Wedding Updates!

So, I knew on an intellectual level that planning a wedding is tough work. But then I started planning one. It is all consuming, let me tell ya. So I apologize for the lack of posts, yet again, but I really am going to try to keep up a semi-regular posting schedule. THANK all the heavens for Pinterest! My wedding board is here , if you're so inclined. 

Here's what I've accomplished so far:

• made the deposit on our photographer. Tobin Photography (Go to his website and drool!)
• found, bought, and received my dress! (Hint: it's from this designer, but it's not from this year)
• found and bought all the bridesmaid's dresses.
• found our caterer! Fun and different, just like us :)
• decided on our colors and theme- not like anybody else's! Scroll down for a sneak peek.
• decided on the groom's and groomsmen outfits.
• started on the bridesmaid's gifts.
• started wedding crafting! More peeks coming soon ;)
• made the deposit on our reception venue. This is the view from the deck!

• found a ceremony venue. So excited to be married in an old New England church!

And finally, what I know you've all been waiting for, our save-the-dates! I wanted to wait until I was sure everyone had gotten theirs before I posted anything about them. I used this wonderful woman who will work with you to do exactly what you want! Her website is http://pmcustomweddings.com/, but she also does all other sorts of invitations, custom postage, etc.

And some of my lovely guests posing with our card:

Miss Jessica Jule, coming at you from LA!

And a giggling twin montage, because every post should have some chubby babies in it, right?

And one more of them verrryyy interested in reading (or eating) the card:

So excited to share more with you as it all comes together!

xoxo, Kate

What I've been eating lately...

In an effort to eat healthier and try new things (and maybe possibly shed some pre-wedding weight), I've been changing my eating habits. These are the things I've been obsessed with lately…

Homemade Banana Frozen Yogurt

You guys- best dessert/breakfast/snack ever. Well, maybe not ever. But still. Pretty damn good.

Puree a banana or two in your Magic Bullet/food processor/blender (or, mash one really, really well with a fork and call it a day.) Stir it into some delicious organic vanilla yogurt, and add a splash of vanilla extract. Plop it into your ice cream maker, or freeze in a long flat plastic container. Either way, it turns out pretty much the same.
When you're having a dessert craving, put a scoop or two in a bowl, add some chocolate syrup, sprinkles, strawberries, pineapple, whipped cream, or a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, and Ta Da! Dessert!
Conversely, add some to your morning breakfast smoothie, or have a bowl of it sprinkled with granola, or add more fruit to the top, and Ta Da! Breakfast!

Fake-a-Dilla

Do you have those mornings when you realize you're supposed to leave NOW and you still haven't eaten, or you come in late from work and you're starved but don't have the energy to cook, or you want a savory snack but don't want to succumb to the cheese and crackers? Enter: the Fake-a-Dilla.

This hardly counts as a recipe, but I'll give it to you anyway. Take one of your "Smart Delicious Tortillas" and spread a Queso Fresco and Chipotle cheese wedge on it. Fold it in half. Eat it. 

Calories: 85 (50 for the tortilla, 35 for the cheese wedge). Fat: 3.5 grams. 7 grams protein, 7 grams fiber. Talk about a miracle food!

I've been making a delicious protein shake using these (words you don't usually hear in the same sentence- delicious and protein shake). The Aria brand protein powder, the almond milk, and the chia seeds I buy at Trader Joe's, and the flaxseed I picked up at Christmas Tree Shop for $2, believe it or not. I mill the flaxseeds first in my coffee bean grinder to a fine powder, and add a tablespoon to the shake, along with a tablespoon of chia seeds and a scoop of protein powder. I put in about ¾ cup of almond milk, some frozen berries, and some baby spinach, and Boom! Delicious breakfast/lunch/dinner. I sometimes add the banana frozen yogurt to this as well, which makes it taste even better. So much health in one shake.

I swear to you, I feel like a new person! I've cut out all deli meat and processed meat, fancy coffee drinks, and a lot of my processed food intake, and added more fruits and veggies to my diet. Oh, and did I mention tons of water? I think drinking it in this makes it taste so much better ;)

My Valentine's present from Shmeeguel

Do you have any healthy eating tips or recipes for me? I'd love to hear them!

xoxo, Kate

Graduation/Birthday Cash Gift Idea

Hello Friends! I've been meaning to put this post up for awhile, but I keep forgetting about it. Does that happen to any of you? Do you complete a project and take pictures of it and then forget to write the post? Anywho…

I didn't have any recent photos of just the two of us, so I made a collage of us at the Spartan Race-that kid is a beast!

I found an idea on Pinterest that I loved for my cousin's high school graduation, and because he's got a good sense of humor, I thought he would like this more than a card with a check.

First- line up your cash end-to-end and tape it together into one big ribbon.

Take all the tissues out of a tissue box. Then take two or three and crumple them up, and stick them back into the tissue box to act as your base.

Accordion-fold your cash ribbon...

Until it looks like this!

Put the cash ribbon into the box.

Leave one end sticking out, and then put a tissue on either side to prop up the bill. 

Add a tag (index cards and Sharpies and curling ribbon)

And add a slightly gross and hilarious saying :)

Wouldn't you love to receive this? I think most boys I know (of any age!) would have fun with this one!

xoxo, Kate

Linking up with Look What I Made Wednesday at Creations by Kara

                                                                            

              

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Wedding To-Do's

Being the over-achiever, obsessive list-maker, likes-to-have-everything-done-way-ahead-of-time girl that I am, I have a lot done already. At least it feels like I have a lot done. When I look at my wedding planning binder, it seems like I have nothing done. So to make myself feel better, I'll putting together a list of the things I have done. I've gone through 6 ceremony locations and am now meeting with my 7th on Tuesday, so cross your eyes for lucky #7!

• Picked a date
• Picked our wedding party
• Found a reception site and booked it
• Found a caterer- had a preliminary chat and they blocked out the date
• Planned a menu
• Found a photographer- meeting with him Monday
• Picked our color scheme 
• Found my cake baker
• Ordered the comb for my veil (my Uncle is supplying the tulle- he's a wedding planner!)
• Bought a wedding present for my very handsome fiance- one I picked out a very long time ago :)

And oh yeah… Bought My Dress!!! (that definitely required capital letters).

I'm pretty excited. And also quite verklempt. For those of you not fluent in Yiddish, a definition from Urban Dictionary: Verklempt:  "The state of being overcome with either too many, or not enough, choices;  frozen; overwhelmed; unable to think."

Basically constant state of verklemptness over here. Send chocolate!

xoxo, Kate

Some news...

So, this happened.

Can I just be girly about it for a sec? *Squeal*!!!! 

Okay, I'm done. But seriously, YAY! 

Shmeeguel proposed December 6th (the night we were celebrating his birthday). I made dinner, which deserves it's own post because I'm pretty sure it's a surefire meal on how to make someone propose, and then we changed into our pjs and started watching Big Bang Theory on the couch. A Jared's commercial came on tv depicting a proposal actually taking place in a Jared's store, and I mentioned to him that I would hate that because strangers would be watching you and it seemed impersonal. "But I still have 6 more months, right?" says He (about our pretend rule that we always have 6 more months until we'll get engaged). And I say, "No, you only have until New Years, and then I'm gonna start taking bids from other guys". And he gets all pretend huffy and then says, "I definitely have until New Years?" and I say yes…

And then he takes the ring out of his pocket and says,

"How about now?"

I kid you not. 

Oh, how I love this guy.

July 26th, 2014 is our date. We're pretty excited about it. 

P.S. You're going to have to deal with a lot more wedding posts, because you better believe that I am DIYing out the wahzoo. I can't wait to show you some of the projects that I'm working on! But I'm still going to continue with recipes and other DIY's and photography and fun stuff like that. I'm back!!!

xoxo, Kate

Quick Update

The last time I updated my blog was at the end of May. Shmeegs and I had just celebrated our 3-year anniversary, and I was trying to figure out what to change the name of this little blog to (turns out, there's a Kindly, Kait that's been blogging since 2008! And I didn't feel right about continuing with someone else's name). So I put blogging on the back burner for awhile, but religiously kept up with all my friends' blogs. Since late October, I've been getting the itch to start again, and I've been brainstorming new ideas for a name. As soon as I get that taken care of, I'll be back to full-time blogging!
Xoxo, Kate

Yesterday...

Shmeegs and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary! We had a fantastic time exploring little coastal towns, driving with the windows down, eating hot dogs and clam strips and ice cream, and walking and walking and walking. It was just the bestest day; I'm so lucky to have such an awesome guy in my life. Got back from our Orlando vacation Friday night, so look forward to several vacation posts this week. Missed you all!

xoxo, Kate

P.S. Considering a name change for the blog, especially after I discovered by accident that some other lovely lady has a blog called Kindly Kait (and she's been blogging since 2008!)- any ideas? :)