Thursday, January 21, 2010

Roses and Cooking

Thank you so much to all the people that helped me out on my last post! Your opinions meant so much to me! I kept going back and forth and was really stressing about it for a while. I finally decided that if I want to have my own business, I have to be able to make a decision and stick to it! So I chose... Rebecca's Roses and Rings! I am working on a website and business cards and am so excited! I will keep you guys updated and let you know when the website is up and running!

Besides working on my new business, things at my full-time job have been really busy. The days are flying by but I am exhausted and finding it hard to do anything besides go home and pass out on the couch.

On the days I can muster enough energy to do something besides be lazy, I have started cooking a little more. I have discovered an awesome new cooking show called 5 Ingredient Fix and I am in love! The host, Claire Robinson is a newlywed living in New York and she is just absolutely adorable. All of her recipes only have 5 ingredients which is so great. She went to culinary school in France so some of her dishes are very different and not that easy, but I am having such a blast! Most of my stuff has turned out pretty good and JJ is loving it.

If you guys are looking for some new and delicious recipes that only have 5 ingredients, check her out! I think her shows are on Saturday mornings. I just set my TiVo up to record it so I don't really pay attention to when it is on. (Is TiVo not the best invention ever?? Even the little TiVo character is adorable!)
P.S. I am not a sponsor of 5 Ingredient Fix or TiVo. I just love them and had to share!!! I hope you are all having a great week!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Announcement!

I have a somewhat big announcement. No, I am not pregnant. Not yet at least! This is something completely different. It is something I have always wanted to do but have been way to scared. I have a hard time believing in myself, even when other people tell me I would be or am really great at something. But I have finally decided to listen and take a chance.

I am staring my own business. More specifically, I am starting a wedding planning business! Ever since planning my own wedding, I have been in love with everything to do with weddings. I love the flowers, the romance, the colors, the joy, everything! After the wedding, I have felt like something was missing in my life. So I am going to be a wedding planner!

I am going to stay at my current job and try the wedding planning business part time. I have two friends that are engaged and I have offered to help them do whatever they need me to do. Hopefully, they will be happy with me and be my first references!

I need to start a website but first I need to come up with a name for my business. I have a few ideas and need your help! Let me know which one you like the best. Here is what I have come up with so far:

Southern Ceremonies
Southern Charm Ceremonies
Rebecca's Roses and Rings
Hitched without a Hitch

What do you guys think? Do you have a favorite? Is there one I should eliminate? Do you guys have any other ideas for a name that I can use? Help me!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

2010 Recap

I have seen this recap all over the Internet but I originally got it from Alyndabear.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Let's see. Of course, I planned an entire wedding by myself, got MARRIED and became a wife! Also, I got a new dog which was not planned and I still haven't told you guys that story. (Bad blogger!)

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I really made any resolutions in 2009. I was newly engaged and my focus was on trying to plan the best wedding I could on a limited budget. I have made some new ones for 2010.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? I told you guys the story of my friend, Annie. She just had her baby on December 21 and they are doing great. I haven't been over to visit yet, but I am very happy for her.

4. Did anyone close to you die? This year had a lot of death, unfortunately. The one that affected me the most was losing my grandfather. It was unexpected and it was really hard to see my father and grandmother suffer so much. My sister lost a good friend who was 18. My grandmother lost her best friend to cancer. My boss lost her mother. My friend lost her unborn baby when she was 6 months along. We had to put our family dog to sleep. I lost a coworker who was a really wonderful man. We had two employees that lost infants (I handle life insurance so I have to help all these people file for life insurance). This year has been really difficult but it has made me appreciate life so much more!

5. What countries did you visit? The only place I went to this year was St. Martin. We went there in October for our honeymoon. St. Martin is actually owned by the French and the Dutch.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Organizational skills! And patience. I need a lot more patience.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? October 10, because that was the day I married my best friend!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting married. For a while, I really didn't think I was going to find someone to spend the rest of my life with. I am so lucky to have found JJ.

9. What was your biggest failure? I don't really call it a failure, but I really need to be a better wife. I constantly complain about housework, am really stubborn and moody and tend to start fights for no reason. I am determined to work on myself to become a better wife for JJ (and for myself!).

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? For most of 2009, I struggled with health issues that no one could explain. I had nausea, digestive issues, headaches, migraines, dizziness and severe anxiety. I went to multiple doctors and no one could figure out what was wrong with me. At my worst, I couldn't eat and lost about 15 pounds in about 2 weeks (I am already pretty thin so that was a LOT for me). About 2 or 3 months ago things slowly started to change. Now, I feel like myself again and I am so grateful. I really think that my birth control pill was what made me so sick. I have been off of it for about 5 months now and I feel completely normal again. I finally feel like I have my life back!

11. What was the best thing you bought? Hmm...I guess I would have to say my wedding dress. I felt so beautiful on my wedding day and I know I picked the perfect dress for me. I wish I could wear it every day!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? I would definitely have to give JJ props for putting up with me this year. I had many, many bad days because I was so depressed about being sick all the time. The stress of planning a wedding did not help either. I really don't know how he did it! Also, my parents were wonderful. They were so supportive of my illness and wedding stress. I don't know what I would do without them.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? A couple of people let me down but I have already blogged about all of that.

14. Where did most of your money go? The wedding and honeymoon!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The wedding of course! Oh, and the honeymoon!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas and Then by Brad Paisley. I Gotta Feeling was our grand entrance song to our wedding and Then was JJ and I's first dance.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
(a) Happier or Sadder? I guess a little sadder. Last year I had just gotten engaged and couldn't wait to start the wedding planning. This year, I am sad the holidays are over and dreading work tomorrow!
(b) Thinner or Fatter? About the same. I don't really fluctuate in weight that much (with the exception of feeling so sick).
(c) Richer or Poorer? Richer.. but only because I have a joint account with JJ now. Marrying and engineer has it's benefits! It also has it's downsides but that is for another post...

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I’d taken a few more photographs. I really want to learn more about photography and started to do that in 2009 but grew lazy.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Complaining and thinking of the negatives in every situation.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2009? Spending time with the hubby and grandparents!

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? I have fallen in love with JJ more times than I can count.

22. How many one-night stands? None!

23. What was your favorite TV program? Without a doubt, Glee! I adore that show and am a total Gleek!

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don't really hate anyone. I have some people that let me down and really hurt me but I don't hate them.

25. What was the best book you read? Ugh, there were so many great books that I can't really remember specific titles. I love chick lit and spend hours and lots of money at Barnes and Noble!

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? I don't think I really had a musical discovery. In fact, this year I really didn't pay much attention to music at all.

27. What did you want and get? I just wanted to have a beautiful and simple wedding. And that is exactly what I got!

28. What did you want and not get? I really wanted to make more friends and I can't say that I succeeded in that. Hopefully, this year will be more promising in that regard.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? I didn't see that many movies this year, but one that really sticks out is Tombstone. It is a Western and JJ had been begging me to watch it with him. It is his favorite movie and he thought I would like it. I usually don't care for Westerns so I had been putting it off. But Tombstone was AWESOME! Great plot based on true events, HOT cowboys and lot of humor. I definitely recommend it!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 25 this year (Dec. 28) and had to work since it was a Monday. JJ took me to the Melting Pot yesterday and it was so good!

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Getting to spend more time with my family. Normally, I go home for Christmas but I was not allowed to take off any extra time this year (we are really busy right now) and we figured since we just had the wedding 2 months ago we would stay home. However, I really missed seeing my parent and sister!

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? I discovered my new favorite store, Anthropologie and have become obsessed. I LOVE that store and try to buy as much as I can from there without going broke!

33. What kept you sane? JJ!

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? No one really.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? Considering I am a conservative, pretty much anything Obama has done lately has stirred me up. The most would have to be the whole healthcare fiasco.

36. Who did you miss? My parents and sister. And my grandfather. I will always miss you Papa!

37. Who was the best new person you met? I met a few really great girls on a girl's night out last month. I really hope to get together with them again soon! Also, I have become friends with an amazing blogger, Michelle, who I completely adore and hope to get together with very soon!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. That sometimes you need to do something that you don't want to do in order to make someone else happy. Compromise and change can be difficult but necessary.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Going to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Gee I really love you and we're gonna get married. Going to the chapel of love. (Yeah, I got married in 2009. Did I tell you that? Lol.)

40. What are your resolutions for 2010? I have a ton and will probably post about that soon!