my favorite moments of christmas eve/day 2012...

{famous turtle soup at the Harpers}

...only a month later!

a little date at bistro to go...

Sometimes you just need a little lunch date to remind each other that dating is fun and even though you have been in a relationship for a long time, gosh darn it, it is important, too! I have picked up Bistro To Go's famous strawberry salad to go, but I had yet to eat inside until this holiday season. I can't tell you how many times I thought about going before we actually sat down and ate in their dining room, but it wasn't soon enough.

We all know the feeling of going somewhere- ordering something- and thinking "well, I could have made this at home." How disappointing is that?!  Bistro To Go is not, I repeat - NOT - this kind of restaurant; it is the opposite side of the coin. Their flavors from the seemingly simple strawberry salad topped with addictive dressing, the tomato basil soup, to the creamy stuffed chicken with capers are so complex and mouth wateringly delicious that even after I finished the last bite on my plate I wondered what everything else on the menu tasted like! This will be a repeat restaurant for me for sure.

Have you tried Bistro To Go? What do you recommend?

wedding update...and a handmade gift!

I'd like to say I'm not one of those brides that feels overwhelmed - that everything seems to be falling in place with practically no stress or effort on my part...but that would be a big lie. I am for sure enjoying the planning process, however, it does sometimes feel like a full time job- on top of a full time job. Squeezing in meetings on lunch breaks and weekends really takes a toll on your "social life" and everyday normal routines. I am beginning to understand why brides only talk about their upcoming nuptials! It's because that's all they have been doing! With that said, I haven't been blogging because it just seemed like something else I had to add to the to-do list and no one wants me to blog like it's my job, right?!

 In any event- on the topic of weddings, I would like to post about my dear friend, Diane. She was in town after the holidays visiting her in-laws and me, of course! As an upholstery apprentice in South Carolina for the last 6 months, Diane offered to reupholster one of my "side of the road" lazy-boy finds as a gift for our wedding. She came into the house with all her power tools and took over for 3 half days until the chair was complete. I'll tell ya, I am still overwhelmed when I look at the finished product and I'm in awe at the wealth of knowledge she has collected in her new position; and on top of that, the fact that she has chosen to share her time and talent with me is really the ultimate gift. Diane- I applaud you and your bad-assery :)

This improved 1978 lazy boy is now a point of contention between Tison and I as we now argue over who gets the recliner! :) Thank you again for all your hard work! We love it.

New Orleans lady...

Remember this little trip to New Orleans? 

My post holiday work (and over)time has been spent planning for our conference this weekend in NOLA. It is back to the beautiful Windsor Court for a weekend of neurosurgical festivities with Katie-bug!

{This is some of the work crew at our department holiday gathering. I've said it before, but it really makes a huge difference liking the people you work with. Everything is more fun!}

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, and I also hope that you don't mind me sharing my Christmas and New Years pictures with you next week! Better late than never :) and who doesn't want to pretend it is still the most wonderful time of the year?

happy new year!

There were many gatherings with friends in town for the holidays, hundreds of pictures were taken, but there's this one image that made my heart pitter patter...a moment captured of us kissing at midnight on New Year's day... our first kiss in 2013...the year we are getting married.

ps - these resolutions still apply! Maybe this year :/