{joy in the journey}

trader joe's top 10 - part FIVE.

2012-02-01T07:00:00.004-06:00

it's true. i have FOUR OTHER installments of my trader joe's top 10 -- one. two. three. four. (i need to start getting commission.)

also -- i told y'all about my I HEART TJ's cookbook -- i've been LOVING cooking from that thing. so fun!

ok, so i've got my next top 10 for ya (i can't believe it's been almost a year!) here we go...

10. salmon burgers // frozen pack of 4 -- you can bake 'em, grill 'em, or pan fry 'em. a super easy way to get in those omega-3's!

9. fresh hard-cooked peeled eggs // yup, just how it sounds. they take out all of the hard work of hard-boiled eggs for you -- already cooked, already peeled. just add salt & pepper and enjoy!

8. sugar grinder // it's sugar, chocolate, & coffee beans -- grind it over ice cream, berries, whatever you want! the perfect sweet topper.

7. greek yogurt // get the TJ's brand (i get the nonfat plain) -- comes in a big value tub, too! have you hopped on the greek train yet? yes, it's more tart, but just add a little agave or stevia and you are good to go. (i like mine with granola & berries, too!)

6. cocoa drizzle kettle corn // self-explanatory. i bought this around the holidays and it was heaven. sweet & salty just how i like it. warning: you'll want to eat the whole bag.

5. multigrain croissants // in the frozen section -- let the dough sit out while you pre-heat your oven & then they bake to fluffy flaky yumminess in 20 minutes. perfect compliment to a dinner party. (note: i used the toaster oven! and they will stick to your pan - definitely use a little oil!)

4. almond milk // we're trying to cut out excessive dairy where we can (don't worry - i'm not giving up my cheese just yet).. TJ's brand of almond milk comes in a big container & lasts longer than those other brands. (we like the vanilla unsweetened one) -- great for cereal and coffee!

3. mandarin orange chicken // people have been talking about this stuff for a long time, but i was afraid to try it because i knew i'd love it and it's not exactly the most healthy. true and true. but it sure is tasty with some brown rice & steamed broccoli. a special treat :)

2. pressed coconut oil // yay! one less grocery trip for me (i used to get this at whole foods) -- i use coconut oil to cook everything on the stove (meat, vegetables, eggs) -- it's the best cooking oil!! fyi: keep this one in the fridge once it's opened.

1. TJ's packaged pasta // find them refrigerated near the hummus and salsa -- our favorites are butternut squash stuffed triangle pasta & goat cheese/sundried tomato ravioli. just boil for 5ish minutes and then add your favorites (we like grilled chicken and steamed veggies). instant amazing meal.

oh man, now i'm hungry.

what am i missing? do you have any trader joe's favorites lately?

tuesday tunes - new ingrid michaelson

2012-01-31T09:00:00.001-06:00

i have a major girl-crush on ingrid michaelson. (i know. y'all aren't surprised. i've only mentioned her here and here.) that last album i talked about a year and half ago? yah, i wore. that. thing. out. not to mention i randomly happened to see the tour supporting that album in 3 different cities (no, i'm not a groupie, i promise).

her newest album, human again, came out last week and i have been alternating between that and kari's album from last week :)

here's a super cool video for the first single from the album, "ghost"... (there's also a video here of her singing on Live! with Kelly last week...)

tuesday tunes - kari jobe.

2012-01-24T09:00:00.002-06:00

yes! tuesday tunes are back!

and today couldn't be more perfect than to announce new music from one of my favorite ladies -- kari jobe and her new album where i find you, out today!

and i'll just let her beautiful voice speak for itself...

pardo wedding: a sneak peek.

2012-01-23T21:00:00.000-06:00

well -- it was everything i dreamed and more. all of our friends & family in one place. so much love & support. it was a true picture of God's faithfulness and redemption in our lives.

and now i have a new name! crazy.

i won't have the professional pics for a couple of weeks, but here are a few favorites some friends took...

the rehearsal dinner

with my dad // 2 of my bridesmaids, brooke & bronwen // my boss barrett during the toasts

the wedding

2 parts i was so proud of: the altar & the cake ball table!

and one of my FAVORITE parts of the evening -- our PHOTO BOOTH! if you need to rent one, i HIGHLY recommend flashtastic -- they're awesome!

be back soon!

2012-01-01T16:00:00.000-06:00

well, faithful blog readers... it's crunch time. the big day is approaching (13 days! but who's counting?)

so needless to say, blogging is not at the top of my priority list right now. but i'll be back in a few weeks with photos and stories and more.

thanks for following along on this journey... and i'll be back soon!

tuesday tunes - christmas re-cap.

2011-12-20T10:00:00.001-06:00

ok people. christmas is in 5 days! (i can't believe it either) so if you're not feelin in the spirit yet, might i suggest some festive music?

here's a little re-cap of what i've brought you this season...

- civil wars

- josh wilson

- drew holcomb & the neighbors

- andrew ripp

- matt wertz

- matthew west

and as if that wasn't enough -- don't forget last year's holiday tunes...

- coldplay

- audrey assad

- hotel cafe's winter songs

- lady antebellum

- seabird

- dave barnes

happy listening & merry christmas!

30, flirty, & thriving.

2011-12-16T10:00:00.007-06:00

wow. today i am 30. i am an adult. i can no longer blame things on the ignorance of my youthful 20s. yes, it feels like the turning of a big page...

but 29 brought some pretty amazing things for this girl. and i am more confident than ever before of God's faithfulness and plans as i enter this year.

want to know some cool things about 30? (thanks to wikipedia)

- the total number of major and minor keys in western tonal music
- the minimum age for united states senators
- the code for international direct dial phone calls to greece
- the number of tracks on the beatles' eponymous album, known as The White Album
- at age 30 (according to most biblical scholars) Jesus was baptized by john the baptist, at the beginning of his public ministry of teaching and healing.
- in tennis, the number 30 represents the second point gained in a game.

are you 30+? what did you love about entering this decade?

*blog title comes from one of my favorite movies thriteen going on thirty!

tuesday tunes - civil wars christmas.

2011-12-14T12:00:00.001-06:00

(i know. it's wednesday. sorry.)

we all know i love me some civil wars. and boy have they blown up this year (grammy nods? yup.)

i didn't even know i had some christmas songs by this lovely duo -- but lo and behold, as i had my holiday music on shuffle, on comes 2 sweet tunes. (apparently you could get it for free last year & i did!) one is a hauntingly beautiful version of "o come emmanuel" and the other is an original "tracks in the snow". if you love the harmony and folky acoustic sound of the civil wars, you'll be glad to get these 2 songs, too.

here's "tracks in the snow"...

tuesday tunes - josh wilson christmas.

2011-12-06T21:30:00.001-06:00

life is nothing short of crazy these days. but for your listening pleasure, here's our buddy josh wilson singing the christmas version of "sing" (which jeff co-wrote!) :) ....

"sing" is a part of josh's christmas ep, and what you should really try to do is check out his christmas tour if he's coming near you over the next few weeks... we got to see a preview here (pic below) and it. is. awesome. 2 guys playing 20+ instruments. you'll love it.

favorite things 2011.

2011-12-01T12:30:00.002-06:00

you may remember my "favorite things" list i did this past january (post-christmas).

well, i'm excited to join a group of ladies in the blog world sharing about some of my favorite things under $30 for the holiday season! so, in no particular order....

hunger games trilogy box set {amazon - $28.49}

i sure hope this isn't the first you're hearing of these books (i can assure you it won't be the last) -- i'm in the middle of book 3 and just adore this little trilogy. (side note: stoked for the movie in a few months, too!) you can get all 3 books for under $30? deal.

voluspa candles {anthropologie - $18}

i have yet to find a candle i love more than these. amazing scents and in beautiful tins. these are the best!!

fashionABLE scarves {livefashionABLE.com - $19-42}

this is my personal favorite right now -- the etanesh stripes. it's technically $32, but i've got some insider info that they'll be on sale next week for $24 (wink wink)!! you're not gonna want to miss that.

branch hooks {urban outfitters - $20}

speaking of scarves... you need a place to hang them, right? i LOVE these hooks from urban. i have one for my necklaces & one for my scarves. (they come in sets of 2!)

"modernist" bowls & mugs {west elm - $8 each}

i had put them on my registry and got them at my first shower -- and i am totally in love! they're porcelain and inspired by 1950s diners... your morning coffee & cereal will thank you.

what are some of YOUR favorite things this season..??

tuesday tunes - drew holcomb & the neighbors christmas.

2011-11-29T09:00:00.002-06:00

i've told y'all about drew & ellie.... some of my favorite people. and they have a christmas album! it's from a couple years ago, but the awesome thing is they're giving it away for FREE on noisetrade right now! y'all. get this! {you're welcome.}

here they are singing one of my favorites -- "baby it's cold outside"...

tuesday tunes - andrew ripp christmas

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

alright, keeping on our countdown to christmas...

{so far we've got matthew west, matt wertz} ...next up is andrew ripp!

i've told you guys about andrew before -- killer voice. and singing christmas tunes is no different. his christmas ep, light of mine, is out today! (on itunes here)

you can sample the tunes here below...

and here's a full song off the record, andrew's soulful version of "joy to the world"... so good!

marcel the shell - part two.

2011-11-16T12:00:00.001-06:00

remember back in the day when i did "friday flicks"? then you might remember this little gem: marcel the shell with shoes on.

well, i am thrilled to announce a PART TWO has just been released (see if you catch what his sister's name was!)

(and here's a cool interview with the creator, jenny slate)

tuesday tunes - matt wertz christmas.

2011-11-15T06:00:00.004-06:00

so our countdown to christmas is on with tuesday tunes.

(last week was matthew west's christmas album.)

this week i'm so excited to tell you about matt wertz's brand new christmas album, snow globe. (you can preview all of the songs on itunes) ...you can't help but get some christmas cheer with the title track "snow globe", i love the classics he picked... and yes, he did cover amy grant's "tennessee christmas" -- and she sings harmony!

this is definitely a good one to add to your christmas collection!

and because the album came out right before halloween, here's a little video of matt finding the perfect christmas pumpkin...

tuesday tunes - matthew west christmas.

2011-11-08T06:00:00.003-06:00

so we're starting our countdown to christmas with holiday tuesday tunes

from now til the 25th!

first up... matthew west. i mentioned back in the spring that jeff tours with matthew. i've come to love matthew and the rest of the guys in the band (and their wives) so much -- they're really jeff's closest community. so it was super exciting when the band got to play on this album and spend a week down in frankling recording together. (crazy part was they recorded in the middle of july - i think it'd be hard to sing christmas tunes when it's 100 degrees outside!)

i love the jazzed-up versions of "jingle bells" and "o come, all ye faithful" and then there are some beautiful originals like "the heart of christmas". there's also a guest appearance by vince gill & amy grant! {you can sample all of the tunes here on itunes.}

matthew's gift is storytelling through his songs, so i'm gonna share his original "one last christmas" and the story of sweet little dax... (warning: get out the kleenex.)

tuesday tunes - lady antebellum: own the night.

2011-11-01T06:00:00.003-05:00

well. 31 days is over, and i gotta admit -- blogging is really the last thing i want to do today. BUT - i am committed to my tuesday tunes, so here we go. next week we will begin our countdown to christmas with holiday-themed tuesday tunes. get excited.

{you probably won't see a ton of other blogging going on this month, though, just a heads up.}

so i can't believe lady antebellum is already on album #3. it feels like yesterday these friends of mine were having their first single available on itunes. and now they're multi-platinum album-makers & grammy-winners & worldwide superstars. a lot can happen in 4 years.

so. album #3.

it's called own the night and there are some little gems on this thing. it released a few weeks ago so i've had some time to get to know it... my favorite is definitely "heart of the world" - so good.

and here's the second single (the first was "just a kiss")... "we owned the night":

day 31: {guest post} sara.

2011-10-31T06:00:00.005-05:00

i can't believe it... the last day of 31 days! thank you to all of the new readers who have stuck around... i hope my little series has been fun & informative, whether you're planning a wedding or not!

in sticking with my monday guest posts (thanks again to sonnie, jamie, jess, & lyndsay!) we're finishing up with some words from my friend sara! i had the honor of being in sara's wedding 2 1/2 years ago -- she was a beautiful, low-maintenance bride, and now lives up in minnesota with her husband andrew. (they're on staff with the same college ministry i worked for after college!) i'm excited for sara to finish out my series...

So you’re planning a wedding. Can feel pretty overwhelming. Exciting and adventurous for sure but as the billion decisions begin flying at you, it can easily go beyond a little stress.
A few years ago when I tied the knot there were a few things that helped keep us sane during the process:
1) Realize your priorities. Do the people make it for you? Will the pictures? The Dress? The food and atmosphere? Think of the top 5 most important things for your wedding. Rank them.
2) Plan around those priorities: Once we decided on the direction of our celebration, it was easier to make decisions that lined up with it. Some people would rather have a fewer people and enjoy nicer food, drinks and venues. For others it’s the people that matter. Everything is about your closest friends and family being a part of your new life. That may mean less food, cheaper venue, different time, etc. For others, the décor is super important or the location is extra meaningful. This will also make budgeting much easier when you know what you splurge on and what you can save or pass on.
3) See where you can cut corners: You’ve got your main focus, but now what about all the other stuff? Think about how you can cut corners or skip on things that you aren’t so keen on. If these aren’t your top priorities, consider:
• Friends: use connections you may have! From invitations to catering to cakes, to bands and DJs, ask what your friends can do!
• Wedding cake: I’ve been to weddings that had Krispie Kreme donut cake and a “grooms cake” as cold stone ice cream, but if you want the traditional cake, get a small display cake and ask for most of your serving to be from sheet cakes in the back. It can save hundreds of dollars.
• Flowers: go for seasonal, local, flowers and stick with less diverse bouquets to save money; the more exotic, the more expensive
• Food and drink: dessert, pasta bar, skip hors d'oeuvres, or only do heavy hors d'oeuvres and skip the meal; open bars are pricey
• Centerpieces: skip the flowers, use candles, pictures, even goldfish in vases, or use moss or greenery filling without flowers, fruit is a colorful and less expensive options (think citrus especially)
• Make the wedding party simple: bridesmaids and groomsmen are expensive with gifts, luncheons, rehearsal dinner, hotel rooms, etc. so cut down on your wedding party if you’re on a serious budget!
• Ask for discounts: it never hurts! Ask photographers, cake bakers, venues, and dress salons if they have deals or discounts. We got a better deal on our photography just because we asked!
4) Calculate your budget: You’ve got your priorities and your general plan, now you can sketch out a budget. I seriously recommend theknot.com’s budget calculator. I mean how in the world did I know what was an inexpensive dress or what was outrageous for a cake? It was a huge help and you can adjust it at any time. Plus when things change, you can visually see what you can move around. It’s also accessible online so you can access it anywhere- and so can your fiancé.
5) Gain perspective in planning. Surround yourself with people who will support and help you especially when you hit your wall- as I did on may occasions. Remind yourself of perspective in those moments: the only things that last forever are the souls of men and the word of God. Even your wedding day will pass. We should enjoy things here, but have our minds set eternally.
6) Do soak it up when it comes. At your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner and on the big day, specifically remember things. Fight to be in the moment, because this is an incredible change in your life. Take note of the crazy excitement you have as you step down the aisle, how you smiled at the rehearsal dinner, when your fiancé grabs your hand as people give toasts, your first dance, getting to kiss as a married couple! Remember the pictures and conversations you have with family, remember the first time you get to see your soon to be spouse on your wedding day. Soak up those things. Because the day will be over before you know it. And though every wedding marketing guru would love for you to believe your wedding day is a surreal magical cloud-like day, it’s special, but it is another day. . Special yes, but it will end just like any other. So focus on what’s really important- be excited about starting your new life together with your fiancé! Know that even if you had every detail perfect, you’d miss most of them. I never saw my centerpieces until I got the pictures, never looked at the tablecloths and napkins, didn’t glance at the gift table. I remember the people and getting to finally be Mrs. to my best friend. Details are great, but they’re not everything. Plus, your wedding day will come and go, but your commitment to one another will last forever!

*marisa's marks: sara has some wonderful advice -- i love the moments she says to remember -- i'm taking a mental note! and i completely agree about prioritizing... figure out what's important and the rest is just details :)

thanks again everybody... happy end of the 31 days!

day 30: wedding website.

2011-10-30T06:00:00.004-05:00

it's pretty much the norm to have a wedding website these days... it's where you tell your guests the places you're registered, how to reserve blocked off hotel rooms, fun things to do in the city, and other cute details like how you met and/or your proposal story.

and websites like the knot and wedding wire walk you through each simple step of how to make one so you don't have to be a programmer or designer to make your site look good!

if you want to pay some money, you can step it up a notch and get a personalized web address, and design your own layout.

we went the free site route, and included the website on the invitations to point the guests to more information. i thought about giving you guys a link, but since i don't know who exactly reads this blog, i decided against it (i mean, it has the time & location of our wedding... could be weird, right?) but here's a screenshot of the front page...

*marisa's marks: decide if you care about a personal url or not - because that is really the only reason to pay for a site. otherwise, use one of the free hosts out there! and create your website together as a couple - we had so much fun writing our sections about each other, how we met, and the proposal. and don't forget to share with your family, friends, and wedding guests!

day 29: invitations.

2011-10-29T06:00:00.007-05:00

it's kinda ridiculous how talented my friends are. one of those is ms. emily keafer - graphic designer extraordinaire. (if you are a nashville resident, you'd recognize her work on posters such as these.) emily had designed a few other friends' invitations, so it was a no brainer that i wanted her to do mine, too!

and i could not be more pleased. i gave her a little bit of direction, but also wanted her to have room to be creative... and i just love them!

we're going with a simple 2-sided card-stock invitation.

here's a sneak peek at the front:

now, we went a little away from the traditional invitations (you know the kind -- simple black embossed script, separate reply card, and maybe some tissue thrown in -- which i'll never understand why it's there.) we also decided to keep costs down by not having a reply card, and doing an electronic rsvp -- which also means only one stamp instead of two!

next up: i'm gonna grab some wine & cheese, and have my girlfriends over one night soon to help me address them! (nothing says "fun" like writing some addresses, right?)

{fyi: word on the street is that invitations should go out 6-8 weeks before the wedding}

*marisa's marks: prioritize what's important -- the design and/or the details. formal, traditional & classic or fun, trendy & creative? figure out what kind of rsvp you want - reply card, reply online, or email. and definitely consider a "friendor" (friend vendor) in this area -- they're probably no emily keafer, but i bet you know some friends who can use photoshop!

day 28: pre-marital counseling.

2011-10-28T06:00:00.007-05:00

we've talked a lot in this series about planning for your wedding... but i think the most important thing to use engagement for is to plan for your marriage.

and one way to do that is by going through pre-martial counseling as a couple.

there are many different ways this can flesh itself out, depending on the size of your church (and therefore the resources they have) and/or on who is actually marrying you. some churches offer programs like right start. some pastors will walk you through counseling themselves, or bigger churches might connect you with an older couple who will mentor you through the process.

we feel so fortunate to have one of our pastors at midtown, dave, officiating our wedding and also walking with us through our engagement season. we meet with him every other week and discuss the workbook we're doing ("getting ready for a lifetime of love" - cheesy cover but really good material) and also just about whatever is on our hearts and minds. it has been so rich and a great springboard for conversations. yes, it can be exhausting to dig down to those emotional places sometimes -- things like your expectations, your fears, your doubts -- but feeling known and knowing the person you love in return is so worth it.

there are some great resources out there:

- "love and war" - john & stasi eldridge (jeff and i have both bought this & plan to start over the holidays)

- "the meaning of marriage" - tim & kathy keller (i pre-ordered this -- it comes out november 1st!)

- "real marriage: the truth about sex, friendship, & life together" - mark & grace driscoll (stoked for this one. coming out january 3 - win a free copy here.)

- "when sinners say i do" - dave harvey (i've had a lot of friends read this)

let me know if you guys recommend any others!

*marisa's marks: pre-marital counseling is not always easy, but it's always good. you'd rather walk into your wedding day (and your marriage) fully confident of who you are saying "i do" to. i really don't think you can prepare too much -- so prioritize finding a pastor, counselor, or trusted older couple who can walk you and your fiance through this time and ask you guys those hard questions.

day 27: bridesmaid gifts with meaning.

2011-10-27T06:00:00.011-05:00

i've already mentioned fashionABLE in my 31 days posts once. but even if you're not all about a scarf bouquet, giving these beautiful scarves as a gift to your girls is a no-brainer. i know i'm biased (i work for them if you haven't figured this out yet), but not only can they add that perfect pop of color that we brides so often look for in accessories, they're also an amazing gift that your girlfriends will most definitely want to wear again! not to mention they create sustainable business for women in Africa who were formerly on the streets. so as we say, they'll "feel good about looking good".. {check out the wedding part of the fashionABLE site here.}

along the same line is jewelry from 31 bits. they just launched their own wedding collection that i think is stunning. {i particularly love these bracelets!} and this company has a similar vision -- creating jobs for women. (are you catching a theme?)

one more company i'm a big fan of is TOMS. i mentioned in my post on the girls that i'm giving my bridesmaids matching navy shoes to go with their individual grey dresses. they have a whole wedding portion of their site, too (though i chose to drift from that and went with navy!). and for every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS gives a pair to a child in need. another win.

*marisa's marks: i'm gonna admit it - i've been on the receiving end of some bridesmaid gifts that i'm probably not gonna ever wear/use again. nothing against those brides, but another monogrammed tote or pearl drop earrings? no thanks. so not only should you be creative -- but think about ways your gift can give back! you'll feel good and you'll be the coolest bride ever. trust me.

day 26: {get crafty} wine bottles + corks.

2011-10-26T06:00:00.006-05:00

we've talked about some fun, not-too-difficult crafts to make for your wedding so far involving mason jars, non-flower bouquets, and bunting/banners.

well, thanks again to pinterest, i have one more craft i'm gonna do.

i asked my friends to start saving their wine bottles (and corks) to give to me for a project. i had seen the bottles stripped of their labels and then used as vases in centerpieces, and just loved the simplicity of them:

and then i saw this fancy photo using the corks in big hurricane jars with candles. thankfully my friend sam owns a restaurant and was able to save up a couple hundred corks pretty easily.

i'm completely open to other fun crafts -- i've got 2 1/2 months to get busy!

have you seen any that i should attempt?

*marisa's marks: i love how both of these projects involve something you've probably already got in your home. gettin crafty doesn't have to mean spending a ton of money on supplies. think about what you've already got -- whether that's wine bottles, ribbon, or jars, and start searching the internet for ideas! let those crafty creative juices flow!!

day 25: {tuesday tunes} the reception.

2011-10-25T06:00:00.003-05:00

so we've covered the pre-ceremony, the ceremony, & the first dance.

now it's time to really bust a move.

i don't know about you, but weddings are one of my favorite places to dance. it's such an outward expression of celebrating!

whether you hire a band, a dj, or just create your own iPod playlist like we're doing, make sure you pick songs that people want to dance to!

so, in no particular order, here are my top 10 dance songs for wedding receptions...

1. "i gotta feeling" - black eyed peas (tonight's gonna be a good, good night)

2. "pour some sugar on me" - def leppard (college band party favorite)

3. "rock with you" - michael jackson (the king of pop will make multiple appearances)

4. "forever" - chris brown (thank you youtube)

5. "party in the usa" - miley cyrus ("this definitely is not a nashville party!")

6. "single ladies" - beyonce (you just gotta do it)

7. "cupid shuffle" - cupid (you know it's fun)

8. "somebody to love" - justin bieber w/ usher (yes, justin bieber)

9. "teenage dream" - katy perry (honorable mention: "firework")

10. "moves like jaggar" - maroon 5 (one of my favs right now!)

what are some of your favorites?

*marisa's marks: don't feel confident in your music-selecting-skills? there are some great sites to get ideas of popular songs -- i suggest weddingmuseum.com and weddingchannel.com.

day 24: {guest post} lyndsay.

2011-10-24T06:00:00.005-05:00

it's been fun having my friends post every monday during this series (recap: sonnie, jamie, jess). and i'm so honored for this week's guest post -- by my hilarious friend lyndsay... you're definitely gonna wanna read more of her writings over on her blog.

lyndsay gives us some insight into life as a bridesmaid...

4 Important Things to Remember as a Bridesmaid

Before we get started, this list is best read to the tune of your standard wedding ceremony and reception songs. Don’t fight me on this one. I will win.

Now aside from the negative mantra “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” and the recent hilarity/catastrophe which is Kristin Wiig in Bridesmaids, I’m convinced that being a bridesmaid is a wonderful and beautiful thing. An honor as a friend, a way to bless a couple that you care deeply for, and the chance to stand up and promise to support two people in their commitment to God and each other.

If done right, that is.

So to ensure that your experience as a ‘maid is more blessed than bridezilla, I’ve concocted a handy little quick-fire list of 4 things to keep in mind as a matrimony maid. Enjoy!

1. It is Not About You (Processional: Canon in D)
Yes, your opinion is valued by the bride (doy, that’s why she is having you in her wedding and, come to think of it, in her life,) but temper your taste and keep HER and her future husband in mind when you provide feedback. If she want’s Fuschia? She shall have Fuschia. If she wants you to do an African tribal dance at the reception (this is a true story for me, btw) you shall shake it. Heck, if she wants you to wear a little top hat because there is some symbolic meaning behind it, you shall tip your hat, grin, and bear it. Unless she needs some loving truth to get her back on course if she’s going off the “I Do” deep end, you just support her and trust that when it’s your turn she’ll do the same.

2. You Don’t Have to Give Away All of Your Future Wedding Ideas (Recessional: Ode to Joy)
It’s completely okay if you have a dream first song, or a creative craft that you’ve always wanted to incorporate someday into your big day that you don’t share with your soon-to-be-wedded friend. It does not make you a bad person and it does not doom your future wedding planning to keep a few of your cards close to your chest...at least I hope.

3. Listen Listen Listen. And Then Keep Listening. (Father Daughter dance: Butterfly Kisses)
In my experience as a ‘maid, I’ve learned that a lot of times, the bride just wants to throw out ideas. Her sweet little head is dancing with favors and garnishes and chocolate fountains and flower girl headbands and she just needs to let some of it out. The same rule that applies in a business brainstorm applies in a bridal brainstorm: there’s no such thing as a bad idea. A lot of times instead of jumping to the solution, the best way to be there for her is to just let her hammer it out a bit out loud. It’s a rule for life anyway so we better get used to it, right?

4. Have Fun (Dance floor: C’mon N Ride it)
Don’t you hate when articles and blogs end with the really obvious bullet point? Me too. But seriously. Whether you’re making cake balls (ahem :) ) or tying thousands of twine around light fixtures, or setting up (and tearing down) for the shower, reception or engagement party (or all 3!), remember that this is exciting and so very special and monumental in your friend’s life. So be patient (“Why yes I’d love to look over the menu again!), make some jokes (I make my sister refer to me as “your honor” when we talk about my maid of honor duties) and have fun (discuss ways you are going to haze her in the speech/slideshow/dance floor.) Your job is to ease the stress, be supportive, and remind her that this is going to be the best celebration of her life!

Cue: Love Shack // Shout // and the Macerena.

*marisa's marks: lyndsay is dead on. enjoy this honor of standing by your friends on their big day!

day 23: let them eat cake.

2011-10-23T09:00:00.005-05:00

the cake.

probably one of the most iconic pieces of a wedding. there's even a tv show ("amazing wedding cakes" on we) in ode to them. while your cake can be a sweet part of your big day (see what i did there?) -- it can also be another place of added stress and dollars. cakes can average from $2 - $18 a slice, depending on how complicated the design -- yikes!

so with a guestlist of 300+ i knew i had to get creative.

it's no secret that i just love cake balls. so why not incorporate them into my wedding? i've enlisted a group of girlfriends to each make a recipe of a variety of different types -- totaling over 600 cake balls!

we're having a friend also make a little 6" cake that we can cut & feed each other (you know, for those kodak moments) -- and so i can put my cute cake bunting on it! but it's the cake balls that will serve as both the "wedding" and "grooms" cakes for all of the guests to satisfy that sweet tooth!

*marisa's marks: what is your favorite dessert? cupcakes? cookies? candy? who says you have to pick just one? you can even have a dessert bar!

and don't be afraid to ask your friends to use their time & skills for something like this and consider it their wedding gift! savings hundreds of dollars on a cake versus having one more toaster? definitely worth it.

day 22: the veil.

2011-10-22T06:00:00.002-05:00

the wedding veil has come a long way over the years. now there are so many options!!

long. short. lace. lined with satin. with or without flowers.

do you have a favorite?

(images from bhldn)

*marisa's marks: obviously, pick your veil after your dress... and make sure it compliments the style. definitely check out etsy's wedding veils to find one you love!

day 21: the boys.

2011-10-21T06:00:00.008-05:00

so yesterday we talked about the girls -- picking their own grey dresses.

next up: the boys. we knew we wanted both jeff and his groomsmen to rock some slammin grey pants. after lots of stores & searching, we found the winner at express. they're a great fit, and come in the perfect grey. and they were on sale, so the guys loved them. and the boys can wear just a white dress shirt they already own!

as jeff's gift to them, they'll get grey suspenders from american apparel, and a skinny navy tie.

and then for jeff to stand out, he'll have a navy shirt & grey tie. it's gonna look awesome!

here was a photo for inspiration...

*marisa's marks: gone are the days of the classic tuxedo (and the boys rejoice!) just like for the girls -- think of something they can wear again! no guy wants to rent a suit for the tenth time. and cummerbunds? please don't.

day 20: the girls.

2011-10-20T06:00:00.007-05:00

after i picked my colors, it was an easy decision to figure out what our wedding party would wear. first up: the girls. (tomorrow we'll talk about the boys.)

as i searched for winter wedding inspiration, i just loved what i was seeing of grey bridesmaid dresses. and not just one in particular... i loved them all... these were dresses i could totally see myself & my friends wearing just for fun!

{and, in case you forgot -- i've done my fair share of bridesmaid duties, so i'm no stranger to having to buy a dress that you will probably not wear again.}

so my idea was to let my girls pick out a grey dress that they loved! i gave them some starter options below, but left it open that they could find a different one (and to just let me approve it!) ...and they've found some great sales and dresses that they feel comfortable in! i love it.

part of my gift to them is a pair of classic navy TOMS (thanks to my friend on staff & her discount!) and then some other fun accessories, too!

bridesmaids? check!

*marisa's marks: there are so many companies offering wedding collections now -- check out bhldn (anthro's wedding line), jcrew, and nordstrom ...just to name a few. think to yourself: is this a dress i'd want to wear again? if you can't see yourself wearing it to a wedding yourself, the answer is no. if you still want your girls to get a dress that they probably won't wear again -- consider finding sales and special deals that will make their purchase less painful, knowing it's only something they're wearing for one day!

day 19: {get crafty} bunting + banners.

2011-10-19T09:00:00.006-05:00

some of my favorite DIY crafts i've been seeing on pinterest are an abundance of banners and bunting.

everything from table banners to backdrops to cake toppers.
this bunting cake topper below is my personal favorite, but instead of re-inventing the wheel and walking you through the steps, i'll let christina at intimateweddings.com show you. you better believe i'm gonna be making one of these -- it sounds very do-able!! i'll update you in a few weeks when i make the time to do it :)

my other favorite is a ribbon wall banner (i'm doing this for my altar backdrop) -- i'm super excited to get crafty and make one of these, too!

*marisa's marks: make a pinterest board of your favorites, and see if any photos are linked to how-to blogs. not feeling crafty? search etsy and sites like wedzu to see if anybody is selling a customizable version!

day 18: {tuesday tunes} first dance.

2011-10-18T06:00:00.003-05:00

so we've covered the music for pre-ceremony & the ceremony. next comes the reception! but before the dance floor opens up, there's THE FIRST DANCE.

there is a lot of pressure around that first dance song. it typically comes right after you've been announced to your reception for the first time as "mr and mrs". then you head to the dance floor and everybody watches you sway back and forth for 3-4 minutes. (cue the awkwardness).

there are some classics out there like "at last" and "the way you look tonight" -- and really anything by frank sinatra or michael buble is gonna be great. but people are also getting more creative with their first dance song.

this is a song i've always thought about for a first dance. it's called "by the way they dance" and it's by one of my all-time favorite bands jump little children.

have you seen any first dance songs that you loved?

*marisa's marks: not many couples out there have a "song" that is theirs anymore (gone with the greatness of mix tapes i'm afraid)... but that doesn't mean there aren't songs that you both can connect with that carry significance and importance. think about songs that remind you of each other or of moments in your story together.

day 17: {guest post} jess.

2011-10-17T06:00:00.005-05:00

each monday of this 31 days series, one of my blogging friends will be guest posting here. first it was sonnie, then jamie shared last week. today is my friend jess! jess lived with me for a semester in college, and is now out in san diego with her husband, matt. jess had a beautiful athens wedding a couple of years ago. she is expecting a little girl soon, and (like sonnie) is due on my wedding weekend!

I am so excited to be part of Marisa's 30 days of wedding blogging extravaganza! {And I'm thrilled to have another January-bride friend... winter weddings are so special!}

Two years ago, I was in the throws of the last semester of graduate school, planning a wedding, and preparing to start my new life across the country with my amazing husband-to-be. I remember wanting so badly to keep a level head about wedding planning, but in today's world of wedding blogs, it proved to be very difficult.

The thing I discovered about wedding blogs is that I felt like my wedding wouldn't be "good enough" if every element wasn't either DIY or way out of my budget. I realize that isn't the intention of these well-meaning bloggers, but it's hard not to fall into that way of thinking. So once I picked my colors and decided what I wanted the overall feel of the day to be, I picked just a couple of elements that could be a little unique and personal. One of those was the guest book!

I didn't want a book that would be tucked away in a closet with a bunch of signatures in it. I didn't want to frame a picture and have guests sign the matte because I wasn't sure I would always have a place to hang it. I wanted something that could showcase some of our engagement pictures while also giving guests a way to write a personal message if they chose.

I saw a picture somewhere that inspired me to make my own guest book. I purchased a 10x10 black scrapbook, added some engagement pictures, made little envelopes using this tutorial, cut pieces of paper to fit inside the envelopes, and my guest book was created!

Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Several times since being married, Matt and I have pulled out our guest book to read the messages and have been blessed all over again by the amazing people God has put in our lives. It accomplished all the things I was hoping and probably the wedding element in which I am most pleased!

*marisa's marks: jess is so right -- all of the blogs out there can be overwhelming & make you think it's possible to have every detail be just perfect. but choosing the elements that mean the most to you and spending your time & creative energy on those, that's what makes your day perfect. especially something that will last like a guest book! thanks for sharing, jess!!

day 16: photo booth.

2011-10-16T06:00:00.005-05:00

well, we're halfway through our 31 days! i can't believe it. it has definitely been a discipline to blog every day -- but it's helping me get organized with all of my planning! i hope it's been informative & enjoyable so far... i've got the rest of the month pretty planned out, but if there is any specific topic/item you'd like me to address in the next 15 days, be sure to leave a comment!

alright, so today we're talking PHOTO BOOTH. the majority of the weddings i've attended the last couple of years have all had a photo booth. it's a great way to capture all of your guests celebrating & having a blast at your wedding -- it's like a visual guest book! you can have the old-fashioned actual "booth" (think: at the movie theatre when you were in middle school) or just a backdrop area all set-up. and they can come with or without an actual photographer (without usually has a manual "clicker" that the people posing in the photo push to snap the pic!).

i chose flashtastic photo booth, because the owner, david, is awesome. he's done some of my nashville friends' events and he's a uga alum (go dawgs!), so it's a win-win. he brings a customized backdrop & set of props that fit your event. AND he prints your photos on the spot -- so your guests have a little keepsake from your wedding! (they're also all online in a gallery 24 hours after the event for people to order) -- cool huh?

i'm super stoked for this little piece of our party. our friends are awesome, so i know these photos are gonna be awesome, too.

*marisa's marks: do your research! there are a TON of companies out there that offer all different types of photo booths. also check with your wedding photographer & see if they do a combo. (i'm also gonna plug my friend callie's genius idea-- the guestbox -- this is an amazing video guestbook, and if i was getting married in atlanta it would have been a no-brainer!)

day 15: engagement pics!

2011-10-15T06:00:00.021-05:00

so yesterday i talked about picking your wedding photographer, and how excited i am for my company (once like a spark). a few weeks ago, (olas) photographer leslie captured some pretty incredible shots of jeff and me.

we wanted to get a few of those "awww, that's sweet" classic engagement shots, and chose to go to the 9th floor of the icon for those -- it has a great view of the nashville skyline and some fun areas to play in. but we also really wanted to think outside of the box. and we definitely did just that! we are registering (well, technically you can't "register" there - but we're doing a wish list / asking for gift cards) at west elm. and we both love that place - the style, the vibe, it's just us. so i had the crazy idea to take pictures in there. i know, crazy. i went by the store to ask them, and at first they really did think i was insane. they told me that the manager would get back to me, and, well, we all know how that goes. so 3 days later i went back. (hi, my name is marisa, and i am persistent) and lo and behold, the manager was there... i shared my idea and she loved it! she told us to come by around closing time and we could have the place to ourselves while the employees finished out the night.

and it was awesome. we had a blast just being goofy & completely random.

so, here are a few of my favorites -- keep in mind these are just the previews and the hi-res versions are coming to me soon. but, this will give you a glimpse! (and yes, those are lampshades on our heads! like i said... random.)

*marisa's marks: my number one advice is to HAVE FUN! engagement pics are a great way to capture this season of your life (and so it's not that the only quality photos of you are just in your wedding dress!) -- get creative!!

day 14: photography.

2011-10-14T06:00:00.007-05:00

i've gotta admit that i love where wedding photography has gone over the last few years. my friends who got married just 5 years ago didn't have near the options or variety that's out there now. (but, of course, lots of great options can make choosing your photographer more challenging.)

i knew all along that photography was going to be a priority in my budget. it's literally the only thing that lasts after the day of your wedding, and people that know me know that i love capturing moments on film. over the years i've been making mental notes on photos from friends' weddings that i just adore, and i've really started to notice the difference between a good photo and a great photo.

(once like a spark) came across my radar in multiple ways right before i got engaged. some friends had used them in their wedding, and their photos came up in my facebook newsfeed, and i heard the notwedding was using them as their photographer. their pictures were gorgeous ("classically beautiful with a little touch of whimsy and a lot of charm"), and i gotta admit -- i had a crush on their website. and i just loved their team approach to things -- everybody focuses on the job they do best, whether that's coordinating, editing, or actually taking the pics. and they have photographers in a bunch of different cities {ps nashville has leslie, who i just love!} and then i come to find out the sisters that started it went to my high school! small world. so i booked them soon after we were engaged & have been thrilled with every step of the process so far. we actually did our engagement pictures with leslie a few weeks ago & i can't wait to show you! (hint: tomorrow's post! eee!!)

some other great wedding photographers out there include anchor & eden (my friend callie and her brother - they're great!) and my friends christine, carrie, quinn, & skip all are super talented, too!

*marisa's marks: take your time to research all different styles & approaches to wedding photography. also think through any photographers you know. there are a lot of people trying to get better in this area, and this could be a great place to save money if you're willing to give a beginner a shot! also look for deals if you pay your total all up front and/or buy an engagement package, too -- don't be afraid to ask for a discount!

day 13: wedding blogs.

2011-10-13T05:00:00.001-05:00

one of the best ways to get ideas for your wedding is subscribing to some WEDDING BLOGS. and boy oh boy are there a bunch of them out there.

some of my favorites include:

green wedding shoes

once wed

100 laker cake

ruffled

*marisa's marks: pick your top 5 wedding blogs to put into your google reader (or other rss feed) -- that way you keep track of your favorites without getting too overwhelmed! and fyi -- style me pretty has some awesome photos of beautiful weddings, but way too many posts -- don't subscribe to them if it overwhelms you to have 30 unread posts in your feed!

day 12: {get crafty} scarf bouquet.

2011-10-12T06:00:00.003-05:00

you guys knew it wouldn't be too long until i mentioned fashionABLE in my 31 days somewhere. well, i'm excited to share a fun idea -- using scarves to make a bouquet! we had partnered with the notwedding a couple months ago, and the talented ladies at muncle fred art made the toss bouquet out of our scarves!

there are a lot of ideas of ways to get creative with "typical" items like a bouquet -- i've seen bouquets made of brooches, felt, you name it.

here's a little tutorial the girls did to show our fashionABLE readers how to make one -- it's surprisingly not that complicated... and only uses scarves!

see for yourself if you want to try this at home... (obviously you could use any kind of fabric).

*marisa's marks: explore etsy to get inspired. then sit down and ask yourself "could i create this myself?" a lot of times it just takes some dedication and motivation (and time). give yourself some craftiness credit!

day 11: {tuesday tunes} ceremony.

2011-10-11T06:00:00.003-05:00

so last tuesday we talked about the music pre-ceremony. this week it's all about the songs that you use during your actual ceremony.

this includes the seating of the mothers (prelude), both the bridesmaid and bridal processional... and then the recessional (when the bride & groom leave together). then there can be special songs at different points in the ceremony, such as after exchanging the rings & vows, or taking communion.

of course, like any aspect of your day, there are a ton of opinions out there. there's the traditional route (you know, canon in d, jesu joy of man's desiring, and of course trumpet voluntary) which is usually classical. and then there's the thinking-outside-of-of-the-box route, which really has no rules, and depends on the couple.

jeff and i both want our wedding to be a worship celebration that God has called us together to be one in marriage, so music that evokes worship and praise is important to us. we're in the process of listening to hymns and songs that stir us and are in the search for what best represents the story God is writing with us.

and being as immersed into the music community in nashville that we are, we are lucky to have our pick of some pretty talented singers & songwriters. it's narrowing it down that's the hard part!

here are a few i've loved for the ceremony the past couple of years...

"love never fails" by brandon heath
"my beloved" by kari jobe
"beautiful" by phil wickham:

*marisa's marks: pick songs with meaning for you as a couple. the music is a great way to personalize your ceremony.

do you have any favorites?

day 10: {guest post} jamie.

2011-10-10T06:00:00.005-05:00

each monday of this 31 days series, one of my blogging friends will be guest posting here. last monday, sonnie gave us some great advice on living in the moment. today's post is by jamie. jamie is the master of thrifting and had a super cute budget-friendly wedding this past spring. i'm excited for her to share her wisdom!

Hi! I'm Jamie from OwlReally.com. I am honored to be a part of Marisa's 31 days of blogging about wedding planning and so excited for her as she plans her upcoming wedding!

On the side of my day-job, I'm basically a professional thrifter. I constantly shop for vintage items to re-sell in a booth at the Tennessee Antique Mall here in Nashville. I blog about my thrifting adventures and other vintage/crafty/DIY-related items at OwlReally.com.

If you were to ask me for one and only one piece of wedding advice, it would be this: Stay true to yourselves.
As someone who tries to be smart with money, going into debt for our wedding earlier this year wasn't an option. I managed to let go of all the dreams of having a picture-perfect (aka, "blog-worthy") wedding and in letting go of obsessing over impressing other people, I found myself in the middle of the absolute perfect wedding for us.

Because thrifting is a way of life for me, I thrifted my way through wedding planning. It's not for everyone and if you would rather pay full price than enter a Goodwill, that is totally fine. There is a certain type of person who loves the thrill of the hunt and a good bargain. I happen to be one of those people and that made wedding planning so much easier and made our wedding quite unique.

Here is my top 10 list of ways to save money on your wedding:

1. Thrift, obviously. :) I thrifted the flower girl baskets, the petals the flower girls tossed, the items I used to make our cake stands (vintage plates and candle holders), and much more.

2. Use coupons - Michael's and Joann put out amazing coupons every week. If you have to buy multiples of something there, buy one a week using a free printable coupon. You'll save a ton! I bought our flower girl and ring bearer gifts from Michael's using coupons.

3. Use what you have or borrow something! I wanted to wear pink flats with my wedding gown. I already had pink flats. I spent $17 to get them freshened up by a shoe repair place and I wore them. I could have bought new $90 pink flats but then I would have 2 pairs of pink flats.. and who needs that?? :)
I tried to make my own birdcage veil and I failed. I noticed a facebook photo of a friend wearing the exact kind of veil I wanted. I asked her if I could borrow it and she enthusiastically said yes!

4. Trade and/or barter. If you have a service or skill that is useful to other people, try trading out. I day-of-coordinate weddings on the side and I traded that service for professional make-up for me and my bridesmaids, professional hair, and our graphic design. If you can trade, you could literally save thousands of dollars!

5. Rely on friends and family. You may not like to ask for help but I guarantee that people who love you want to be a part of your day and planning. Let them!

6. Think outside the box when it comes to serving food. Opt for a dessert reception rather than serving up a full dinner. Better yet - opt for a POT LUCK dessert reception. We did - and it was fun to have the variety‚ and it was FREE.

7. Give new wedding professionals a chance. Our photographer was amazing and we were his first wedding ever. When meeting with a vendor, take a look at their work and make sure it's up to par, but don't be afraid to take a chance on someone who is just starting out.

8. Choose simple invitations and RSVP cards (or use free online RSVP services). The bulkier the invitation, the more expensive it is. Also, you don't HAVE to hire a calligrapher. Get some girlfriends together and have them help you address envelopes.

9. If you really want to have a budget wedding, limit the guest list. It might be hard, but it's probably one of the most sure-fire ways of keeping your budget in check.

10. Don't give in to the wedding hype! You don't have to have a perfect wedding. That might sound shocking, but if you are not a lavish person, you don't need a lavish wedding! Stay true to your values and who you are. Even though wedding blogs will make you think so, you don't HAVE to have the most unique favors in the world or an ice sculpture or an open bar or a $2000 gown.

I am so happy that we kept things simple and that wedding planning didn't drive me mad. Our wedding was simple, personal, and totally us because we stayed true to our values.

I encourage you to compare each aspect of your wedding to your personal values to make sure they line up. If something doesn't feel authentic to you, scrap it! You will feel so much more free if you plan a wedding based on your values and what is authentically you! (You can read more about how we saved money and the details of our day by clicking here!)
Thanks so much for reading!

*marisa's marks: jamie has some great advice. i love the idea of borrowing and relying on "friendors" (friend vendors!) ...this is the one time in your life where you are expected to ask your friends for help!

day 9: colors.

2011-10-09T06:00:00.007-05:00

i think it's hilarious that one of the first questions people in the wedding industry always ask is "what are your colors?" ... so, you better be prepared.

having a winter wedding limits your color options just a bit. it just wouldn't feel right to have super bright colors in the middle of january. and you also have to be careful to not let things get too christmas-y (read: steer clear of the red roses!) one of my best friends, brooke, had a beautiful january wedding a few years back, and her colors were brown & green. so as to not duplicate her, i chose to go the winter blue & grey route instead.. with a little bit of light pink accent.

*marisa's marks: pick a couple of dominant colors and then an accent color or two. an awesome website to get inspired (for color palettes for any occasion) is design seeds -- the picture above is from there. i also just discovered there's weddingcolors.net and weddingcolors.org!

day 8: the dress.

2011-10-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

so, apart from the when & the where, the next big priority to check off my list was THE DRESS.

having a budget-friendly wedding creates an interesting time for dress shopping. especially when the styles and designs i'm drawn towards err on the designer-esque side. first mistake? going to a local boutique and trying on the first dress i loved. a nice little $6000 dress. yikes-a-rama. but it. was. beautiful. (of course) so now i had this standard in my head of what a beautiful dress could be. oops.

i'll admit that i was a little discouraged. but, i reminded myself that was just the first place we've looked.

i was in atlanta a week or so later for work, so my mom and a few bridesmaids joined me and we hit up everything across the board... a consignment shop, an "affordable" boutique somebody recommended, and "bridals by lori" (just for fun - you know, TLC stuff.)

but, no luck anywhere. my mom and i even did the thing i never thought i'd do... go to david's bridal. but in all of the places, i didn't try on anything i loved (that i could afford).

i took a few weeks off and was beginning to think i'd just have to settle for a dress that was just "ok". and i was honestly a bit sad. aren't you supposed to feel your prettiest on your wedding day? aren't you supposed to love your dress?

there was one more boutique i hadn't been to yet in nashville. on the way there i told my friend, "i just really want to know. i want to love it. i want it to be my dress..."

so we get there, and the girl asks my budget, and of course it's below anything they really sell. but there's a sample sale room in the back she leads me to...

my friend picks out a dress and says "what about this one" - it's not what i would have pictured, but i say "sure" because it's on sale and why not. it ends up being the first dress that i try on and it fits me perfectly. i feel like me in it and i just love it. i'm in complete shock and awe that i may have found my dress. oh, and did i mention it's a designer oscar de la renta that is 85% off? the girl even took more off of the price because she said it has been one of her favorites and she has never seen it fit anyone so well.

it's a sample from a few years back and i really feel like God saved it or me. it's my dress.

(of course i can't show it on here because i can't have that leaking out... but check back after the wedding - i'm sure there will be photos!)

*marisa's marks: so my advice? be patient. don't settle. wait to find the dress that you LOVE! and -- don't be afraid to try on things that you never pictured before. you never know how something might fit on you! and definitely check out sample sales and trunk shows and websites like preownedweddingdresses.com.

day 7: save the date.

2011-10-07T06:00:00.004-05:00

alright. so you've picked the when. you've decided on the where. and you've narrowed down your guest list. now it's time to tell everybody to SAVE THE DATE!

we knew from the beginning this could be an area where we save money, and immediately agreed on an electronic save the date.

my friend christine came over one night after work and snapped a few photos of jeff and me, i then uploaded my favorite into picnik (aka photoshop for dummies -- i love picnik!) and added some text, and boom. we had a "save the date".

next up was creating a template email to send out -- which was basically just this graphic -- (shout out to my friends at emma, annie & kelly, for helping me... y'all are awesome!) and then uploading all of our guest list emails from an excel document & hitting SEND!

done and done.

also - i created a special wedding gmail address to send them from, which we have also used to ask for addresses for the invitations. it's been killer for keeping things organized (and for not having a million wedding-related emails in your personal and/or work folders!)

*marisa's marks: save the dates don't have to be extravagant or expensive! email is awesome... don't buy into the hype of having to pay for postage twice!

day 6: the guest list.

2011-10-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

oh, the dreaded guest list. why does making a list of all of your favorite people in the world seem like such a daunting task?

i know for me, part of the stress comes because i'm an includer. (yes, "inclusiveness" is an actual strength, so says the strengths finder test - of which i am a huge fan by-the-way - but, i digress...) so, being an includer means i want to include every single person from every single season of life on this one very special day. i know, i know, mission impossible.

jeff and i are also both networkers -- meaning we have a lot of people in that "acquaintance" tier of friends. especially in the line of work we are both in where we are constantly meeting new people (whose names we're supposed to always remember, of course) the line gets blurry sometimes between significant relationships and those ones that may just last for a short season. because those significant ones? yah, they're the ones you want at your wedding.

but we're definitely not complaining. the fact that we have an abundance of community is a good thing and we are super grateful. so we kinda knew from the beginning that this was gonna be one big 'ol party. i've heard the motto "people over prime rib" and that is definitely one we have adopted -- meaning, we'd rather prioritize having the people we love and care about there, with maybe not as fancy of a feast, versus a small group served a five course sit-down meal.

and that is what we've done. let's just say our guest list errs more towards the higher side of "between 300 and 400"...

oh yah, one big 'ol party for sure.

(which of course affects our food & drink decisions - another post for another day!)

*marisa's marks: define your priorities first. small intimate gathering or large blow-out party? fancy feast or finger food buffet? neither is better or worse, but know what you want! because remember you do need to feed your guests something. so consider your budget and your buddies and start setting guest list boundaries!

day 5: {get crafty} mason jars.

2011-10-05T06:00:00.007-05:00

so every wednesday of 31 days involves some handmade wedding goodness and we are gettin crafty up in here. (have you caught on that i like days-of-the-week themes yet?)

side note: is anybody else singing "get happy" when they read "get crafty"? no? just me? ok.

if there's one thing that's hot right now on every wedding blog it's "the handmade wedding". but not in the "awwww, that looks handmade, how cute" kinda way. but in the "this looks like you spent a million bucks but actually you really just spent a million hours" kinda way. seriously. i don't know where some of these brides get that kinda time. but i'll admit that i've been inspired. and i think i've chosen some completely do-able projects for my wedding that will keep me in the budget but allow some creativity and personality to shine through.

much credit goes to pinterest (y'all already know about my ob session) for casting vision and keeping a lot of my ideas for gettin-all-wedding-crafty in one place.

alright, so first up? using MASON JARS. these are so versatile and the options are endless. you can paint em, hang em, or stuff em with dirt & plants. i've seen them used as vases, as candle holders, and as lanterns. of course they also make great glasses if you're serving a fun cocktail, or can contain a single serving of cake or your favorite dessert.

a friend of mine's mom had a bunch in her garage & is letting me borrow them! i've chosen to use them as a part of my centerpiece design...

so start out with just 3 items: a mason jar (i like the more vintage-looking ball brand in blue), brown rice, and a small votive candle.

using a measuring cup & a funnel, fill the mason jar up about halfway with brown rice.

then carefully place the candle on top... and voila! a super-easy & cheap project! each table will get 2 of these (plus another item we'll talk about next week!)

*marisa's marks: start small. don't pick a craft project that is going to overwhelm you. you can always go up from there. little victories are important for me... i know my projects will get tougher & i don't want to be completely discouraged from the beginning!

day 4: {tuesday tunes} pre-ceremony.

2011-10-04T06:00:00.009-05:00

tuesday tunes is a regular occurrence on this blog each week, so i thought i'd keep that consistent even within 31 days. so -- each tuesday will have something to do with wedding planning + music!

today is all about the pre-ceremony. i am a firm believer that music can set the tone and mood of a space like nothing else, so it's important to think about what you are trying to create! do you want people to enter your wedding in a somber, quiet, reflective way? or do you want more of a social, festive gathering?

one of the first things we decided about our wedding was that we want it to be a CELEBRATION. we don't want people to feel like they have to be stiff or silent as they arrive (we're even putting "come early to mix + mingle" on our invitations!) we've got some surprises i don't want to ruin, but let's just say the mood we're trying to create is JOY.

i've got a hunch that sometime before everything gets started these songs will get played. it's a special ep one of my favorites (mumford & sons) put out under an alter ego -- "the wedding band"... you can't tell me this doesn't get you excited to celebrate some marriage vows!

*marisa's marks: think about the tone you are creating for your day. don't be afraid to give your guests a glimpse into your personality and musical preference as a couple, and pick songs that reflect who you are!

31 days update: there are over 700 bloggers participating! holy moly.

everything from 31 days to rachael ray cooking (yes!) to 31 days of yoga to 31 days to a no brainer wardrobe.

day 3: {guest post} sonnie.

2011-10-03T06:00:00.005-05:00

each monday of this 31 days series, one of my blogging friends will be guest posting here. first up, my sweet friend sonnie. sonnie is one of my oldest nash-friends and the mom to my favorite 2 year old, rock. she also has a little girl on the way who is actually due on my wedding weekend!

Wedding planning...the connotations of the phrase reach different places in all of us. Stress comes as a sneaky monster in our post-wedding dreams. Even my low key wedding (no southern party affair) caused me to scribble our budget on scrap pieces of paper in random locations and eventually caused me to cry my head off in the car as our guests were waiting for us at the rehearsal dinner. Oh the madness! The party to plan of a lifetime does have a tendency to kick us in the butt up until the moment we walk down the aisle.

It’s funny though, I’ve been married for 6 years come January and when I think about our wedding day and everything surrounding it, I never think about the planning. The day was just what it needed to be...the memories are all light and sweet and free. The details of who-sits-where and does the decor look just right are, as I look back on them, truly fleeting. I mean, yes, it’s great to please guests and throw a gorgeous party, but I’m so thankful that in the midst of my 9 month engagement, even in my stress, God showed up on my wedding day. He sealed the deal, brought people we loved around us, and gave us memories that will never go away because His Spirit was present.

Although in my experience wedding planning stress tends to get the best of us, the day isn’t in our control, just like any other day. In that same breath I do believe God is thrilled to bless us as we enter into sacrifice and a fighting love for someone else on earth. The plans we make will fade, but the beauty of marriage significance will paint itself all over our special wedding days.

I hope to all of those planning weddings as we speak, that this is a gentle breeze reminder to stretch, breath slowly, and take in these special days before THE BIG DAY!

*marisa's marks: i love sonnie's advice to live in the moment... finding joy in the journey and not getting so caught up in the destination of the big day (something i am not very good at but constantly re-learning!) God's purpose so often is in the process... so here's to 31 days of living in the process of planning!

day 2: the where.

2011-10-02T06:00:00.005-05:00

so yesterday we talked about the WHEN.

our next priority was the venue, so we were just hoping & praying that we'd find the WHERE quickly, as we started telling people the date right after we got engaged!

we decided we'd do one place for both the ceremony & reception - because a) it's cheaper to just rent one spot and b) it'll be january -- the less people have to travel in the cold the better!

so, one venue means it has to be large enough to seat all of our guests for the ceremony and then be flipped into a super cool party. aka not your typical church-then-country-club-combo (not that there's anything wrong with that... it just wasn't what we wanted!)

after touring a few way-overpriced venues with vibes that i loved, i realized it was going to be a little harder than i thought (jeff can attest to a meltdown or two). so i began thinking outside of the box. (fyi: if you're not aware, when you attach the word "wedding" to anything, every vendor feels entitled to jack up their prices... if you were having a birthday party or a bar mitzvah in the same location, it would be way cheaper. yah, it's lame.)

and the winner? a music-venue-slash-skatepark in downtown nashville called rocketown. my church actually meets here every sunday morning, so i'm familiar with the space, and the staff are being super helpful and accommodating to make my crazy dream a reality. it's basically a huge black box that i'm calling my blank canvas (enter: creativity!)

date? check. venue? check.

so now the rest is just details, right?

*marisa's marks: pick a place where you can picture your celebration - a place that allows you to express who you are as a couple. and don't be afraid to think outside of the box... sacred vows don't have to be exchanged within stone walls and stained glass!

so what's with this 31 days thing? i'm so glad you asked. and i'd love to explain it (i tried to here). but the nester does a much better job -- it was all her idea anyways. and i highly recommend checking out my friend annie's 31 days of courage over at annieblogs - guaranteed to be inspiring!

day 1: the when.

2011-10-01T06:00:00.007-05:00

well... here we are. day 1 out of 31 of blogging about wedding planning! i'm no expert, just an average almost-30-year-old trying her hardest to plan a fun, creative wedding for 300 of our closest friends... oh yah, and i'm on a super tight budget.

if you are finding this blog and don't know me, allow me to introduce myself. my name is marisa and i am marrying the man of my dreams on january 14, 2012. we met in january of this year, dated for 6 months, and are having a 6 month engagement, making our wedding date exactly one year from our first date! (awwww).

and picking the WHEN was super important to us, for many reasons. for one, my fiance, jeff, is a touring musician. and all of his friends (and the groomsmen!) are in that same boat. so the odds of finding a day when the majority of our very musical community is around is not an easy task. but, january just so happens to be one of the slowest months in the music biz (post-christmas-tours and pre-spring-tours). and finding out that the band was playing on a cruise in february & the wives get to tag along for free? yah, that works out well for us to be married for, too (can you say free honeymoon?) and then the wedding weekend marking the one year anniversary of our story is just the icing on the (wedding?) cake (sorry, i couldn't help myself).

bonus: jeff and i are totally "winter people" -- we'd prefer january over june every time.

so with a ring on my finger and a date circled on my calendar, the wedding planning has begun...

*marisa's marks: pick a date that's important to you as a couple, and one that will be easy to remember - it will be your anniversary date for the rest of your life! :)

tuesday tunes - new gungor.

2011-09-27T06:00:00.005-05:00

gungor completely blew me away with their last album, beautiful things. i'm not exaggerating when i say i played "beautiful things" and "we will run" on repeat over 50 times. and everywhere i turned people were talking about these guys, and their unique out-of-the-box worship music.

and now they've done it again, with ghosts upon the earth (out last tuesday). i was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy a few weeks ago and was immediately in love with every song.

personal favorite = "this is not the end".

and i don't even know how to prepare you for this video. just wait for 1:35...

first day of fall.

2011-09-23T10:00:00.002-05:00

that's right. today is the day. every year i anticipate this season more than any other. sure, summer has it's perks (tanning by the pool, popsicles, and more daylight... just to name a few).

but, if you know me at all, you know that i am a self-proclaimed SWEAT-er. that's right - i sweat at the first little hint of heat. and i know it sometimes make me a miserable person to be around. so give me crisp, cool air and the option to put on some layers* without perspiring and i am one happy gal (and much more pleasant company).

and, of course, putting a little pumpkin spice into my starbucks coffee never hurts, too.

how are you welcoming in the fall?

*may i suggest a fashionABLE scarf?

{see also: my "love song for fall" reflection from last year.}

tuesday tunes - needtobreathe.

2011-09-20T06:00:00.007-05:00

oh man, i love me some needtobreathe.

remember their last album that i played on repeat in my car for months? yah, i still love it.

but, it's been 2 years and some new music from these boys is long overdue. (though, seeing them at the ryman last november filled the void for a little while.)

but today, my friends, the wait is over. the newest needtobreathe album (album #4) the reckoning is out! this is very much anticipated, as the band has been blowing up on the music scene -- no biggie, they've just been opening for taylor swift this fall!

the first single, "slumber" has been out for a couple months, and i have definitely had it on constant replay. and i cannot WAIT for this whole album. i can guarantee i will be playing it on repeat for months to come.

here's "slumber"... (and then check out the whole album on itunes!)

an explanation + 31 days news!

2011-09-18T18:00:00.003-05:00

well, blog-friends. there's no excuse, but it's time to face the facts: i have not been a very consistent blogger as of late. i only had 5 posts in july (let's blame that on peru) and 8 in august (recovering from peru. starting to plan a wedding) and now we're over halfway through september and i only have one post! i even just blatantly left out a tuesday tune (gasp!) -- can we chalk that one up to labor day weekend & i just didn't want to do any kind of labor? (a stretch, i know.)

but here's the good (and somewhat intimidating) news -- i am going to be blogging every day in october. that's 31 days in case you weren't aware. cue some anxiety.

why would i want to submit to such a task as this? i guess i'm a sucker for a challenge.

and i completely ~~blame~~ credit my friend annie, who is what i like to call a REAL blogger (you know, she makes it a priority and stuff... oh yah, and she's a legit author.) well, annie told me about her blogging friend the nester who does a "31 days of fill-in-the-blank" -- a little challenge to write about a topic of your choice every day in october. i had mentioned to annie that i should blog about my wedding planning... working in a budget, making do-it-yourself crafts, and staying sane thru it all. and she mentioned the challenge. and i said "oooo, that sounds fun" (brief moment of insanity)

so -- you guys are my witnesses. i have a feeling some sleep might be sacrificed here, but for the month of october i am hereby committing to blog for 31 days.

get. excited.

tuesday tunes - ben rector new album!

2011-09-13T23:00:00.003-05:00

we all know i'm a ben rector fan... but today i am extra excited about ben's newest album, something like this.

and it's not even because there's 2 songs on there that jeff co-wrote with ben (well, maybe just a little)... but really it's because the whole album is so good.

my 2 favs just happen to be the 2 jeff co-wrote: "she is" and "never gonna let you go" (you can preview them all on itunes)... but seriously, get the whole album. you're gonna love it.

(here's a live video of "she is" from the spring!)

and what's better than a new ben album? ben performing those songs live. he's hitting the road this fall with andrew belle on a mocha club tour - go check them out!

also, for some laughs, watch this video...

4%.

2011-08-31T04:00:00.001-05:00

we had a guest post over on the mocha club blog yesterday by one of our amazing speakers, sammy adebiyi, and it's got me thinking...

so this stat he shared is just so crazy. did you know that if you're reading my blog on your personal computer (probably on your super-cool macbook at the trendiest coffee shop, right?), you're in the top 4% of the 6 billion people in the world? wow. the top 4%.

i mean, sure, i've seen third world poverty. and i know that in the west we live in such ridiculous abundance. i'm not oblivious to that.

but do i feel rich?

no way. i struggle to pay my bills month-to-month, i get stressed if i have an unexpected cost come up (new tires! broken dish washer! cracked iPhone!) -- because let's be honest, i'm not the best saver. but even typing things like "dish washer" and "iPhone" make me laugh that i'm equating that with not being rich.

marisa, do you remember that your friends in northern uganda wash their sometimes-not-more-than-just-one dish by hand, and may or may not even have a well or other source of water nearby...?

and 3G? ha. not so much.

i. have. so. much.

even when i forget it.

even when i feel like i ~~need~~ want more.

i'm in the top 4%.

and $7 a month? it really does feel like nothing. i spend that without thinking twice (though i know that i probably should think more before i spend -- something i'll be learning more of as jeff & i start sharing a budget in 4 months!)

2 mochas.

or, as sammy says in his post, 2 big macs.

(for me it's more like 2 bottles of trader joe's wine!)

any way you spend it, $7 is a tangible amount of money we can do without, but it can do so much in africa...

i haven't talked about mocha club on my blog in awhile... but i'm reminded again today of how a small sacrifice from so many of us can really make a huge difference around the world.

will you join me in giving up $7 a month?

{if you're here & don't know what the heck i'm talking about, watch this video on who mocha club is...}

like my brother sammy says in his blog post, we (in the 4%) have so much power... so why do we do so little?

tuesday tunes - (double feature) ellie holcomb + steve moakler.

2011-08-30T09:00:00.004-05:00

listen up, lovelies! because i just couldn't wait, today we have not one, but TWO tuesday tunes for your listening pleasure...

first up, sweet ellie holcomb (of drew holcomb + the neighbors) came out with her own ep last tuesday, called magnolia. and i'm not exaggerating when i say i've listened to those 7 beautiful songs on repeat at-least 10 times through. they're based on the psalms and just a delight. grab yourself a copy of this one immediately.

here's a video from a few years back of ellie singing the title track "magnolia"

(AND just for fun: here she is teaching you how to wear a fashionABLE scarf!)

next, cutie steve moakler has a new album out today, watching time run. steve is one of my three favorite young talents coming out of the nashville singer-songwriter world. (the other 2 being andrew ripp & ben rector -- get excited, new ben record next month!)

and here's a playlist on youtube of this album if you want to give it a listen before you buy...

(pssst -- you can also get steve's last album, all the faint lights, for FREE on noisetrade right now!)

and both of these artists are extra cool in my book because they love & support mocha club. you can get ellie's ep for free by joining with her here... and you can catch steve on the road w/ andrew ripp supporting MC this fall on the half & half tour.

tuesday tunes - gabe dixon.

2011-08-23T06:00:00.004-05:00

speaking of the new TOT starting out... i'm probably most excited about mr. gabe dixon joining this group. he has been one of my most favorite slightly-under-the-radar nash musicians over the years. he's toured with our friend dave barnes, and even sang in my friends' wedding.

his piano skills and killer voice are sure to make you swoon.

and those melodies? they getcha every time.

historically, he's been the frontman for the gabe dixon band, but now he's going solo... dropping "the" and "band".

so i'm super pumped to announce he has a new solo debut album out today: one spark.

($7.00 on itunes & $5.99 on amazon!)

i streamed it for free all day yesterday, and could not get enough of it. here's a video for "my favorite"...

and, just for old time's sake, here's one of my favs from his old stuff... "five more hours"

peru in pics!

2011-08-17T21:30:00.002-05:00

so i told you my survival story. but here's the fun part... the PICTURES!

{see my entire peru facebook album here}

tuesday tunes - TOT volume 4.

2011-08-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

you guys know i love me some ten out of tenn. (remember?)

well... they're at it again. these nashville favorites will be hitting the road in a couple of weeks... with a new compilation album to boot. with 10 tracks (one from each artist in this group) -- it's a great mix and representation of some of the best music coming out of this city.

grab a copy over on amazon this week for just $6.99!

i survived the inca trail!

2011-08-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

yes, i did survive... but barely.

so i've obviously been missing in action on the blog a lot over the past few weeks, as i traveled down to peru.

i mentioned going to machu picchu this summer -- and hiking the inca trail to get there. aka a four-day, 43 km (26 mile), up-and-down-mountains hike. definitely the hardest thing i have ever put my body through.

to be honest, there were moments i wasn't sure i was going to make it... my body was failing me in ways it never had before (read: weak knees & toenails falling off!) -- but with the help of a lot of prayer and the support of an amazing group of people on the trek with me, we arrived into machu picchu at sunrise on day 4, the trail and the work behind us. and yes, machu picchu is beautiful and magnificent and something to be seen. but i realized that it wasn't so much about just arriving, but more about the journey of how we got there... one step at a time.

would i do it again? probably not. but am i glad i did it? oh yah.

i've never before had such high highs and low lows all in the same adventure... both literally and figuratively. for example, day 2, we hike up 1200m up to the highest point (4900m!!) at the first pass... you start in desert terrain, then make your way through dense forests and waterfalls, finally up to the snow-peaked tops. it's truly breathtaking.

but then you have to go back down into the valley to camp. and the descent is by-far the hardest part. by the time you get to camp, the mountain top high is hours behind you, and your knees and toes are screaming.

as silly as it sounds, i really believe the inca trail was a lesson in trust & dependence for me. there were moments where i wasn't sure i was going to make it... where my body was in crazy pain. but i was reminded that God's power is made perfect in my weakness. there's a song that matthew west has called "strong enough" (that's the artist jeff plays with) -- and the line that kept repeating in my head as i hiked goes "you are strong when i am weak, i don't have to be strong enough" -- and as simple as that is, it was the perfect dose of humility i really needed. i went into this trip pretty prideful that it was going to be no big deal...i mean, come on...i teach spin classes, of course i can hike this thing. but i was reminded that i don't have to be strong enough... to hike a mountain, or for any other part of my life.

and life has hit me hard as i've returned. i'm learning to trust and believe in ways i never have. and i honestly think the inca trail helped prepare me for that. it's about this journey, this crazy life we are all living... not about some destination that we just need to arrive at.

so i'm finding ways to fight for joy and rest in the promise of each day... one step at a time.

tuesday tunes - mat kearney: young love.

2011-08-09T15:00:00.000-05:00

i've missed a few tuesday tunes from being on vacation (more on the inca trail & my peruvian adventure soon, i promise!) -- but while i was gone, i did download mat kearney's new album, young love. (remember how obsessed i was with his previous one?)

i told y'all about the first single, "hey mama" back in may. and now, the whole thing is here. and i'm LOVING it. mat's gone back to a little more of his hip-hop beginnings, and it's an album you just want to play on repeat. and it's just $7.99 in itunes right now -- GO GET IT!!

my personal fav = "ships in the night"... so. so. good.

not-so-average {pardo wedding update #2}

2011-08-06T10:00:00.003-05:00

i ran across this little info-graphic this morning, and couldn't help but laugh at how far off my wedding is from these stats...

- average cost: $26,984 // mine: not even half of that!

- average # of bridesmaids: 4 // mine: 8 (plus another 7 girls that are "honorary"!)

- average # of guests: 141 // mine: probably over 300!

- average length of engagement: 14 months // mine: 6!

here's to being creative & not-so-average!

tuesday tunes - TN EP: derek webb + sandra mccracken.

2011-07-21T13:00:00.001-05:00

{i know, i know... it's not tuesday. like i said... i'm behind on life. so... thursday tunes?)

i love it when a couple combines their talents and forms a duo. (see: drew & ellie, elenowen).

and derek & sandra are no different. their voices blend beautifully.

presenting: the TN EP. (a follow-up to their 2008 ampersand ep)

i'm loving this first song, "from you to me"... (and be sure to grab is for FREE on noisetrade!)

all over the place {pardo wedding update #1}

2011-07-17T21:00:00.003-05:00

i'm sorry i have been a horrible blogger (even missing a tuesday tune - oops!) but i'm kinda all over the place these days...

i'm currently in atlanta at america's mart for work with fashionABLE.
i'm also preparing for my trip to peru in a week!!

oh yah - and i'm trying to plan a WEDDING!

i had no idea how challenging planning a wedding was - especially one on a pretty tight budget. but my fiance and my friends and my family have already shown some amazing support, and we're ready to get creative! (thank you pinterest)

and jeff said something i'll never forget last week when i was getting sad realizing what things cost -- he said "marisa, it doesn't matter if people talk about our wedding, we want people to talk about our marriage." what a wise perspective. yah, he's a keeper :)

it hasn't even been 2 weeks yet, and so far we picked a date, booked our photographer (once like a spark - these guys are stellar.. it's the one thing i really wanted to prioritize in my budget. i mean, it's the only thing that lasts beyond that one day, ya know?), i think i've found the venue (we're doing a combined ceremony + reception in one place) and my pastor dave burden is gonna officiate & walk us through pre-marital counseling - we love him & are super excited about it.

oh -- and i've tried on some wedding dresses. and oh. my. word. talk about overwhelming! there are so many bridal boutiques and styles and designers and opinions. and sheesh these things are pricey! (i really can't believe what people pay for a dress you wear for a few hours one day... we could cure world hunger with people's dress budgets alone!)

so just for fun while in atlanta (because i knew there was no way i was gonna afford a dress from here) my friends julie & allie met up with my mom and i and we went to bridals by lori - you know, TLC's "say yes to the dress" boutique. it's all glamorous and extravagant and way overdone. but, fun to see and experience...

i'm all about tips and ideas for budget-friendly wedding stuff -- so holler at me if you have connections or skills you wanna offer up!

countdown til i'm mrs. pardo: 180 days.

"in january, we're gettin married..."

2011-07-07T11:23:00.009-05:00

yup, tuesday night jeff put a ring on it!

i'm still a little in shock that this is happening, but could not be more thrilled to spend the rest of my life with this man.

God really is the author + perfector of our faith, and could not have written a more beautiful story with us.

and now we're planning for a nashville january wedding!

so, this avett brothers song is perfect...

tuesday tunes - graham colton.

2011-07-05T18:00:00.002-05:00

i thought about just skipping tuesday tunes this week in honor of my U2 post... but i really want to tell you about a FREE album you can get right now!

so, i've loved graham colton since college. he's just easy listening and catchy melodies. he had a band for a few years, but is now doing the solo thing. (you may know his hit from a few years back -- "best days")

and now his latest album, pacific coast eyes, is available for a short time for free over on noisetrade... go get it!!

{here's the first single, the title track "pacific coast eyes"...}

the show of a lifetime.

2011-07-03T15:00:00.010-05:00

U2. i'd venture to say one of the world's most famous bands. bono + the edge + some of the greatest songs ever. even if you're not a die-hard fan, there's no doubt that you love "with or without you", "where the streets have no name", "beautiful day", and "i still haven't found what i'm looking for"...

i knew they'd be amazing live... even just in a "normal" venue.

but the 360° tour? taking it to a whole new level. the stage set makes use of a massive four-legged supporting rig that has been nicknamed "the claw" and has set a world record for the largest concert stage structure. and as of last month, the tour has also set records for both highest-grossing & highest-attended tour of all time.

so when they announced they were coming to nashville, i freaked out, along with the whole city- the band hasn't played here in 30 years (bono actually said it was december 1981 - 2 weeks before i was born!) and they also bypassed the typical huge arena, and chose vanderbilt's football stadium - making nashville's stop the smallest venue on this tour.

i'd heard about the stage... but y'all, it really does look like a spaceship. it's so crazy involved and technical and detailed... a circular ramp, rotating bridges, expanding cylindrical video screen, elaborate lighting effects. it require 120 trucks just to transport the massive set (of which there are 3 - and they want to leave them around the world as permanent concert venues when the tour is over... pretty cool!) we just kept looking at each other with amazement as every moment continued to wow you more than the last.

the show was literally one of a kind. i honestly don't think anything could ever top the hugeness that it was. and i love knowing that the man behind it all is singing about freedom + redemption + love ... as thousands of people join in.

(if you don't think you'll get to one of these shows - check out the live dvd of the tour stop at the rose bowl last year... totally worth a watch!)

and don't even get me started on how much i love how bono has opened the world's eyes to poverty (especially in Africa) and the millions of lives he's influenced & affected. (check out one.org if you don't know)

talk about a man who has used the platform he's been given to do some serious good.

even if that platform is shaped like a giant spaceship-claw.

my style.

2011-06-28T13:30:00.001-05:00

i coined my styled "modern vintage" a while back... (aka anthropologie meets ikea).

and now there's a book about it: modern vintage style! (aka... i want it.)

tuesday tunes - LEAGUES.

2011-06-28T06:00:00.007-05:00

oh man. am i excited for you guys to hear LEAGUES (website coming soon - so check out their fb page). you may be familiar with thad cockrell (if you're not - check out his solo stuff)... he has teamed up with some other nashville friends to form this new band, and i am loving their stuff. he sent me a little preview last week of their 3-song ep (available on itunes today!) and it's so good.

check out "magic", and then go buy the ep!

and here's a shaky video i found on youtube of their first show at the rutledge this past fall...

on my list.

2011-06-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

tuesday tunes - elenowen

2011-06-21T19:00:00.001-05:00

never have i ever listened to a band on repeat as much as i've listened to elenowen this week.

you guys... i might be slightly obsessed. this nashville-based husband + wife duo is so stinkin cute, it's ridiculous. i love their songs, their harmony, the whole deal.

they had an ep come out in early 2010, pulling back the veil... {and i adore every song}

"after about a year of living from paycheck to paycheck working at the same local coffee shop, Josh & Nicole started pursuing their dream by creating their debut album, pulling back the veil... a collection of eight original songs, written both individually & collectively to paint a picture of the road they have been on for the past year – a road filled with internal struggles to know truth, joyous triumphs over & through desire, & the awakening adjustments to married life..."

but it was getting on nbc's the voice that rocketed these guys to instant stardom. now they're working on new music and i'm so excited to see what's next. they just released a new single, "honey come home". you can't tell me you don't LOVE it...

pinterest.

2011-06-18T17:30:00.001-05:00

omg you guys.

pinterest is all i'm hearing about lately on the internets... and let me just warn you - you will spend hours perusing lovely photos and wanting to "pin" them to your boards.

from food to style to decor to parties... it's a virtual pinboard for you to organize + share all of the beautiful things on the web.

see what you love and create your own board of favorites. i started some of my own - feel free to re-pin! {seriously though... it's addicting!}

are you guys pinterest-ing yet?

what do you think?

i love trader joe's cookbook.

2011-06-15T07:00:00.003-05:00

we are all highly aware of my ~~obsession~~ love for trader joe's.

{see my "top 10" posts: part one, part two, part three, & part four.}

my friend laura, in tune with my love for all things TJ, gave me a wonderful gift recently: the i love trader joe's cookbook!! i finally got up the courage to try out some new recipes, and have LOVED it. everything you need for the recipe can be found at your local trader joe's, so i just bring my cookbook into the store with me to shop!

{while writing this post i discovered the "party" edition - um, whoever wants to get me a gift - take note!}

and she has a whole website because she loves trader joe's so much. i think we're destined to be friends.

california field trip to go to her cooking classes? hmmmmm.

happy shopping & cooking TJ lovelies...

tuesday tunes - bon iver.

2011-06-14T09:00:00.004-05:00

bon iver. you say bon eee-ver, i say bon eye-ver. either way. he's good. ("he" being singer/songwriter justin vernon)...

and he's got some new music that you can listen to in it's entirety right now over at npr. the self-titled album comes out june 21 - but be the cool kid that already knows the songs.

{this album follows his 2008 highly-loved for emma, forever ago.}

and here's the BRAND NEW video (out today) for "calgary", from the new album..

art + soul of america.

2011-06-13T12:00:00.001-05:00

nashville based anderson design group started out with the spirit of nashville prints. vintage-looking postcards & posters that showcase the best of what music city has to offer (some of my talented design friends even created a few of them!)

now they've expanded to other cities around the country...

check out the art + soul of america classic prints for your city!

here's just a taste...

my roots:

my present:

love it:

my all-time fav:

tuesday tunes - coldplay's new single!

2011-06-07T19:00:00.001-05:00

it's been all a buzz this week... coldplay has a new song out! and just in time for summer festivals.

it's called "every teardrop is a waterfall" ...what do you think... are you a fan?

that time we went to texas and ate a lot.

2011-06-06T20:00:00.010-05:00

jeff and i took an extra long weekend to go visit one of my best friends and her husband in texas. austin has been on the top of my list of US cities i hadn't been to, so it worked out great to fly into dallas (where the bryants live) & travel with them down to austin together. (all 4 of us in a mini cooper, might i add). besides the excellent company, of course, our trip can mostly be summarized in eating... a lot. so here are some highlights of how we ate our way through texas...

oddfellows - oak cliff {dallas} (reminds me a lot of eash nashville actually). we were in the neighborhood saying hi to my friend christine (and seeing her cute store - urban acres!). there were many lunch options to choose from, but i'm glad we landed here. from their incredible hand-crafted coffee to a fried green tomato sandwich to buffalo chicken mac & cheese... it was hard to pick just one thing on the menu. i landed on a big salad, because i just had to get the beignets as a starter.(long story, but we had a layover in new orleans & i had gotten my hopes up to get them in the airport but to no avail... so i was super stoked to see them on this menu the next day!) and the vibe of this place was killer... reclaimed wood benches + big open windows and a vintage decor. loved it.

breakfast tacos at maria's taco express. {austin} pretty good odds that at-least one meal in your day will involve tacos while in texas. this one happened to be breakfast. {i'll take coffee with that por favor.} we enjoyed our morning tacos on the colorful, eclectic patio along with the rest of austin (the place is apparently always packed!). and it all started with maria serving tacos out of a trailer 14 years ago, and has continued to grow year after year. gracias maria!!

it's not a trip to texas without some BBQ. and rudy's {austin} did not disappoint. connected to a convenience store, sold by the 1/2 pound (from turkey to brisket to pork), with good ol' white bread, and no plates in sight. side options include creamed corn and potato salad. banana pudding for dessert. and if you tell them you're a first-timer, they'll let you try everything to see what you like!

our first meal back in dallas was at a crazy good local burger joint twisted root burger company... beef to buffalo to turkey to anetelope - you have your choice of fine meat. oh, and don't even get me started on the sides - fried pickles, fried green beans, hand-cut sweet potato chips - yes, please. i got the turkey burger with buffalo sauce & a scoop of guac. i'd venture to say it was one of the best i've ever had.

the hula hut {austin}. it feels like you're at the beach, dining on the docks of lake austin to "mexican food with a surfer twist"... we had an hour wait, but didn't mind at all- with the plentiful waiting area on the dock, with drink service and bottomless self-serve chips + salsa. (austin definitely does "waiting" right!). i loved feeling like i escaped to a tropical paradise... and no humidity! oh, and the stuffed avocado? a little piece of heaven.

not pictured, but definitely worth noting:
- kirby lane cafe {austin} - we waited over an hour for brunch here, but those pancakes were totally worth it!

- maiko {austin} - we needed a break from the tacos and sushi hit the spot. we loved it.

- sauced {dallas} - wings + more. a friend of the bryants started this place, and with wings being one of jeff's favorite foods, we just had to try it. and we loved everything on the menu! including our complimentary cookie dough eggroll of course (inspired by nashville's jackson's bistro!)

everything's bigger in texas... including our appetites, apparently!

bossypants.

2011-06-01T22:00:00.000-05:00

{ more to come on my long weekend in texas.. }

but i just have to share about the book i started + finished on my flights to & from the lone star state...

bossypants - by none other than ms. tina fey.

it's a memoir slash here's-what-has-happened-in-my-life-and-i'm-gonna-tell-you-my-opinions-about-it.

you know it's a gonna be good when the back cover copy has you laughing out loud... (full of fake self- deprecating quotes)

"totally worth it" -- trees
"i hope that's not really the cover. that's really going to hurt sales." -- don fey, father of tina fey

as npr calls it - "honest & intimate"... with "a comedic voice that is totally her own" says the ny times... and "loaded with personality" according to time.

bossypants is a reminder of what tina fey is so good at... writing.

(she was a writer for snl all of those years ya know) so grab a copy and laugh out loud for yourself.

tuesday tunes - foster the people.

2011-05-31T12:00:00.002-05:00

foster the people is a little indie pop/rock band i've recently started adoring. a lot of their success is attributed to south by southwest festival -- and since i was in austin all weekend, i felt it only appropriate to highlight them today!

best known for their song "pumped up kicks"... but they had a free download of their song "helena beat" last week. and i can't get enough of it.

their debut album torches released last week, too - check out all of the tunes for yourself!!

and here's the band performing "helena beat" on jimmy kimmel...

in texas...

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

in texas for a long weekend... be back soon.

i love... cake balls!

2011-05-26T07:00:00.004-05:00

there have been quite a few food trends over the years (specifically in the dessert category)...

first it was the ice cream-mixing-on-a-slab concept -- which has since been replaced with fro yo (remember my fro yo debate last summer?).

then it was the cupcake boutiques -- and i still can't understand how a store could survive on cupcake sales alone... but it happens. and cupcakes were everywhere - receptions, birthdays, you name it.

well, the newest sweetie (see what i did there?) to hit the scene is CAKE BALLS. and let me tell you... i. am. a. fan. favorites include a red velvet and the oh-so-popular oreo cake ball.

and now they've even added a stick and call them cake POPS! (as seen at starbucks - one of the new "starbucks petites") my fav = birthday cake pop... YUM!

and check out baking blog bakerella for some unique ideas - and a whole book devoted entirely to cake pops!

do you have a favorite cake ball and/or cake pop?

sick of cicadas.

2011-05-25T12:30:00.003-05:00

for all of you non-nashvillians, let me fill you in on our current plauge: cicadas have officially taken over our city.

these things are EVERYWHERE... literally there are millions.

and i, for one, am so sick of having dozens splatter against my windshield every time i hit the streets and dodging them while i walk to and from my car. and enjoying the great outdoors? forget about it. not while these guys are ruling the town. while harmless, they are nothing less than annoying (and oh so loud.)

here are some facts you may or may not know about cicadas...

ours are actually "periodical" cicadas - emerging every 13 years (technically they are "brood xix") - the last time nashville saw them was 1998. and we won't again until 2024 (hallelujah.)
thankfully, they only live for a few weeks (after the females lay about 600 eggs each - yuck.)
their one purpose: reproduction. males send out a "mating call" that can reach 100 decibels. y'all. it. is. so. loud. (it sounds like you're living inside a giant rain stick)

we are trying to make the best of our situation here in middle tennessee. there are even humorous tweets over at @nashvillecicada and @TNcicada.

but here's a little video to give you a glimpse into our lives...

{update: this video was filmed yesterday. 6-story wall of cicadas.}

tuesday tunes - miranda lambert.

2011-05-24T06:00:00.003-05:00

in honor of traveling to texas this weekend {gonna be my first time to austin - pretty pumped!} -- i thought i'd highlight texas homegirl miranda lambert. this girl got her big break from the tv show nashville star, and has only grown as an artist since.

her latest album (album #3), revolution, has done her really well - with 5 chart-toping singles... and the latest release, "heart like mine", just went #1!

this girl is no stranger to incredible songs. her 2 previous albums included hits "kerosene" (title track from album #1), and "famous in a small town" and "gunpowder and lead" (from album #2- crazy ex-girlfriend)- and she scored some ACM and CMA nominations & trophies as well.

but it's revolution that really won me over. this 15-song album is brilliant, and not a song i don't like. these 2 songs that are tied as my favorites....

1. "the house that built me" - written by the oh-so-talented tom douglas - who i am a HUGE fan of...

2. "heart like mine"...

AND - miranda just got hitched to blake shelton 2 weeks ago. inside sources tell me it was a crazy fun wedding :)

chicago city love.

2011-05-21T15:00:00.005-05:00

so i was in charge of showing jeff the way to do atlanta last month.

and this time it was his turn.

we traveled up to chicago this past weekend to visit his family, and snuck away just the two of us on saturday to hangout downtown in the city. here's what jeff planned for us...

brunch at the bongo room.

definitely worth the 45 minute wait. and this picture doesn't even do this justice - it's white chocolate + caramel + pretzel pancakes. oh. my. word. {i love brunch}

the art institute.

from van gogh to monet to picasso, this museum has got it all. wandering through the exhibits was the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon in the city.

the bean.

{technically called the cloud gate.}

for photo-happy people like myself, this is the best thing ever because you can take your own photos! though we couldn't get amazing skylines because of the rain clouds, i do love the effect left from the rain.

afternoon coffee at intelligentsia.

jeff had been talking up this place, and he was right on. no cream or sugar needed, this coffee is so smooth and perfect. {watch their video to learn more about their unique brewing process}

giordano's for dinner.

after a quick stop at h&m on michigan avenue {aka the magnificent mile} - we hit up jeff's favorite chicago pizza place. known for the famous stuffed pizza, we left pretty stuffed ourselves. mmmmmmmm.

then we took the train back up north to the suburbs (side note: i LOVE using the train + subway in big cities!!) it was a pretty fantastic day.

the rain ruined our sunday excursion to wrigley field to cheer on the cubs, but we did decide to keep on our matching shirts all day...

i'm sure we'll be visiting chicago again soon... anything you'd recommend??

life lately (in photos).

2011-05-20T06:00:00.005-05:00

here's a snapshot (get it?) into life lately...

a quatro de mayo party (the day before cinco de mayo of course)...

nashville pedal tavern for lyndsay's birthday. hilarity on wheels.

our old co-worker christine came to visit nashville and we all got to meet sweet baby luci belle! she's very excited about this pickle from our lunch at burger up.

a photo shoot for a little project i'm working on with fashionABLE involving weddings + scarves... my friends were the best models!

while my boss was out of town, i had the honor of picking up his daughter, howie, from school one day. i felt very soccer-mom-ish, but love any moments i get with this girl...

beautiful hydrangeas "just because" + a home-cooked meal for me and the boy...

{whole wheat gnocchi/chicken/zucchini in vodka sauce + a great bottle of malbec}

{up next: my weekend in the windy city...}

machu picchu!

2011-05-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

so i'm heading down to peru later this summer with a couple of girlfriends to hike the inca trail & visit machu picchu - something that has been on my "i want to do this before i die" list for the past few years. needless to say,

i. am. pumped.

i had planned the trip for july, completely clueless that it marks the 100th year anniversary of the discovery of the ruins. the la times are actually posting 100 facts for 100 years of machu picchu... posting one each day for the next 100 days (today is actually fact #34). so now i am even more stoked for our peruvian adventure!

we're booked through perutreks.com and have started "training" in nashville - hiking around our parks and trails, breaking in our boots. and i have a wish list going on over at rei- things like a head lamp and cute day pack - you know, the important stuff.

have you ever gone on a multi-day hike? any tips or special gear you'd suggest? we leave in just a little over 2 months!

summer jams.

2011-05-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

here's my current top 10 as we head into summer...

(ps i've recently become re-acquainted with making mix cd's - anybody else?)

tuesday tunes - hey mama (mat kearney).

2011-05-17T10:00:00.004-05:00

we all know i love me some mat.

and he's been slaving away in the studio for this next album, young love (out later this year), which i am super excited about.

the first single, "hey mama" has been getting some repeat playtime in my itunes...

enjoy!

tuesday tunes - jeremy lister.

2011-05-10T06:00:00.004-05:00

so i told you about street corner symphony a few months back. well, now frontman jeremy lister has come out with his own full-length album, the bed you made. and you guys - it. is. so. good.

this album was five-years-in-the-making and contains some pretty emotionally intense pop/rock songs. {bluegrass friend alison krauss makes an appearance on three of them!} jeremy has had a roller coaster of a career these past few years, starting with a signing to warner brothers records back in 2006, and an eventual parting of ways in 2009 when they refused to release a follow-up to his ep. then came the sing-off last season (and the exposure it brought), to now being in control of his own music and own release with this record.

and i'd say it has paid-off. this is an album you want to own and play on repeat. {you can preview all the songs on itunes...}

here's one of my favorites, "gravity"...

pioneer woman.

2011-05-06T10:30:00.002-05:00

if you are female and read blogs at all, you have probably heard of the pioneer woman - a blog about a spoiled city girl turned domestic country wife. best known for her amazing recipes, she is definitely an inspiration in the kitchen.

jeff and i were invited over to his good friends the wilsons for our own little cinco de mayo fiesta last night. and becca channeled her inner pioneer woman. our menu included:

{photos all courtesy of pioneer woman - but i promise becca's looked (and tasted!) this good...}

restaurant style salsa

enchiladas

{made with ground turkey instead of beef}

apple dumplings

needless to say we were well-fed and well-loved last night.

have you tried any of her recipes i should know about?

tuesday tunes - augustana.

2011-05-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

you're probably familiar with augustana's singles from their last albums.. "boston" and "stars & boulevards" (from all the stars and boulevards - 2005, then re-released in 2006) and "sweet & low" (from can't love, can't hurt - 2008)

but i hadn't heard anything from these california guys for awhile. then, with their new album (technically album #4) out this spring, twitter was all abuzz with everybody loving this thing. so i decided to buy it. and let's just say, i have not been disappointed. self-titled, augustana is a a winner. i'm a big fan of every song, and enjoy listening to it all the way through (not always the case these days!)

see for yourself. here's the first single, "steal your heart"....

recipe: homemade pizzas!

2011-05-02T12:30:00.002-05:00

one of my favorite things to make these days are homemade pizzas. pizza is such a comfort food, but i hate the guilty feeling i get after eating a greasy slice from a restaurant. when you make them yourself, you know exactly what ingredients you are (and aren't!) using - equaling enjoyment without the guilt :)

i had some girls over last night and made 2 different pizzas:

pesto/sundried tomato/spinach

(with lite shredded mozzarella cheese)

turkey/pear/brie

(with a little agave drizzle)

for both, i used the 99¢ whole-wheat dough from trader joe's (duh.)

the secret is lightly brushing the dough with olive oil & pre-cooking it for about 5 minutes before you add your toppings.

finished products!

4.

2011-05-01T17:30:00.001-05:00

it's hard to believe that exactly 4 years ago today i closed on my condo and moved to nashville.

4 years of trials + triumphs.

4 years of heartbreak + healing.

4 years of gain + loss.

4 years of making nashville my home.

on one hand it feels like yesterday that i was loading up the penske truck to drive north, picking out paint colors, and owning my first set of keys.

but on the other, it feels like i've been here forever, and is honestly a little hard to picture life pre-nashville. don't get me wrong - i had 25 full years before i moved here... but this place has shaped me more than any other.

4 years of chasing my dreams.

4 years of living life to the fullest.

4 years of discovering who i really am.

4 years of growing up.

things i love right now.

2011-04-28T09:00:00.006-05:00

just some things i'm currently swooning over...

kimchi blue teardrop wedge - urban outfitters

and i don't even like heels.

bicycle basket - cb2

i just imagine throwing in a blanket + a picnic and riding down to the park...

recycled-glass drink dispenser - west elm.

who wouldn't want to throw a summer soiree serving drinks out of this?

sewing basket apron - anthropologie

i have the matching pot-holders, so i need this, right?

sessun piou liberty duffel bag - urban outfitters

perfect for a weekend getaway...

born this way.

2011-04-27T06:00:00.002-05:00

while i'll admit i do have a gaga guilty pleasure, i can't stop listening to this version of "born this way" - beautifully harmonized by little big town. enjoy...

atlanta weekend done right.

2011-04-26T23:30:00.005-05:00

jeff had a show in atlanta this past saturday, so we decided to make some mix cd's, load up the car, & road trip south to make a weekend out of it. i was in charge of showing him all of the cool places in a short amount of time, so here's what i chose as my atlanta hot-spots...

brunch at the flying biscuit.

i make sure to hit up this spot at least once every time i head home. their biscuits are so fluffy and yummy, and what's not to love about brunch? smoked salmon scramble? yes please.

{i personally enjoy the midtown location, right near piedmont park}

the georgia aquarium.

i know i'm a little bias because it's my home state, but this aquarium really is awesome. from beluga whales to whale sharks, it's a party under the sea.

oh - and jeff has a not-so-small obsession with penguins. so we hung out with them for awhile (and i've never seen him so happy!)

right next door is the world of coke.

this very interactive experience takes you on the coca-cola journey of the last 120 years. highlights include a 4D movie and "taste it" - samples of over 60 coke products from around the world.

{tip: a "pemberton place pass" gets you into both the aquarium & the coke museum with a discounted price - get it online to avoid lines!}

snack at the varsity.

"what'll ya have?" is a famous phrase in the a-t-l. known for their chili dogs, onion rings, and the ever-so-popular frosted orange, the varsity has been serving customers since 1928 as the world's largest drive-in restaurant! jeff and i shared a frosted orange (think: dreamsicle in a cup) as an afternoon snack. yum-o.

dinner at two urban licks.

this has recently become one of my all-time favorite restaurants. i first went back in january when i was in atlanta for apparel market with work, and i knew that i just had to bring jeff here. from their unique wine barrel program to the fiery open kitchen in the middle of this warehouse-turned-super-trendy-and-vibey-space... i feel like i'm in restaurant heaven. oh, and the food? amazing. i especially loved our sweet-and-spicy calamari appetizer and our creme brulee dessert.

late night dessert + drinks at cafe intermezzo.

this place has been my jam since high school. i love the vintage euro cafe vibe. the desserts are incredible (there's a pastry "tour guide" that explains them by the case each night). and the beverage book is full of hundreds of choices that pair beautifully. we shared the oreo cheesecake (my fav) and a white chocolate oreo mouse cake (it was fantastic). i had a glass of wine and jeff had an old fashioned, which were perfectly divine.

and this was post-six-flags by the way (see below)...

{oh - and the peachtree rd. location is the best!}

so another highlight of our weekend was the gig jeff had. he plays with matthew west, who just so happened to be performing at six flags over georgia saturday night. i grew up going to six flags, but never before have i seen the park from a VIP-view...

first, we went to the employee entrance, and had free parking. (and avoided that chaos that is an amusement parking lot)

then, we're escorted to the backstage area - with air conditioned trailers and catering galore.

while jeff sound-checked, my friends allie & garrett met us and we rode a few rides the old fashioned way (aka waiting in line).

but once the band joined us, we were escorted around the secret back streets of the park in an air conditioned van right up to the back of each ride, then brought up to the top of the line and given priority access. a lot of roller coasters in not so a lot of time... i could get used to this.

then the guys played their set and i watched from side-stage, as the sunset turned into the georgia night sky.

it was a great weekend, making memories and living life with some southern charm.

but tell me -- what did i miss?

what are your favorite atlanta places that we should hit up next time?

tuesday tunes - parachute.

2011-04-26T07:30:00.002-05:00

{please excuse my major lack of blogging - and even missing a tuesday tune last week - yikes! boot camp has taken over my life this month. for humorous recaps of our crazy boot camp musings - check out lyndsay's blog...}

ok. now on to this week. i'm super excited to tell you guys about parachute. they are one of our newer mocha club artists, and these guys are so talented. i got my hands on their newest album, the way it was (out may 17), and cannot stop listening to it. seriously, every song is great, and it is very well done (and very radio friendly!)

these new nashvillians (recently relocated from virginia) have a very devoted following, and it's only growing by the day. with their debut album, losing sleep, under their belt, they've been opening for plain white t's this spring, and will be out with goo goo dolls this summer. their first single, "she is love" was even featured in an ad by nivea skincare last year (random...but cool.)

the first single off the way it was, "kiss me slowly" was co-written with Lady Antebellum's Dave & Charles and was just released last week. i promise it'll get stuck in your head...

(another favorite to check out: "something to believe in")

tuesday tunes: grace potter.

2011-04-12T07:30:00.002-05:00

i don't have a ton of time for today's tune - but just enough to tell you about the lovely grace potter {and her band the nocturnals}.

this homegrown vermont band has made themselves a national act, known for amazing live shows. with their 3rd album recently released (self titled grace potter & the nocturnals) you get a feel of the wide variety of songs these guys can do - from blues to reggae to classic rock.

and i'm kinda obsessed with her song "paris (ooh la la)"...

recipe: {healthy} blueberry pancakes

2011-04-10T17:00:00.001-05:00

i don't know about you, but i'm always looking for new breakfast recipes. i'm a creature of habit and tend to stick with my same 'ol routine most mornings.
but today was a new day - i recently found this healthy blueberry pancake recipe and decided to give it a try.
i was a little hesitant because of the lack of wheat, oil or sugar - but the blueberries provide a little something sweet, and the consistency from the ground oats is perfect!

they really were super yummy.

- 1/2 cup rolled oats (gluten free oats)
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese (i know, weird - but it's in place of oil & adds protein!)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp stevia
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup blueberries
{coconut oil to grease pan}

put rolled oats in food processor {i use my magic bullet!} & blend oatmeal to a fine powder.

add remaining ingredients, except blueberries, & blend until batter forms (about 10 seconds). heat skillet to 300 degrees and grease generously with coconut oil to prevent sticking. pour batter into a hot skillet, making 4 pancakes and add your blueberries. cook until lightly brown and then flip over and cook the other side until lightly brown.

top with syrup {i use trader joe's agave/maple blend} & ENJOY.

tuesday tunes - hillsong united.

2011-04-05T08:00:00.003-05:00

it's no secret that i love hillsong united. they're my favorite worship music, hands down. i mentioned them when i talked about brooke fraser. i have posted videos a few times.

hillsong united is a group of australian lovelies "committed to writing songs that speak truth, create a unique sound, connects with churches, individuals and ultimately connects people everywhere with God."

you'd think after so many successful albums, they'd just run out of good songs. but, they came out with another stellar album last month that i continue to listen to and love.

it's titled aftermath, and reflects every season of life. and i'll just let them tell you about it...

note: favorite songs include "like an avalanche", "bones", & "search my heart" - listen over at itunes.

stronger.

2011-04-04T08:00:00.004-05:00

i may have made a terrible mistake.

i signed up for a 5:15am boot camp 4 days a week for the entire month of april. (it was a groupon special for niki g fitness - so we got a killer deal.) oh- and it's outside at a park about 25 minutes away. so that means my alarm goes off at 4:30am. yup, FOUR-thirty.

fear and doubt and just plain exhaustion were the emotions running through my mind around 9pm last night when i set my alarm. what am i doing? it's hard enough for me to get to the gym in the 6 o'clock hour! {this sister loves herself some snooze button.} but, knowing that all across town 6 of my close friends were setting their alarms, too, gave me some encouragement.

i prayed for God to give me rest and energy in the morning, and closed my eyes.

we could do this thing.

and here i sit, boot camp class #1 complete. yes, it was early. yes, it was hard. (maybe i felt like i was going to puke.) but on my drive home i couldn't help but feel stronger. not because i am awesome. but God really met me this morning. He reminded me that He wants to make me stronger. He wants to develop discipline and self-control in me.

so i'm using this new morning schedule to be more diligent and disciplined all around. i'm making/eating a healthy breakfast (versus my usual throw-a-waffle-in-the-toaster and shove it down in the car on the way to work.) i'm taking time to read, pray, and be still each morning (which, sadly, a lot of mornings i skip because i "run out of time"..) i'm giving up some "treats" during the week to practice more self-control. (read: wine & chocolate - 2 of my favorite things - ouch!) i'm going to bed early (super weird for this night owl.)

i'm not expecting any miracle transformations, but if i walk away from april just the slightest bit stronger physically, emotionally, & spiritually... i will consider this month a victory.

i'll keep you posted...

{oh - and i can't stop singing "stronger" in my head...}

i ♥ sunny saturdays in the spring.

2011-04-02T16:00:00.003-05:00

i've mentioned before that when the weather gets warm, one of my favorite things is to throw a blanket, a good book, and some snacks into a backpack, hop on my bike, and head a few blocks over to east park and enjoy the great outdoors. with a view of the skyline (LOVE!!) and some breezy 70 degree temps, it couldn't get more perfect.