Monday, September 28, 2009

tidying up.

I'm working on updating some visual elements of my little blog, so if you stop by and it looks crazy... don't judge me and please say a little prayer that I don't screw it all up :)

Sunday, September 27, 2009

adorable.


{source: pictopia.com}


I am pretty sure we need one of these little cuddle bugs to come live with us. Won't you join me in convincing my husband of this??


Thursday, September 24, 2009

are you watching?

Are you watching Glee?


Please, oh please, oh PLEASE tell me that you are! I am loving this show more and more every week.


What else do I love?


Beyonce.
(don't even get me started on how awesome I think she is)

So imagine my excitement when this week's episode started off like this...



My love grew even stronger when Kurt did the dance again later in the episode. While wearing a helmet. On the football field.


I don't know how else to say it, but this show is magical.


Need a little more proof?



Watch it. If you don't smile at least once during this show, something must be seriously wrong.



Wednesday, September 23, 2009

(mostly) wordless wednesday

four months ago today...


{photo courtesy of ashley k photography}






Monday, September 21, 2009

weekend wrap-up


Kyle and I traveled to Arizona this weekend to celebrate his grandma's birthday. We flew to Phoenix on Friday and enjoyed dinner with his parents and grandparents, then travelled to Tucson on Saturday to visit his great-grandma. She is one of the few relatives that I have never been able to meet, so it was quite a treat! We had such a great visit!


This was at Great-Grandma Holmes' house. All of the 'ornament's on the tree are actually pieces of jewelry that belonged to Kyle's great-great-grandmother. The picture isn't that great, but I loved this idea. It is such a neat way to display these special pieces and was oh-so-pretty!

The Kruegers + Great-Grandma Holmes. She very much lived up to all of the wonderful and funny stories I have heard about her over the years. So happy that I was finally able to meet her!


Four generations

Opening her gift (pictures from the wedding)


The birthday girl!

If you've never been to Arizona, the sun is CRAZY bright. That explains my sunglasses and Kyle's squinting.


Cactus pic # 2

Our travel buddies for the weekend

Kyle's grandparents

Thanks to Kyle's parents for setting up the wonderful trip and to Kyle's grandparents for hosting us this weekend!




Friday, September 18, 2009

foodie friday.


A few weeks ago my dad bought me an edition of Cooking for Two. We have already made several of the recipes and I must say, I am a fan. The recipes are sized perfectly for just the two of us, which I love. Here is a link to buy the cookbook. We have a smaller, magazine-style version that you can pick up at Barnes & Noble.

This recipe is perfect for fall. I have already made this twice and am certain that we will be dining on this many more times this fall. I was pretty sure I didn't even like corn chowder until I tried this recipe.

See the pretty cross? It's from my momma. And my sweet pink apron... it's from Kyle's mom, Kim. Thanks ladies!

PANTRY CORN CHOWDER


Ingredients:


1 pound frozen corn (fully thawed)
3/4 cup whole milk
3 slices bacon, minced
1 small onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
Table salt
2 garlic cloves, minced (I skip that step and have some pre-minced garlic in the fridge)
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces red potatoes (about 3 small) cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Ground black pepper


1. Process half of the corn with the milk in a food processor until smooth; set aside

2. Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3 . Add the pureed corn, broth, potatoes and 1/4 salt, bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are almost tender (the recipe says this should take 5 minutes but it usually takes a bit longer for me). Stir in the remaining corn; return to a simmer and cook until the corn is warmed through and the potatoes are tender, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with the reserved bacon, and serve.


Here is a little preview of our fall table, complete with a delicious fall meal.
(the bread on the table was an extra little treat that I picked up at Panera... asiago bread = delish!)





We're leaving our rainy fall weather this afternoon and heading to Arizona for some 100 degree temperatures. Can't say I'm excited for the heat, but I am very excited for the people we will be spending the weekend with! Sunday is Kyle's grandma's birthday so we will be hanging out with Kyle's folks, Grandma and Grandpa Krueger and Kyle's great-grandma. We're all packed up and ready to go! Have a fabulous weekend friends!




ps-Monday is the first official day of fall! I plan to celebrate with a Pumpkin Spice. You should too!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

weekend wrap-up... a few days late.


Happy Wednesday everyone! I narrowed down the many, many pictures of our DC trip to my favorite few, so I hope you enjoy!

I flew to DC on Thursday while Kyle was in class (three cheers for me taking my first solo ride on the MARTA). Jenn had asked me to come on Thursday so that we could have a "girl's dinner" and shop for bridal gowns. Little did I know, our girl's dinner was actually a bridesmaids dinner! Shortly after Jenn and I sat down at the restaurant, two of her good friends showed up to join us. I had no idea they were coming and they didn't know that I would be there, so you can imagine the little scene that our girlish squeals caused in the restaurant. We drew even more attention to ourselves when Jennifer presented each of us with a sweet card asking us to be part of her wedding day. It was such a fun dinner and a fabulous surprise.

The bride and her girls


We spent Friday preparing for a going away party for one of my fellow bridesmaids and stopped by another bridal shop. No purchases have been made, but we think that we may have found the perfect dress for Jennifer to wear when she marries Jason!

With the guest of honor at her going away party



Sisters at the party


Sisters + the fellas
(we're trying to come up with a clever name for the four of us.... well, I'm trying to)


The boys bonded over football on Saturday while Jenn and I went to see 500 Days of Summer. I had heard great things about the movie and it did not disappoint! I highly recommend it!

The weather was great on Sunday so we did a little sightseeing after church and brunch. Jenn *brilliant* idea that we take a duck tour. It was such a fun way to see the city. We got to see so much and had a very entertaining driver/caption. Here are some pictures from that adventure...

Jason + Jenn on the duck






The back of the Lincoln Memorial
(aka-where Jenn and Jason got engaged)


Cruising on the Potomac













After the duck tour, Jason took us to see the FDR Memorial. I had never seen this memorial before and I loved it. It was so unique and tells the story of FDR's twelve year presidency. There are quotes from FDR throughout and some really amazing sculptures. I took tons of pictures there, but here are just a few of my favorites.








While walking back to the car we had an awesome view of the Washington Monument. I'm no professional photographer, but I love this next picture.




Hero really didn't want us to leave


We had a great time and are looking forward to going back in a few weeks for Jenn and Jason's engagement party.

That's all for tonight, dear readers. Glee is about to start so I will be enjoying every minute of the upcoming episode. Hope you all enjoy your evenings!




Tuesday, September 15, 2009

tuesday trinkets.



I don't know how, but a week has gone by since my last post. I have pictures and stories to share about the trip that we just took to DC, but will save those goodies until tomorrow. Instead, I'm going to share a few little things that I am very much loving right now.

  • I cannot remember where I first saw this site, but I had to share one particular post. If you have seen the closet that Kyle and I currently share, or saw any of the closets I had while at A&M, you will understand why this made me laugh. I can especially identify with the writer's need to buy her favorite pieces in multiple colors (for me, this would be the Jackie cardigan.... thanks J. Crew) and her plethora of warm, cozy coats.


{check out whoorl.com}

  • In the market for the coziest, most snuggable (nope, not a real word) robe EVER? Well look no further because I have found it. That delightful new husband of mine gifted this to me on my 23rd birthday. You may thank me later.




  • Is anyone else excited about all of the wonderful tv that is starting up? Don't worry if you aren't, I've got plenty of excitement to go around. Want to know what we'll be filling up our DVR with? It's your lucky day...
Glee (favorite new show!)
SYTYCD
The Office
Project Runway
The Rachel Zoe Project (new to my list)
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

  • Check out the invitations I made for Jenn and Jason's engagement party. I blurred out two lines of text so that the party address isn't posted for the world to see. Jenn picked the paper (it's from Paper Source) and I took care of the rest.



That's all for tonight. Check back later this week for DC pictures, a glimpse into some of my new fall decor and a yummy recipe that is perfect for the upcoming chilly weather.



Tuesday, September 8, 2009

until next year.



After a fantastic week of celebrating, my birthday is officially over. (Kyle thinks it was over at 12:01 Thursday morning, but I firmly believe it extended up until our house guests left) We had a wonderful weekend with my parents, Jenn and Jason. Kyle and I took them to some of our favorite restaurants and loved showing them around our new town.


One of the definite highlights of the trip was shopping for wedding dresses for my beautiful, newly engaged sister. College football started on Saturday so Kyle and Jason enjoyed some football while the Simars hit up some bridal salons. We still have some more searching to do, but I can already tell you that my big sister is going to be a stunning bride.


We are new fans of CamiCakes Cupcakes. Here is the HUGE selection we had for the weekend.


After dinner at Two Urban Licks. Definitely one of the coolest (and yummiest) restaurants I've ever eaten at. Kyle and I first ate here last Valentine's Day and knew that we wanted to bring guests here because of the unique atmosphere and incredible food.


Sister pic!



We wrapped up the weekend with church, bridesmaids dress shopping at J. Crew (!) and a trip to the aquarium. Those pictures are on my mom's camera so I'll share them later.


In other news, I got a call at 8:30 this morning to substitute a third grade class. I had a really good day with the kids but am exhausted! I hadn't been expecting that I would have anything to do today so Kyle and I stayed up much too late watching a movie. I would share some stories from my day, but I'll save them for later. Instead, I will be curling up on the couch to watch SYTYCD and enjoy the Blue Bell ice cream that I accidentally bought at Publix. I don't know how I have lived here for 3 months without realizing there is Blue Bell ice cream just down the street.


We have another fun-filled weekend coming up! We will be heading to DC on Thursday to spend the weekend with Jenn and Jason. We also have an upcoming trip to Arizona to look forward to as well as another trip to DC in October. As much as I wish we lived somewhere that allowed us to see our families every day, I love getting to fill our weekends with fun trips to see everyone. Speaking of trips, I should probably take a tv break and pack....


Hope you all enjoy the last few days of the week. Can't wait to spend the weekend with Jenn, Jason and this sweet little face....











Thursday, September 3, 2009

my birthday: georgia style.


I had a fantastic birthday celebration on Wednesday. The weather was amazing and for the first time in my life, it felt like my birthday was in fall. Not even kidding people... we had brunch outside and I wore jeans and a cardigan. I know that outfit combo is no surprise to people who know me (in fact, I'm wearing jeans and another cardigan right this minute) but the fact that I wore that to sit outside and still felt a bit of a chill in the breeze was magical.

Is anyone sick of me raving about the weather here? I make no apologies. You people need to hear how awesome it is.

Okay, back to the birthday.... After our outdoor brunch we took a stroll to Starbucks so that I could enjoy my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. I usually have a pretty strict rule that I won't drink one until October, but I made an exception because 1. duh, it was my birthday and 2. it felt like October in Texas

In the afternoon we enjoyed my first birthday cupcake of the day (I had two... and yes, Kyle sang both times). I am officially a huge fan of CamiCakes Cupcakes. We're picking up some more today! I even got to open some thoughtful gifts from my parents, Kim & Scott and Grammy.

Dinner was at Pappasito's (is anyone surprised by that?) and then it was back home for cupcake number two. You may notice some very cheery, very pink flowers in the picture with cupcake number two... those were waiting on our doorstep when we got home from dinner. Thanks Jenn! They are beautiful!!



(I made a collage because I was mildly embarrassed by how many pictures featured nothing but my face. I'm not sure how much this helped haha)

Kyle did a wonderful job of making my birthday extra special. He also did a good job of taking lots of pictures to show to our family. He's a pretty great catch and puts up with my ridiculousness (I double checked... that is a real word) The picture up above with the coffee and the newspaper... I actually told the poor boy to "Take my picture! I look SO city!" (what does that even mean?!) After 7 1/2 years together, he didn't even comment on what a very strange request that was, just picked up the camera and took my picture.

I am sitting on my couch anxiously awaiting my parents arrival. That's right, we're doing more birthday celebrating! My parents should be landing shortly and Jenn and Jason will be here tonight. I am pretty much planning the weekend based around all of us eating at delicious restaurants. We will also be doing a little wedding dress shopping. And of course, you can't have out of town company without a little trip to the Georgia Aquarium.

Hope you all have wonderful holiday weekends. Stay safe! Be back on Monday with a recap of my 3rd birthday celebration!










Tuesday, September 1, 2009

birthday eve.


Kyle and I just got back from a delicious birthday eve dinner thanks to a fantastic birthday coupon. Note to restaurants and stores: if you want people to sign up for your promotional programs, offer birthday coupons. I was crazy excited to get an email from one of our favorite restaurants this morning because it meant one free dinner entree for us. To top it off, I believe I have a special birthday sample waiting for me at Sephora thanks to being a member of their little rewards program. Happy birthday, indeed!

On the schedule for the real birthday... anything I find myself in the mood for tomorrow! So far, the only guarantee is that we will be enjoying some delicious Tex-Mex at Pappasito's. I also may have discovered a pretty pink box from CamiCakes Cupcakes in our fridge, delish!

Before I leave you all and go enjoy some Heroes episodes on our instant Netflix (aka-one of the most brilliant things we have invested in as a married couple), I have a little blog-land request. I love being able to keep up with old friends and classmates through all of our blogs. It is so fun to read about everyone's new lives... grad school, marriage, living in new towns, babies, you name it! My hunch is that I have some readers out there that our lurking in the shadows.

Now, I don't for one second think that I am some stunning writer and people are sitting in front of their computers all day just waiting for me to update, but I happen to secretly read a handful of blogs myself. And goodness gracious, I hope I'm not the only one! So in honor of my 23rd birthday, let me know you're reading! Become a follower or leave me a little comment and let me know who brought you to my little blog. Chances are I have read your blog as well. If I haven't, I probably want to. It's a win-win situation for everyone!

That's all I have for tonight. I'm off to watch Heroes and work on resumes for the schools that I hope to substitute at. More on that exciting news later!



ps-it was 68 degrees outside when we walked to dinner. I consider this lovely weather a little birthday gift from Georgia to me.