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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Currently listening to...


Venue booked, date set. Wedding shoes bought, song picked. We sure are going at this thing all sorts of haphazardly... but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Tuesday.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Weekend, recap









We had a great weekend! We ended up meeting Huynh's brother and cousins at Lupe Tortilla for a beerita (Huynh) and a skinny margarita (me). Delish. Huynh's sister, Le, sent me the picture of the chiavari chair wrapped in that gorgeous purple silk. Swoon. Definitely made us go into wedding decor overdrive.

It was a mexican food filled weekend with another dinner spent at a little hole-in-the-wall by our house on Friday night. I stayed up way too late that night on pinterest... found those Love wrapped letters and the ideas started swirling! Huynh made breakfast Sunday with cheese, egg, sausage, and sauteed watercress. So, so, good. Pam introduced me to the Lose It! app and I am obsessed. Wedding diet bootcamp commences.

Speaking of wedding... we have a date! October 6, 2012 (has a nice ring to it) to be exact. With an outdoor ceremony, I am praying for beautiful Houston weather.

Where did January go?

Friday, January 27, 2012


This made me laugh out loud. You may not know this, but I am a big, big fan of Harry Potter. Big fan. So big that in 2009, we rented a car and drove to Chicago... and while this trip was filled with other things like...
  • I gambled for the first time at a casino close to Memphis, and lost,
  • Stayed at a hotel that had a pool shaped like a guitar,
  • Peered over the wall at Elvis' mansion,
  • Ate my very first Big Buford, now a road trip tradition,
  • Got my very first (and so far only) speeding ticket in Missouri, on a portion of road that was being patrolled by air cops - you've seen those signs, and they are true,
  • Saw the Gateway Arch in St. Louis,
  • Posed for photo booth pictures at Blueberry Hill,
  • Walked the Magnificent Mile,
  • Rode the elevator to the top of the Hancock Tower,
  • Took pictures under the bean - it's our profile pic!,
  • Played in the water at the Crown Fountain,
  • Drank way too much wine at Bin 36, and
  • Posed next to the Michael Jordan statue - next time, ask the cab driver to stay so you don't have to hike a mile to the El stop in what appeared to be the roughest part of town.

...the point was to see this exhibition. Yes, we drove nearly 1100 miles - only one way, we flew back - to go to a museum.

We even ordered room service and stayed in one night while in Denver and watched the marathon. Oh and this summer, we head to Orlando to go to Universal Studios. So, yes, I love this card like Harry loves Ginny and think it would look so fun framed in a kid's room. Perfect balance of organic and whimsy.

Since decorating a kid's room isn't quite on my radar yet, I instead snagged a Valentine's Day card from her shop for Huynh. See if you can guess which one...

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Taxes and other musings

{via}

I filed my taxes last night.

Yes, I realize it's only the fourth week of January but, to be fair, all I need is my W-2 and I am good to go with a 1040EZ! It took all of 30 minutes and my return will be in my bank account in 72 short hours. Thankyouverymuch.

We were both in the office working on each of ours last night - which reminds me... I really need to take a picture of our dueling computer screens. I have the 21.5" iMac which is rather expansive on it's own sitting next to Huynh's "computer" screen which is actually my old 32" TV. It's comical. I find myself squinting at my screen at work - and I have two side-by-side. But I digress...

So we were sitting there next to each other realizing that this was the last time that I would file taxes - come on, you think I'm going to do it when we get married? Ha. Good one. And while this year, we both are getting a little bit of dough back, I'm terrified for next year. I have heard horror stories of the marriage penalty causing couples to owe thousands come tax time. And, knowing that 2012 is the year of our nuptials, this time next year I fear that I will be crying in my coffee.

While we are getting money back for 2011, it's going straight into savings to help curb 2012. Since all engaged couples apparently have a money tree growing in their backyard, I plan on trimming ours down to pay for things like five bottles of Remy 1738 (because we have priorites) and hope that this little bit of a return will hold us over.

With this, I'm sending out a plea to Uncle Sam to be gentle with us next year. I would like my wedding hangover to last as long as possible and not be snapped back into reality with a drained bank account. Well that and I really want these.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Coffee table fun


It's a long week at work... okay not long to most but long to those of us that really enjoy their 9-80s and the 36-hour week every other week that comes with it. This weekend we are planning on actually stripping, sanding, and staining the coffee table that my parents gave us that, yes, is still sitting in the garage. It has clean lines with zero storage so I have been eyeing this Jonathan Adler tray for a while now. I'm loving the greek key pattern in navy. Hawt.

Contrary to popular belief, we are working on the house still - and even now with more urgency at the upcoming onslaught of guests that will surely be pouring in at the end of the year. So this weekend, I am also going to clean out the coat closet and even give Gatsby a bath. He be stinky. More to come.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Wedding ban


We are enacting a wedding ban around these parts (yes, already). Yesterday, at work, we realized that we were nothing short of worthless with all of the emails to vendors and general nonsensical-ness that comes with gathering up names for the guest list along with addresses and spouses names. To top it off, we also left work to drive straight to Events to order the wedding book. We chose a beautiful candlelight silk with a color on color monogram which will take... oh five to six weeks to come in. It'll be worth it. But still.

So, we decided that Monday will be our non-wedding day to, oh, I don't know, actually talk about our life, HIMYM, and what inappropriate outfit so-and-so wore to work that day (because you know it'll happen). We have alot of decisions to make regarding our big day but 99% of those decisions don't have to be made on Mondays. It'll give us a nice respite from the weekend - which we know will be filled with weddinginess - and a refresher to reconnect on a non-"Sarah gets her way because it is 95.5% her day". Yes, we have already assigned percentages to how much of this wedding is mine versus Huynh's versus my mom's. Spoiler: Huynh is in 3rd with a whopping 0.5%.

Oh but 'tis Tuesday today so I have free reign to show you the amazesh wedding cake topper I found on etsy. Seriously swoon worthy.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Weekend, recap
















Phewwwwwww... this weekend. We were busy. We cooked PW's Pulled Pop Pork this past week and had it for leftovers for the entire week. It was SO good!  We looked at love stamps online only to find out the next day that they went up one cent. Guess I should have bought them? Ha. Perhaps a tad too early...

Torchy's Tacos on Friday (and then again on Saturday!) and hit up IKEA. We grabbed two lanterns and 12 wine glasses - cheap, but I definitely don't care when they break which is a super plus. Gatsby thought we were crazy. We looked through a ton of wedding magazines and emailed just as many vendors - check out that carriage cake. Whoa.

New Years at Huynh's parents house followed by working on the wedding website - iWeb makes it too easy. Oh and we worked. Lame.

Happy Monday.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Love


Super late post today but in honor of recent events, I picked a print that was more than appropriate because hey, love is all you need for this engaged sap.

That and a venue.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

New Years



With Chinese New Year approaching, we got our red envelopes for the kids in the mail last night with a special bonus... we folded all of the two dollar bills into origami.

All eight.

It took hours. Hours. Our labor costs was more than the $16 we spent... but hey, it was worth it. They all turned out pretty adorable (and yes, you spy two butterflies, four hearts, shirt and tie, and a flying dragon).

My favorite is the shirt and tie. I like a dapper man.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Second purchase


I promise this is not going to be a theme... come 147 posts from now, I won't be titling them "One-hunderdth and forty ninth purchase". Mainly because I think I would have a riot on my hands and would have probably maxed out the credit card by then and cried a couple of times.   

But, for now, since we are only on the second purchase of my newly engaged self, I had to share this embosser! I have only heard great things about the ease of this embosser - you purchase the tool and with it comes a voucher that you fill out and send in with your information. If you move, add a child, or are just ready for a change, the plates are super easy to change out and there are multiple styles to choose from. I'm a big fan of blind embossing so this is clearly right up my alley.

Embosser ordered, stationary on its way. Progress, people, progress.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

First purchase


I made my first wedding purchase last night*... not only for the wedding but for the future, this book is full of everything from table settings to unfriending someone on Facebook (not kidding). I'm really excited about finally nailing down - quite nerdily I will admit - the right way to address envelopes and cards. Because really, the paper goods are where it's at.  

*To be fair, we also bought these a couple of months ago but who's counting?

Monday, January 16, 2012

Fabulous weekend, recap

Those weekend plans? Oh yea, Huynh turned those upside down when he ... well ... proposed!




I have been working like a mad woman this past week so when Huynh suggested a date night to wind down my mind, I jumped at the opportunity. Thursday, he sent me a picture of the tickets he picked up at the Drafthouse while he was shopping suggesting 80s karaoke. Done deal. Saturday morning, I scampered off to work, none the wiser, leaving him with a promise to return by 5:30 so I would have time to get ready. Like clockwork, I pull into our garage to be met by him telling me that we have reservations for dinner after karaoke so I needed to dress up.

Yup, still nothing out of the ordinary for my romantic fiance.

We were pulling out of the house by 6:30 heading for the Drafthouse - only to have to turn around because we forget the tickets - and back on the road by 6:40. When we got to the theater, we were the only ones there, watching previews for Karate Kid among other things - total 80s themed. The theater goes dark and a movie starts - Midnight in Paris - and when I look over to Huynh, he is getting out of his seat and on to his knee. Since he couldn't take me to Paris (me and my serious lack of vacation hours), he brought Paris to me. Swoon.

Obviously I said "yes" :).

Unbeknownst to me, he had asked my dad about two weeks ago when he started the planning and had told our friends and family to be at theater at 7:15ish for a fun engagement party. Pictures were taken, hugs were given, and, at one point, Huynh even sang "Marry You" by Bruno Mars. The outpouring of love we received, even two days later, still gives me goosebumps. We are so blessed to have such amazing friends and family come together to celebrate with us as we take that next step in life. We are truly thankful.

So, let's get the planning started!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday the 13th


"Elephants with their trunks up are good luck...elephants with their trunks up and spurting flowers bring you wealth, happiness, beauty, and never ending supplies of chocolate!" I'm sold.

We are hoping to take it easy this weekend - I have a few projects up my sleeve to get done and then, of course, work. Huynh's brother and SIL are coming into town and when they do, we tend to do a crawfish crawl... yes, like a pub crawl only we go to crawfish restaurants on Bellaire and eat our weight in those creepy crawly delights. And hey, in the spirit of the day, we might even watch a scary movie.

Maybe.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Five things; smells like...



These oriental lilies that Huynh got me "just because" (or as he put it for our "14 month and a day anniversary" if you are counting) are rocking my world. They are making my entry way table beautiful and my living room smell like a field of fresh flowers. Delicious. 

What other smells do I have lurking around our house that I just can't get enough of?





I am drawn to warm, clean scents for the house - probably due to the fact that in my house growing up, we didn't have a single candle. My mom is a rock star when it comes to not only cleaning her house but keeping it clean and smelling fresh.

Me, on the other hand, who tends to overcook bacon and has a dog that regularly emits smells that would knock you down, needs a candle or two to keep the house under control. Too fragrant gives me a headache so I like to keep it fresh when it comes to what wick I burn.

How do you keep your house smelling squeaky clean? Au naturale? Or do you regularly bake cookies? If so, I'm coming over.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

T-34 days


Okay, I'm a little excited for Valentine's day! It's such a corny perfect holiday... that I need to start decorating for. I'm working on some ideas for garland for starters and a new wreath so get excited.

P.S. Okay, yes, I am super busy at work hence the limited posting. But those chocolate and peppermint covered marshamallows looked too delicious not to share!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Slate


Always on the look out for fantastic table decor, I am loving these slate place mats from West Elm. Heavy duty - and you can write on them with chalk! - I think that they would make such a fun conversation piece.

If only the price tag weren't so dang steep.

Monday, January 9, 2012

As I turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat*









We were busy this weekend... we had Friday off so Huynh golfed while I worked 11 hours of OT. Eleven. Whoopie-do. Saturday picked up when we drove up to the Woodlands to celebrate a certain cutie-pie's 4th birthday. She chose a Dora themed shindig complete with a bouncy house and a crazy good balloon man. He made whatever the kids wanted - which included anything from a Dora, to an angry bird, tiaras, swords, and the like. The kids loved it to say the least. My parents came into town for the celebration so the four of us managed to sneak away for dinner at Danton's which was delicious. We stayed up way too late Saturday watching football and talking so Sunday we took it easy... grabbed a bite at Ruggles Green, picked up a birthday present for me at Lululemon, dropped off my charm bracelet at James Avery (got this and this for Christmas to add to it), and snatched some fizzbanger bath bombs at Lush to die for.

So I need to up the moisturizer application in my daily beauty regiment so I went by Sephora to grab some Eye Hope. While I was there, I picked up a travel sized container of Hope in a Jar along with NARS The Multiple and Lip Gloss both in Orgasm. It really is the perfect shade of pink.

Huynh scored too with a bottle of Bleu De Chanel. He smells delicious.

Back to the grind. Happy Monday!

*No, it's not cold here... we have had some seriously beautiful weather - minus this morning when it poured rain and all I wanted to do was cuddle. However, I have been listening to Michael Jackson on repeat. Man in the Mirror really is amazing.