Category Archives: Uncategorized

In case you couldn’t tell by my month-long hiatus from blogging, life has been pretty crazy lately but in a great way. Kevin is doing amazing things at his new job, I’m gaining confidence at being back in school, and we’re just trying to keep up with balancing our hectic lives while still enjoying being newlyweds. I decided that I’m going to suspend blogging for a little while to try to be present in the moments I’m living more. Blogging was a great escape and outlet for writing, but lately I had been treating it like another obligation, and once I took the pressure off finding content for new blog posts and obsessively photographing everything, I felt more present at meals and  like I was actually living my life. Somehow blogging went from being a hobby to being a chore, so it’s time I step away.

These past two years of blogging have been amazing, and I’ve felt honored to be welcomed into the blogging community. I’ll still be an avid blog reader (although I need to find my Google Reader replacement), and I’ll still be taking many pictures of my food. You’ll just have to follow me on Twitter or Instagram to see those gems.

Thank you for every page visit, comment and encouragement through this process. It was a big step for my introvert-ness to put myself out there, and I’ve really appreciated the journey.

I hope you will all stay in touch via other social networking channels.

Kevin started his new job yesterday, and I’ve been swamped with school work so things have been quite hectic lately, but in a good way. I thought I’d finally get to another wedding recap on one of the most  important details: our outfits.

First up: me! You can read my quick retelling of wedding dress shopping here. Basically, I fell in love with Maggie Sottero gowns. I really wanted a typical princess ball gown because (1) I hate my hips and (2) I’m cheesy like that. I tried on many silhouettes to humor everyone, but I kept coming back to what I always knew I loved.  I also wanted something not overly embellished or overwhelming. I think I found my perfect match. I got my dress at Casa di Bella in Celebration, which was a wonderful experience. The store owner Sue has been in the business for a long time, and she shuts down the whole shop so it’s just you and your friends and family getting her 100% attention. I had the most wonderful day shopping for my dress surrounded by such  great support group.

It only took me one day and two stores to find my perfect dress. The hardest part was getting myself into it. Wedding dresses are heavy!

I was surprised that I liked the layers or organza at the bottom, but once I tried it on, the dress was so flowy but still poofy. I also loved the corset back and long train.

The dress originally comes with a belt with big flowers, but that was a little much for my short torso, so we replaced it with just a little bling.

To finish off the look was a simple fingertip-length veil. When my dress was bustled, the layers of organza just flowed together, and the dress kept its perfect shape.

Not only did I feel beautiful on my wedding day, but I was also surrounded by a cast of great looking people. Bridesmaid dress shopping was just as painless as buying my dress because I have really easy-going friends. We all agreed on the same dress: a floor-length chiffon dress from Alfred Angelo.

We also all wore red shoes.

Kevin and the boys wore black Hugo Boss suits and purple-and-red-accented Burberry ties that we bought them. Kevin actually picked out their suits by himself. I really didn’t have too strong of an opinion, and Kevin’s a better dresser than I am.

Kevin stood out slightly by wearing a classic gray and black Burberry tie that I bought him when he graduated from his MBA program. Kevin really didn’t want to wear a tux, and I think the suits were the perfect level of formality for our wedding day.

I’m so happy with how easy it was for all of us to get our outfits. There was really no drama at all, and I think we looked pretty spiffy.

What is your dream wedding dress?

I know crazy snow storms have been hitting the northeast, but the weather here in Central Florida has been peaking in the 80s everyday. Despite our lack of wintertime, my friend Sarah and I got together for one of my favorite cold-weather treats: Vietnamese. I love a big bowl of pho, Vietnamese noodles in broth, when it’s cold outside.

We headed to Pho Hoa and started out with some tea and shrimp summer rolls.

I actually thought the summer rolls were pretty mediocre. They could have amped up the basil and shrimp ratio for some extra flavor.

For my main dish, I decided to bypass the pho and ordered stir fried tofu with curry.

The curry was sweet with a little spicy kick and went great with all the aromatic vegetables. I loved the chunks of onions and mushrooms.

Sarah ordered the stir fried tofu with vegetables, which came in a brown sauce. It also looked really delicious. It seems as if our coldest days may be behind us, but hopefully the temperature will dip a little bit in the near future so I can get my pho fix. I really enjoyed Pho Hoa. The service was really friendly, and the food was tasty.

Poor Kevin’s been sick so he’s been drinking plenty of soup regardless. I guess it’s possible to catch a cold when it’s not cold outside.

What is your favorite meal when it’s cold outside?

After being away at class last weekend and eating out all the time, I was proud of myself for getting back into my normal morning gym routine this past week. We’ve been doing some long training classes at work and lunches were catered in every day for those as well, so my eating has been a little heavier than normal. Without those gym sessions, I would be even more steps back than I already feel.

The other morning I was having a particularly difficult time finding motivation on the treadmill. I was sleepy, thinking about a million other things I needed to get done, and regretting past food choices. I was watching Way Too Early on MSNBC, and a story came on about Brendan Marrocco, an Iraq war veteran who was left a quadruple amputee after a roadside bombing in 2009.

(Source)

I continued running during clips of his press conference, and I was amazed by his positive attitude. He had already had prosthetic legs and he had just undergone a double-arm transplant. His remarks were positive, hopeful and determined.

As I was contemplating quitting on the treadmill, I felt so selfish. I imaged all he was going to have to go through still in the future, and his story reminded me that I chose to be there and how complaining about a bad workout or not making it to the gym is so inconsequential. Some people have hard choices made for them, and the news clip was a good reminder of how inconsequential things can sometimes be. My health is a privilege and my workouts are my choice. I can choose to be there or not, but it’s not an obligation, and I really have nothing to complain about. I was running because I wanted to.

28-Day Blog Challenge

Katy Widrick has created the 28-Day Blog Challenge for the month of February to build community and to help bloggers give their blogs some facelifts. Since I’m pretty amateur when it comes to all this, I thought I would try to tackle some of her suggestions. I invite you to join along!

For my first order of business, I’ve finally updated my About Me page. It was pretty outdated, so I’m excited for the refresh that better aligns with my blogging mission.

Happy Saturday!

Why do you run?

Wow, 2012 sure has flown by. I can’t believe tomorrow is new year’s eve. In looking back, 2011 was really a year of transitions. I finally made the commitment that I wanted to pursue my MBA after debating for years, and I took the plunge and signed up for the GMAT. Of course, Kevin and I got engaged, setting into motion wedding planning and life planning.

2012 was the year that we made everything happen. It was full of wedding planning, sitting for the GMAT and getting accepted to the University of Florida’s MBA program. 2012 contained so many wonderful memories that really all culminated into my favorite memory: marrying Kevin.

It’s going to be hard to top this year. Last year I set some goals/resolutions for 2012 that I thought would be fun to reflect on.

1. Kick butt on the GMAT-I am so proud of this. I studied a ton (going overboard, as usual) and ended up scoring a 690, far exceeding my goal score.
2. Get in ideal wedding shape-I am really pleased with this as well. Everyone is her own worse critic, but I was diligent at working out (except during GMAT studying) and portion controlling while still enjoying myself and being able to celebrate with those around me. More importantly, I think I laid the foundation for healthy habits as opposed to crash dieting for one day. I felt strong and healthy leading up to the wedding, which is more important to me than being skinny.
3. Learn to relax better-So two out of three isn’t bad, right? I do get stressed out very easily and tend to try to juggle too much. With wedding planning behind me, a huge source of stress will be relieved.

Here are my goals for this year:

1. Maintain a healthy balance-I start grad school in a few weeks, and I just need to learn to balance better. When I was studying for the GMAT, I really fell off the workout wagon, but it was far enough away from my wedding that I had time to get back in shape. I can’t put off my health for two and a half years through my MBA program. In addition to balancing working out and studying, I also need to balance school and work, and home life and responsibilities. It’s going to be quite a hectic year!
2. Do well in school-I’ve always set high standards for myself when it comes to school, but I don’t feel that I’ll have a passion for business classes like I did for my public relations classes in undergrad. I’ve already received my first textbook that I need to have a grasp on by the first day of classes, and I can tell school will be a challenge. I’m hoping that by putting in the dedication and hard work it deserves, I’ll excel.
3. Learn to relax better-It’s a new year so a new chance to get this right!

What are your goals for 2013?