Weekend Update

{Linking up with Sami and Leeann!}
The weekend was so nice that I didn't want it to end!

I started Friday with a Train Like Jane class at Core Fitness. It was a little tough because I did Insanity the night before and was incredibly sore. It's now Sunday night and I'm still sore. I love it!

After that Andrew and I had a lovely evening at home. We scanned through wedding stuff, I started our website, ate an awesome meal, and lounged. Bliss.

I discovered Weddington Way this weekend and oh my goodness it's amazing. Seriously if you are involved in weddings, please check it out! It's the easiest way to pick wedding party dresses and create a showroom, and then you can also converse with your wedding party about the dresses within the platform. It's very smart!

Saturday morning was so nice and lazy. The highlight: we tried our new Nespresso!

It was delicious and super easy to use. I also love our milk frother! Look how fluffy! Cinnamon adds a nice touch. This morning I added a peppermint stick to my latte and it was amazing. Take that, Starbucks!

The other highlight was chatting with my mom, sister, sister-in-law, and soon to be mother-in-law. We all have a weekend free in April for dress shopping here in Chicago! Do you have any boutique recommendations? Please let me know!

As if the highlights weren't awesome enough, the BEST part of Saturday was hanging out with Callie and Megan, two sorority sisters who both happened to be in town for different events! 

We shopped and went to The Third Rail (our favorite neighborhood bar)! 

It was so great to catch up with two dear friends!

Also, Callie and I asked each other to be bridesmaids in our weddings!

Callie's getting married in September and Andrew and I next Spring. It's so fun to go through the planning process together and to stand up for each other on our special days.

I'll share how I asked her soon, but I still have two ladies to ask and I don't want to spoil it!
I will have five total plus our Flower Girl, Lizzie! My sister and Lizzie know already and I asked my sister-in-law over Christmas. Callie is the third to know! I'm waiting until I see each lady in person. While the five I chose were a no-brainer, it was SO hard to ONLY choose five. I couldn't sleep some nights because I was so worried to hurt feelings, but I chose the three friends as representatives from three different phases in my life: hometown, college, and DC. Callie is college, obviously, so the hometown and DC gals are next to ask! I can't wait!

Saturday night Andrew and I tried a new restaurant in the neighborhood, Vincenzo's Pizzeria. It wasn't our favorite, but we'll definitely go back to try other menu options and drinks. The kitchen is also open late night, which is a definite perk.

Sunday was the laziest of days. We barely moved until Mass at 5 pm. So fantastic!

I'm looking forward to this week because a lot of planning is going to happen! Fingers crossed it all works out!

How was your weekend?

Fall To-Dos

Happy Wednesday!

I forgot to take some pictures from "back when" for my usual Wednesday link-up. Oops. 

Thankfully, Callie posted a Fall To-Do List (apparently inspired by Katie at Keep Calm and Carry On), so I thought I would follow suit. I would like to do all of this by the end of the year. 

Financials

1. Spend less, save more. I need to afford plane tickets to see my family and Andrew's family over the holiday season. Need. I also need to buy presents. 

2. Only go out to lunch once a work week. This basically means I can have Subway once a week because I shouldn't spend more money than that.

3. Only eat out once a weekend. We'll see how well this works. It most likely won't. Chicago has some fine eats and I sure do like sampling them.

4. No more Groupons to gyms. I have enough classes at Core Fitness for a while. Variety will have to wait. (Although I REALLY want to check out the gym across the street from our building!!) 

5. Only buy coffee when we run out at home. Andrew's coffee is awesome and everything else is not that good anyway. Sorry Starbucks lovers, you haven't had anything until you've had an Andrew brew.

Exercise (and fine, I guess Eating Right)

1. I mean, so far so good. My goal on New Years Eve was to not look the same to ring in 2013. Heck, I've kept off the 20 pounds I lost during the 90 days of P90X and am more toned than ever now that I have a trainer. However, boot camp just ended (silly Daylight Savings and chilly mornings!). I still workout with my trainer once a week and attend a Train Like Jane class at least once a week, so I have to do P90X to fill up my time the rest of my workout days. I'm limiting myself to 5 a week to give my knees some rest. Fingers crossed I keep it up.

2. We eat really well when we cook...and we are kind of awesome in the kitchen, so we need to do this more and eat out less.  

3. I've been good about not snacking at work, especially the free stuff in the kitchen a mere stone's throw from my desk. Must keep this up. It's tough.

Work and Play

1. Get certified in Google Analytics. This is no easy feat with my work load, but I need to do it to be a more well-rounded analyst. I don't want to be pigeon-holed in social metrics (even though it's fun and always changing!).

2. Save up to get a pair of cognac boots. This is kind of a need since my current pairs are completely beat up.

3. Long weekend to DC: booked!!! Can't wait!

4. Don't hibernate. It's not winter yet. 

5. However, stay at home to watch MSU/Lions/Steelers. We have a stockpile of beer and a crock pot. We'll be just fine.

6. However x 2: get to a bar on a Sunday so we don't forget our roots lol

7. Cheer on the Nats and Tigers in the playoffs! SOOO excited for this! We would love to make it to a game, buuuuut it probably won't happen. Womp womp.

8. Head back to the Cheese Castle and Apple Orchard/Pumpkin Farm in Wisconsin. We're going a Saturday in October! Cider and Cider Donuts (and cheeeeese) here we come!

{via}

What about all of you? Any goals before the end of 2012?

Weekend Update!

How is the weekend over already? It just isn't fair.
I started the weekend with a sore throat, which turned into a nasty cold. Wah. Andrew and I still made our trip to Ohio, though! A little cold won't keep me from Theta Nu's 95th Anniversary and Callie's Birthday! Nosiree! 
On our trip we stopped in Richmond, Indiana. More on that tomorrow because I loved it so much!
Here's my first of two collages of our weekend:

Top: It rained a little bit as we crossed into Ohio but it only made the trees look that much prettier to me! The skies were sunny for the remainder of the trip! When we got in on Friday my mom had some homemade Chicken Noodle Soup for us, which made coming home that much sweeter.

Middle Left: My parents have a cat named Fluffy. She is beautiful but wow is she mean! She WILL NOT let you touch her. I told Colonel Meow he should meet her (ps please go look at that Facebook account! HILARIOUS!). 

Middle Right: Andrew and I took a picture on the porch before going out on Saturday night. My family always takes pictures on the porch, like it's the first day of school. Lucky for Andrew, right?

Bottom Left: We stocked up on Conn's Chips and Yuengling since we can't get either in Chicago.

Bottom Right: Finally, the Porsche driver on our way home yesterday was apparently a C student.

Now on to Theta Nu!

We didn't make the parade and meeting Saturday morning. Sniffling in sweatpants while watching football were far more appealing for us than standing in the cold. I was sad to miss it, but really wasn't up for it!

That night, though, we went out! I saw some ladies I haven't seen in YEARS! It was great to catch up, reminisce, and give hug after hug. It was a pretty good turnout, especially since an entirely different group went to the parade in the morning. Yay Violets! 

(Yes, Violets are our sorority flower, and that is one of our nicknames).

The pictures above are from the Theta Nu event as well as later on that evening out for Callie's Birthday. We had soooo much fun! I can't wait for the 100th celebration!!!
The quote is from when I pledged, and was one of the many reasons why I pledged Theta Nu. I joined because they let me be me! It was awesome to be around a group of strong women who loved each other for who we are rather than what we look like. But, let's be honest, we are all very beautiful, too :)
P.S. recognize Callie and Holly? Yep, I have two awesome blogger sisters!
How was your weekend?
Today I linked up with Dana, Leeann, and Sami!

Way Back {When}sday!

Happy Wednesday!

Today I'm linking up with Rachel from Can't Google Everything to dedicate this post to my best friend, Callie. It's her Birthday today, too, so please go send her some love and enter her giveaway!

I sadly don't have any digital pictures from our pledging days, but here are a few from back when.

haha the top two pictures are pre-highlights days. Annnnd a couple of others are from my spray tan days. Ohhh memories.

The most recent is the bottom left, from my 26th Birthday/Grad School Graduation in DC when Callie came to visit!

Recent pictures will be here on Monday! Can't wait to see the Birthday Girl and our Theta Nu gals at Otterbein Homecoming this weekend!