Thankful

Oh how thankful I am today.

I have a great Husband who loves me so and is supportive and encouraging about pursuing my dreams.

A great steady job with a boss that's not too hard to work for.

A great opportunity with a wonderful, professional, and reputable company to pursue my dreams of planning weddings.

That Jesus spared me this weekend and did not let the forecast include rain for my first large on my own wedding... out doors... in the people's back yard... with large amounts of flowers, rentals, and food outside.  (You think I'm kidding, but I really am praising God for no chance of rain this weekend)

That the day will be mild, and the low will be cool enough that the party will move inside at a decent hour...

That all the vendors seem to know what they're doing

That my "assistant" for the night is one of the Partners in said company...

That my other assistant is my best friend

This is happening....

There are others on the books already.

I really am a wedding planner people!  Not just the assistant anymore!

Dreams can come true. 

PS... I'll stop this eventually... it's just so surreal! 

In other news

I'll be coordinating weddings all weekend.  Husband is playing Golf with my BFF's Husband cuz she's helping me... then Sunday both Husbands will sit on their respective couches and watch football for 10 hours...

Men

I love some football in my life, but watching the redzone channel for seriously 6-8 hours straight is mind-numbly boring to me...

of course coordinating weddings would probably not be something Hubs would put in his fun column either...

;-)

Susie Q

What A Dog Does When It's Cold

For your viewing pleasure this morning...

so dang cute! 

Also, after a great night at small group I fed the dogs and watched as our 60 pound puppy waited for her 6 pound older brother to finish his meal before she ate

That's the new rug BTW (the one I'm scared to vacuum) -- with a few cotton balls from Daisy's toy on it. 

you can also see the pretty Hydrangeas Husband bought me on top of that table... LOVE!



XOXO,

Susie Q

Fall?

I am stuck in a rut.

but it's not your typical rut

I'm not even sure "Rut" is the right word...

You see I'm reading all my bloggie friends' happy posts about how much they love fall and are so pumped for the season change. 

I AM TOO, I LOVE IT TOO...


But it doesn't feel like fall yet. 

The leaves haven't changed.  It's still 84* outside.  I can't wear any cute fall clothes (not to mention a lot of my clothes from years past are too big or given away -- so I gotta work on that...).  I just don't feel it yet...

October starts this weekend... it's the month of pumpkin everything.

I hope this gets me into the season because right now I just feel too hot for it to be fall, but to silly in beachwear.

I want to feel like it's time for these things... 

 

So my mission next week (since I've got something on the agenda every day this week):

• Make Pumpkin cookies
• buy pansies for the flower pots (and plant said pansies) --- is it to late?
• Find a scare crow for our stoop ... or something else fantastically fall that Husband will be OK with me spending dollar bills on. 

PS -- We got a new carpet and I'm scared to vacuum it... daisy's already pulled a piece of it and I'm scared it's going to get stuck in the vacuum like the old one did... is that silly? 

It's going to have to get vacuumed at some point right?


XO,
Susie Q

Friday Friday Friday

Oh hello Friday!

I've missed you! It felt like you were gone much longer than 6 days, please don't do that again. 

You like my title?  Really original right?

I've been awfully excited this week about all the TV premiers... unhealthily excited... I almost was an hour late to work today because I wanted to sit on the couch and finish the second hour of Grey's... but I was right on time because I smacked myself and got in the shower instead.

Litterally, hit myself in the face to wake up.

I did not sleep well last night. But when I went to hit snooze on my phone/alarm Husband rolled over in his sleep and stole my pillow right out from underneath my head! 

I took it as a sign

went to cycle class

and felt great... until husband left and I had an hour to kill before I needed to get ready.

Enter Grey's. Followed promptly by no motivation to get off my couch.

No one tell me how it ends!  I'll probably get to watch it Monday after Husband leaves :-P

But I digress.

It's Friday, I've nothing profound to tell you.

I did do the Grey's Anatomy Name Generator

I'm McTasty

What are you?

Also:

Favorite Pin of the week:

I cried a little....such a sap

Love,

Susie Q

Thankful Thursday

Sometimes my heart gets overwhelmed and I just want to scream from the rooftops, or call everyone I know and tell them all how excited I am about life, about finally figuring out what I want to do in this life, about how rewarding it can be.

I want to do kart-wheels.

I suddenly feel capable of doing back flips, a task I've never mastered.

Maybe jump for joy....

certainly tell everyone.

I LOVE MY JOB!

I reign it in though.

Because I have two jobs...

and we certainly don't want one getting jealous of the other.

Don't worry other job, I like you a lot too... and you've helped me get to the point where I can truly feel ready for the first job....and I'm not going anywhere.

Love,

Susie Q

Frustration

Last night after a VERY long day where I arrived at the office an hour before the sun rose and didn't get home until the sun was setting; I let the dogs out.

All was fine, everyone was very well behaved, we went to the dumpster to deposit their business and headed back to the condo.  On the way back Dillon started perking up and growling.  I didn't hear anything so I was all "just hush" and ignored him. 

Then we rounded the corner.

I jumped a bit out of surprise myself.

Our neighbor was out.  With his dog off the leash... but his dog was still better behaved.  I would love to tell you neighbor's name, or his furry friend's name, but I can't.

Dillon proceeded to go into full on alpha-dog mode, while Daisy was trying to play so hard that she was about to rip my arm out of socket. They're tripping over themselves, and one just riles up the other. 

I pick Dillon up.... it's just easier

I shorten Daisy's leash wrap Daisy's leash around my hand multiple times so she can't get a running start anymore.

and we walk.

You see sweet neighbor and his dog were in our way, blocking my quickest way home.  I could have turned around, but then I would have had to walk all the way around the back of the complex, through some grass/mud, and back to our front door.  Meanwhile, the weather was perfect for open windows last night so the entire courtyard heard our exchange.

"Daisy, Sit! Dillon, Quiet!" walk three steps, Daisy almost pulls me over trying to play with the dog she could crush with a single paw. 

"Daisy! No! Sit! Dillon! Shut Up!"

wait for Daisy to sit, she does for about half a second.  Dillon never shuts up.

We walk some more, we're now right on the pour neighbor who is just watching me have a mental break down. Daisy is pulling so hard I think my fingers might be broken, Dillon is still growling I think... honestly, I'm concentrating so hard on not letting Daisy pull me over that I'm not sure what Dillon is doing.

We struggle, "DAISY, NO! HEEL!"

We get by the neighbor, I give a weak apology, I walk back to the condo.

As I'm entering my building I hear my other neighbor yell down to the original neighbor something smart about my dumb dogs -- because I was so mad even if the windows were closed they probably would have heard me screaming.

And that's how we maintain the award for worst dogs in the complex.  Thank you, I'll take my bow now.

** Saddest part is they're both VERY well trained...it's like they get tunnel vision, forget everything, and go deaf all at the same time.

Pizza Dip

 So the last of the recipes from our fun party two Saturdays ago was this amazing Pizza dip!

Pizza Dip

A layered, hot cheesy dip with all of the great pizza flavours including pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, olives and green peppers.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
• 1/4 cup parmigiana reggiano (Parmesan), grated
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
• 1/4 cup parmigiana reggiano (Parmesan), grated
• 2 ounces pepperoni, sliced
• 2 tablespoons green pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced

I doubled the recipe, 86'd the olives and green pepper (I don't like olives, and Kroger was out of green peppers), and added some 'shrooms.  Oh, and of course I used the less fat version where I could. 

Stuff you might need

Directions

1. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream mayonnaise, mozzarella and parmigiana reggiano and spread it across the bottom of a pie plate. (if you double this you will need a casserole dish)
2. Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle on the cheese, and toppings

Pre-Oven

3.  Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted, bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
 4. Find something to transfer this from the plate to your mouth.  I suggest slicing some french loaves into small pieces.  Toast them with some garlic and butter if you'd like.
5.  Enjoy!

Again, I got excited about people and stopped taking pictures...

Sorry.

But it was delicious!  I felt a bit vain at times because I couldn't stop talking about how good my own dip was, but I was just so impressed. 

So there you have it.

Pizza dip that will make you feel vain. 

Love,

Susie Q

What's On Your Heart

Today I'm linking up with Casey for her Friday series of "What's On Your Heart"

Have you ever wondered what other people think of you? What it would be like to meet yourself for the first time?

Not the superficial, she's pretty, or she's smart, or she's a itch with a capital B... but what they think when they leave you after your first meeting.  

Do they feel uplifted? Did I leave them with a "good" impression?  Do they see me as a woman of God? Can they tell if I'm a good wife, or at least have the intentions to be? A loyal friend? A trusted confidant? Do they see that I'm Happy?  Do they see that I'm passionate?  That I wear my heart on my sleeve?

I hope that these things are true.  

Wouldn't it be neat to be able to meet yourself.  To see yourself from the outside and know what impressions you are leaving on others hearts?  Or would it be convicting? Either way, that's what's on my heart today. 

Cake Balls!

It's recipe week here at Life After Happily Ever After!

If you don't like it... sorry

But these are some amazing works of art... so I think you'll like it.

CAKE BALLS:

1 Package of your favorite cake flavor (I picked french vanilla)
1 Package of your favorite icing (I went with the theme of Vanilla)
The ingredients for said cake mix
Decorations
Candy Melts (can be found at Michael's or Hobby Lobby, or any arts & Crafts store)
Popsicle sticks (optional)

First cook the cake according to the directions and while still hot,crumble in a big bowl.

Add about 3/4 of the package of icing to the crumbled cake and mix until you can't see the icing anymore (again, do this immediately)

Use a spoon, or good tablespoon scoop to roll the mixture into balls and put them onto wax paper.  After every 5 or 6 balls you will need to wash your hands so be sure to do this somewhere where you can get up and down (ie. not on the couch watching TV with your husband with the cookie sheet of balls on your lap, like me) then stick them in the fridge for at least an hour.  I left mine in overnight for good measure.

This is when I forgot to take pictures....

My bad....

But basically, read the directions to heat the candy melts and do that.  Then, take a Popsicle stick and stick it in the side of the ball.  (there will be one side of the ball that is flat from cooling on the rack, be conscious of this side as you cover the balls with the candy -- you will lay the ball back down on this side)

If you want to do sprinkles immediately sprinkle them on.  If you want to do icing, wait for them to cool a bit.


Voila....

Excuse the messy plate, I got rushed as people started showing up.  ALSO, I would either lay these back on wax paper, or grease the plate, these all stuck to the plate :-(.  Still yummy though!  Not bad for my first try I think!

These are totally not on any diet, but were really great!  The cake stayed moist for days after too!  (At least through Monday morning when my coworkers gobbled the last few up) 

Have a happy Friday Eve! Stay tuned tomorrow for Pizza Dip! 

Susie Q.

Mushroom Sauce Yumminess!

I've been trying to find new pasta recipes lately since the Hubs is training for this little old thing called a marathon... I came across this recipe on Sam's blog and thought I would give it a shot.  The only change I made was to add a chicken breast for a bit of protein.  I believe she also adapted her version from EatingWell.com  so this would be the third tweak to the original recipe.

Ingredients

Pasta with Mushroom Sauce

12 oz whole-wheat fettuccine (I used regular spaghetti because it's what we had... it really doesn't matter too much)

1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped (*I love me some red onion*)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 T dry sherry
3 T all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)
1 cup broth (vegetable or chicken)
1/3 cup light cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Chicken breast

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until onion is soft. 

 Add mushrooms and cook about 10-12 minutes.

In a separate pan, cook one cubed chicken breast with salt and pepper to season

Stir in sherry and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.  Sprinkle flour over the mushroom mixture and stir to coat.  Pour in broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. 

Remove from the heat and stir in cream and 1/4 cup Parmesan. 

Drain the pasta, the chicken should be finished

At this point you can either add all the ingredients to one bowl and mix for you to separate later, or you can portion them into two bowls and serve

Don't mind the mess on my stove... I'm a messy cooker, oh Wow, and there's a door open in the cabinets...I really should not have shared this picture.

Either way, once in two bowls add a bit more Parmesan for the heck of it

My phone is supposed to have a zebra print cover... I think it more just blends in with the counter.

This was a really great, easy to make dinner.  Hubs and I really like 'shrooms and he has requested I make it for all of his long runs now because he said he felt really great last Saturday morning for his 16 mile fun run!

Do you have a pre-workout ritual?

Any pre-long run suggestions?

What is your favorite pasta dish to make?

Do you often take very messy pictures of your kitchen???

A day at the Park

If I were to write a love letter to the City of Atlanta I think it would mostly be about the beautiful views, great weather 90% of the year, and Piedmont Park.

I love this park so much Husband proposed to me there.  Proof enough.

The park is home of many wedding facilities, great festivals, a lake with pretty ducky's, athletic fields, play grounds, a public pool (not that I would enter an Atlanta City Pool... there are just some things I cannot do), and most importantly, the most awesome dog park in Atlanta.

It was the most awesome dog park in Atlanta 4 years ago, but was that enough for them? NOPE, they improved upon it and the result is really just amazing!  I love this space!

There is more than enough room for all the furry friends to run around and play, and room for you to separate and still have MORE furry friends if someone's dog is not getting along with everyone.  This of course is not a problem for Daisy Waffles.  She loves every.single.mamal.

Excuse the blurries... silly old iPhone!

First she played with this guy, While Dillon was concerned every time she would lay down

Then the running began

I think she liked her new friends

She came to say hi, but left to fast... but I got Dillon!

Which one is she???? 

If you know her at all you know she's the one being pet by strangers.... such a good watch dog!

PS.  After we left the park we went to drop off some refreshments to the Hubs on his 16 mile run and headed to the vet for the puppies' yearly check up/shots.  Daisy has an ear infection in both ears... and it's the worst the Doc has seen in a long time....

I feel like a bad momma, I didn't even know!

:-( She's a trouper though, she never acted sick, even now, she loves getting her medicine. 

Oh to be a puppy....

Random Thoughts on a Friday

Happy Friday Everyone!

What are your big plans for the weekend?  We're cleaning tonight...I know, so fun.

Tomorrow is long run day for the Hubs, and my first "Long Run"  I'm supposed to go three miles.  I think I'll go 4.5 instead so I can run from our condo to Chastain Park and back.  Only a few more weeks of running distances I'm used to and then it's gonna get interesting!

After that I'll meet Hubs and give him some refreshments, start baking, meet hubs again, and then take the dogs to the vet...

THEN, when I get back, I'll finish baking and getting ready for our Friends to arrive!  We're showing off our kitchen watching the USC/UGA game at our condo with a bunch of friends Saturday.  I'm really excited to have everyone over!  USC will obviously win though! Go Cocks!

Sunday I'm hoping will be a pool day... and craft day :-).

So since that is my plans for the weekend, and while they are very exciting it's also all I have to share with you, I thought I would send some random thoughts out in the world to see if anyone else thinks these things too... an "Am I Normal" of sorts.

• There are certain grown adults who sound like they're wearing a diaper when they walk....
• How do dogs collect so many eye buggers in a day?
• Pollen sucks
• Is it the instructor or the music that makes cycle class so awesome?
• This week is National Waffle Week... I might make waffles for lunch tomorrow just to celebrate!



Does she look like she knows it's "her week"

• I'm really enjoying this weather, but am I the only one that's sad summer is ending?  I think the kitchen distracted me from the August heat.  

That's it!

I'm making this and this for Saturday... wish me luck! 

Love,

Susie Q

Barbie & Ken -- Married!

I stumbled across this today and just wanted to share!  SO CUTE!

Go check out the rest of the photos here and see the explanation behind it here. 

It is Done

Hubs and I finished dinner Monday night and sat....

We sat on the couch and sort of looked at each other wondering what we were going to do next.  The kitchen is finished, no more projects to do, nothing good on TV, and no time for a movie before bed.... So we got ready for bed and read our books.

What will we do with all our new free time??  It seems like this project has taken much longer than 6 weeks, habits were formed...

But it's over now, we love our kitchen, and there's a source of pride from doing it our selves that we wouldn't get hiring all the work out.

I love this kitchen, it feels bigger, happier, more like a home I would live in.  Husband did an amazing job, the credit should really go to him.  I painted... but he was the one taking out and reinstalling stoves and sinks and faucets and anything else you can think of... He did the floors himself too... He's just so handy!

It's hawt...

Love,

Susie Q

Braves Week 2K11

Every year we seems to have a week that revolves around baseball.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of nights that baseball is included in, but there's this one special week where Husband essentially lives at Turner Field.

Giants Week

KB (my SeesTOR -- just go with it) is nice enough to give Husband some tickets from her company's season tickets every year for one or two games and he usually just buys some for the rest of the week.

This year was no different.  It started on the Saturday before they came to town.  We met some of Hub's old small group friends for a game and played "catch up" in each other's lives.  They're great people and we love seeing them... even if I am glistening (because girls don't sweat, we glisten) like crazy.  We had the best meal I've ever had at Turner Field that night.  Turns out all the good food is near the outfield.  They have designer hot dogs and BBQ sandwiches that are YUMMO.  PLUS -- snobby beer!  I love me some snobby beer!!

Circus for T-Bear!

Summer Dog!

Waiting for the others to arrive

The next game was Tuesday with my best friend and her husband.  Husband had the week off to work on the kitchen and such so he grilled us some delicious tri-tip sandwiches... the man is good with a grill!

In our seats!

 Husband went to the third game with a bunch of other men, so I have no pictures.  However, this is the only game the Giants won... which of course means that I MUST be the Bravos good luck charm... there is just no other way to explain it.

Alas, Hubs missed the final game, but it was for a good cause, he was making things happen in the kitchen.  I did go though, My brother was in town and we were all headed to Blue Ridge the next day for the weekend.  I snapped this of him and our nephew:

So cute!!

That little boy spent most of the game playing Angry Birds on my iPhone... I really can't figure out what my parents must have done to keep my SeesTOR and I entertained through a game... Crazy!

And that my bleeps concludes my Week-O-Bravos... I'm satisfied until next year! (Unless they make it to the playoffs with they Giants again... then we'll be back)

Tonight I will have Kitchen pictures.... who's pumped????

Happy Friday!

Love,

Susie Q.

Review for Fado Irish Pub

I know what I want to tell all of you...

But I'm not quite prepared yet... maybe after tonight when I get my Mac back from the Mac doctor... it's face was broken

Sad Mac

So since I can't tell you that, but I REALLY want to, I am lacking in the motivation department to tell you anything else. 

SO, I will just tell you about the most delicious breakfast Hubs and I had the other day -- OK, maybe a month ago...

Husband and I went to Fado Irish Pub in Atlanta for breakfast on Sunday morning.  We were taking the morning off from our usual gig teaching small children about God and the Bible and instead going to a pub for breakfast (well when you put it that way Susie Q!!!). 

Opps.

But I promise, we are still family friendly folk... unless you count my addiction to coffee as something you don't want your kids knowing about, in which case, hide your children, because it's like crack to me!

I drink until I have the jitters... it's a sickness

But I digress

We went to Fado and had breakfast.   It was incredible, if you've not been you need to go NOW.  It was such a nice time, we arrived before the servers did so the bartender/possibly the owner served us, we had a lovely conversation with him where I only understood every fourth word or so because his accent was so thick and he talked so fast... I just loved it!

I also loved that there was this background noise from about 5 or 6 men across the restaurant cheering for a
team playing some sort of game they play in Europe.  Fado is known to be quite packed on weekend mornings when there are Soccer (or football depending on where you're from) matches on. However, we were in the middle of the summer and soccer had hit a lull.  So there were just these 5 or 6 men in the other corner, watching their game with great intensity as if the whole Pub was filled and they were just one of many screaming....

The coffee was soooo good! The breakfast was as close to heaven as food can get. 

Husband had the Eggs Benedict with Potatoes

I had the French Toast with a Raspberry Sauce (you can't see it but there is a cream in the middle of the bread too) MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

 If that doesn't make your mouth water I just don't know what will! 

Happy Friday Eve!!!

Love,
Susie Q