Springtime is here :)

I know this is late but this was my Easter display, I decked out the courtyard this year. I love all the colors! Something about it really made it feel like Spring.

I love how Spring makes you feel like everything has a chance at a new beginning, a fresh start.

Blissfully,

Bizzy

Juice, Star Wars, and Little Girls... Oh My!

Talk about making someone's day! Today I was searching for a photography how to on YouTube and this is one of the videos that came up. It was too cute to pass up! The part where she's describing Darth Vader almost had me rolling on the floor and the "robot garage sale!" So here's a smile from me to you! Hope everyone else is having a wonderful day too!
Blissfully,
Bizzy

...On a Tuesday Afternoon

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit
me. ~C.S. Lewis

Yesterday afternoon consisted of a girls day with mum. Before going out for sushi and manicures we stopped by St. Vincent's to drop some stuff off. After discovering some lovely glass tea cups (or punch cups whichever you'd prefer) I came to the conclusion that they would make wonderful jell-o holders. MonQ simply nodded in agreement and continued browsing the shelves to pass time. By the time we made it to the til I had collected 4 of the cutest tea cups that you ever did see and 6 old miniature sundae glasses.
"What are those for?"
"Jell-o"
"And those?"
"Pudding"
After a long pause she let out a sigh, "What are you, two?." After getting home I went to Ben & Jerrys and watched an outdoor concert of some Australian man with Dusty. I arrived home, had a bath, and then stayed up until 6am working on charts.

I woke up this morning with a killer pain in my stomach and back and figured I might as well take it easy today. It was a beautiful day outside so during a seemingly uneventful afternoon I decided to open the window, crack open a new novel, and snack on black cherry jell-o. After finishing the first chapter I looked up to discover all three dogs napping on the foot of my bed enjoying the breeze that slipped through the blinds. What a way to spend the day :)

Hope all is well with everyone!

Blissfully,

Bizzy

Bring on the Holiday Season!

Crest Chargers Football, originally uploaded by davidbus159.

Yesterday marked the first event of this year's holiday season for me. We put on a Christmas Gala at the assisted living home and catered to 75 people, it was quite a feat if you ask me (it is the first event I have been responsible for). After two months of planning and brain storming I'm actually relieved to have it behind me :P It was a black tie event. Guests started filtering in around 5 to find the living room filled with red tables, white roses, and gold covered almond roca. The pianist was already hard at work setting the mood with soft music, hors d'oeuvres were brought around by staff dressed in black slacks and white collared shirts, and they were taken to their seats by yours truly. We had a special visit from Mr. Claus himself, who surprised each child with a stuffed bear! Food, drinks, deserts! Our event ended five hours later and then it was cleanup time. Makes for a great fourteen hour work day :) Pictures coming soon!
Today I chilled with the ladies from 8-6, we watched all three of my teams go for another win! Eagles beat the Cowboys 10-6, Green Bay beat St. Louis 33-14, and Chargers won with a whopping 51-14 against Detroit! Thank god for TiVo! Went and saw Beowulf with the family and g-parents, it was great! Headed to do some work for my English class then bed :) Tomorrow is mainly school and the gym, maybe some shopping with MonQ and Nana?
How was your weekend?
Blissfully,
Bizzy

'Tis the Season....

I have just finished wrapping the very last of this years Christmas gifts under my little LED tree. While I am very pleased with myself I also realize I'm probably the only person who starts their Christmas shopping in July. This year's theme is black, white, and silver. I couldn't incorporate the gifts for the Assisted Living Home into the theme for fear that it would clash with their decor so I must sit here looking at a mismatched mess until Saturday. Here's my little tree, can you spot your gift?

For my birthday I got this Packers wreath, isn't it simply the cutest? It just had to go in my room, but what is a christmas wreath without some Swarovski? I think every girl should have her favorite sports memorbilia encrusted with rhinestones, don't you?

What's your favorite Christmas tradition? Over the past few years one of the most looked-forward-to events is the Christmas lights. Every year we drive around our neighborhood and like the true competitive souls we are we make sure every year our display goes above and beyond the four strings of lights most people have running along their roofs. This is a little section of the front yard in front of my bedroom window (sorry for the horrible quality of the photos, I took them from my phone). See all of the silver globes hanging from the trees? Aren't they delightful? I love how the lights play in their reflections. It really is the most rewarding part of Christmas, as we have a good fifteen cars pull around our cul-de-sac every night just to see what we've done. Today I was in the gym and the lady on the elliptical machine next to me turns and says "Aren't you the lady with all the decorations down the street?" Before I could say anything she went on about how it really gets them in the spirit and how much their grandkids love it. Bringing smiles to peoples face really is the best gift.

And last but not least, our Christmas tree. Now it may look like any other tree but it's really not. In fact it's a very big deal in our house. MonQ's tree is the center of attention every year, and for a very good reason too. This tree is fourteen feet tall and it is a three day affair to put it up and decorate it. Every ornament has been hand selected and placed "just so" simply putting it up is an artwork all of it's own.

What is your favorite thing about Christmas? Do you like hot chocolate or eggnog better? Or do you prefer hot cider?

Blissfully,

Bizzy

Nothing Bundt Cake

As you may or may not know, my 18th Birthday was last weekend! Can you believe it? It seems like just yesterday the most important thing in life was conquering monkey bars on the playground. I'm not sure what happened to the days of Sunday morning cartoons and make believe friends, making playdough and running around the backyard, the days of scraped knees and untied shoelaces. Alright... I admit it, half of those things haven't changed but any way you look at it I'm growing up. Let's face it, I'll never "grow up" but as I sit and worry about university, career options, and all of life's wonderful surprises it's almost overwhelming. I'm sure you are curious as to how I spent my "special day" well and I'm sure judging by the number you have some rather crazy ideas. However, I spent my birthday surrounded by the people that mean the most to me. From 8am-7pm I volunteered at the assisted living home down the street that has really become my second home. We spent the entire day decorating the entire home for the holidays, drinking eggnog, and listening to christmas carols. After we finished cleaning up Linus and Dina surprised me with gifts and an ice cream cake while Cora played the piano for me. It was simply delightful. After arriving home I sat and watched "Over the Hedge" with Dad and The Boys. We went for a late sushi dinner with the entire family including MonQ's parents who are here for the holidays! It was great to relax and spend time with my family. We got home around 11 for cake and presents. Mum and Grandpa ordered a Rum Raisin Bundt Cake from here. I think I'm addicted! It was amazing, if you aren't too into sweets and like a light cake this is definitely something you should try! I can't tell you how much fun I had on my birthday and how much it meant to me to be surrounded by family and friends, I truly couldn't have asked for anything more!
Blissfully,
Bizzy

Guilty Pleasures

As the temperature drops I can feel the new year creeping up. Reflecting upon this last year I find it so hard to believe that so much has happened, in what seems like only a matter of days. Oh my, life moves so quickly! Today we took all the dogs in for routine shots and discovered Holly has to have yet another surgery on her stomach. Poor girl.
Yesterday we had a surprise visit with some old friends, their beautiful daughter has grown up, we hadn't seen them in forever and boy was I surprised to see this young woman standing there!
I also discovered peppermint ice cream yesterday and all three of my football teams won! The Packers had a shut out and the Eagles looked hopeless in the first half they picked up in the second and took the win. The Chargers won a close game against the Colts in a game that had me sitting on the edge of my seat (or jumping around the living room depending on who you ask ;) Wrapping up a perfect Sunday evening. How was everyone's weekend?

Blissfully,
Bizzy