure I'll know the answer!! :)