Day 7: Earning Your Wings

For day 7, Collins talks about Angels and their significance in the Christmas story. They carry the message from God. Many people hold the belief that angels are always watching out for us.

"Perhaps one of the best modern and easy-to-understand examples of angelic behavior can be found in the Hollywood classic, It's a Wonderful Life. Though not a financial success when originally released in 1947, over time this Jimmy Stewart film has become a most beloved treasure of the Christmas season. The world's adoration for this movie is in large part because of its theme that each of us has the power to change the world. The movie shows that by just being here and taking part in our day-to-day lives, we make the world a very different place than it would have been if we had never been born."

"In It's a Wonderful Life, the angelic figure is somewhat of a misfit. On the surface he seems nothing like the graceful, wise, and beautiful creatures described in Scripture. Yet perhaps director Frank Capra portrayed Clarence this way to give us a clear look at the sotry's real angelic role model."

"When a bumbling Clarence reviews George's life, showing him how different the world would have been without him, we discover that George is a man who reached out to help the least of those in his world. George's faith and sacrifices blessed others. Even though he didn't recognize it, that was why his life was so wonderful. In a real sense, George reflected the tru meaning of Matthew 25:40: "Whatever you did for the least of these... you did for me.""

"Discover the real joy in serving others. Volunteer with your family to spend a few hours at a soup kitchen or at a clothing or food drive... Show your appreciation to those who provide a service to you and others all year long. Everyone needs to feel appreciated. Take a snack to a group of workers. Many stores are so crowded during the holidays that employees barely have time for a break. Your thoughtfulness in providing a batch of holiday treats spreads the joy of the season."

"As Christmas draws near; begin now to become the messenger who trumpets this season to everyone around you. You can be that special person who brings the spirit of the holidays to life. You can live out Matthew 25:40. Not only will your holidays become brighter, but you may decide to continue this positive attitude in the New Year. Those who have known the true joy of giving find that they too have been blessed with a wonderful life. And isn't that really what we all want for Christmas and beyond?"

The tip for today is to take the time to focus on one section of Scripture during this busy season. Collins suggests to keep a bible out and open to Matthew 25:34-40 as a reminder of the important mission we have, during the holday season and throughout the entire year.

Merry Christmas!!

Day 6: Trimming the Tree

Usually, when people think about Christmas, the first thing they think of is the tree. It is the most visible symbol of the holiday. What i didn't realize before today, is how the evergreen tree became a symbol of Christmas.

"Long ago evergreens were held in awe by Viking warriors. These powerful men knew winters that were long and harsh, in which many living things did not survive. During these bleak days, almost all plant life ceased to exist, and many animals starved to death. Stranded outdoors, a man could freeze to death. Yet in these horrid conditions, the evergreen not only survived; it thrived. Its vitality was so great, it seemed nothing could harm it. Beacause of that unique strength, the tree was seen as a source of mystery and power. Vikings prayed to their gods that they could be as strong and resilient as the fir tree."

"When early Christian missionaries began explaining faith to these feared arriors, they used the evergreen as an example of God's undying love. They told the Vikings that even in their bleakest and darkest days, Christ would be with them. Their faith, like the evergreen, would survive every test. By putting this Christian lesson into a visible context, the missionaries helped thousands understand the love of God and the sacrifice of his Son."

"Even if you don't feel like embracing the evergreen as the early Christians did, the Christmas tree is still much more than just a decoration. Think of it as a tie to the past. Each year, millions of us retrieve old decorations that have been carefully stored in boxes. Often, using these ornaments generates vivid memories of past Christmases. Thus, like few other things, the tree brings to life the love and wonder of former holiday seasons. Sudeenly loved ones who have passed away are with youa gain. You feel their spirit and remember their warmth and love. In this way, the Christmas tree reunites us with our own family tree."

"The tree is the gathering place in your home, the first thing that catches the eye, so let it truly reflect your family and your faith. Make this facet of your Christmas as bright as the star atop the tree, and you will bask in the glow of a season filled with faith and love."

Collins' tip for today is to find boxes of animal crackers with the string handle and hang them on the tree!

I don't have a tree set up at my house, but Bryan and I will be spending Christmas with my Aunt and Uncle and cousin in Boston. Last year, they had an amazing 12 foot Christmas tree in their living room and I am pretty sure they got one just as big for this year. It was truly majestic.

Day 5: Escaping the Inner Scrooge

In today's reading, Collins discusses how may people easliy fall into a "Bah, humbug!" spirit. "Far too often, a majority of people caught up in the hurried nature of the season, carrying long lists of things to do and places to be and items to buy, reflect the mood of Scrooge. They say, 'Merry Christmas' as they gripe their way through the whole month of December. Rather than enjoy the holiday season, that can't wait for it to be over."

"Our mood is deeply affected by our environment, and at times we don't have the power to control what's going on around us. But we do have control over how we respond to a situation. If we embrace the joy of the Christmas season, we defeat the Scrooge mood."

"A change of attitude can do wonders. This isn't a time to rush; it's a time to savor. Enjoy the time you are forced to wait in line, (or in traffic). Take a deep breath. Look around and study the faces of those around you. Focus on people who are relishing every moment of the season. Be like Christ. Reach out to those in need. Take time to offer a word of encouragement. And smile. Smile at those who seem to be at their wit's end."

The tip for today is to spend some time walking, which gives us an opportunity to move slower than we normally do and look around deliberately and see the things we miss speeding by in a car.

Day 4: Singing a Carol of Hope

Collins talks about how during this season there is music everywhere, but for most people, the music is just in the background, they don't take the time to listen to the lyrics. He encourages us to listen to the music, how it echoes the joy and hope found in this season.

"Probably no sermon has ever touched souls in as passionate a way as have "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Silent Night," and "Joy to the World." This is how most children first learn of Jesus' birth. Music can build a children's deepest impressions and clearest visions of a spiritual Christmas if we make sure they understand the lyrics. Music opens the door to the heart. But to really have their full power, the songs must be more than background music."

"By putting a song in your heart, you become more like the angles who brought the news of Christ's birth to earth, and like the shepherds who left their flocks to honor this new King. By having a song in your soul, you join with the earliest Christians in the melody of faith."

He asks us to take a moment and listen, embrace the message of the song, and feel the wonder of the season. The tip for today is to listen to the music. I have a wonderful cd of Christmas music that Bryan brought me at Thanksgiving... I listen to it each time I am in the car.

Merry Christmas!

Day 3: Making Christmas Mighty

Candle
Originally uploaded by andrewlee1967

Today is about how to make your Chistmas mighty... more than just merry. Collins looks at the lyrics to the Christmas carol, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.

In looking at the meaning of words and how they differed in the Middle Ages than they do now, you can see that the meaning behind this carol is easily lost. The English meaning for the word rest meant also make and keep. “The composer’s charge was for listeners to let God make a change in their hearts and minds about the good news found in Christ’s birth and life.” In Old English, merry could mean happy, but it was also often used in the place of the word mighty. When you look at it that way the name of the carol becomes, “God keep you mighty, gentlemen”. Pretty cool huh?

We can chose to make our Christmas mighty. We are called to invest our gifts from God. The best way to invest the joy we experience from God is by letting others see joy in our actions. "The light that is created by the joy of the season.... is found in the knowledge of not just Christ's birth, but also his life." The best way to share this is through our attitude. Smile, whish people a “Merry (or mighty) Christmas!” “If we live this Christmas season recognizing the power of the message of Christ, it will show in every facet of our lives. When you fully embrace the mighty message of the season, the light you set aglow with your joy will become a blazing beacon to others.”

The tip for today is to light a candle or oil lamp each day as a reminder of our potential to be a light in a dark world. I just got a brand new cinnamon bark candle from Method home at Target. I’m gonna light it tonight!

Mighty Christmas to all!

Thanksgiving!

I hosted Thanksgiving at my house this year and was blessed to have so many family members able to make the trip. Bryan arrived on Tuesday night and we enjoyed a massive food shopping trip! My mom and brother drove up from SC (and Florida!) and after 13 grueling hours finished the normally 10 hour drive to my house and arrive on Wednesday night. My aunt and sister took the red-eye from Los Angeles and arrived on Thursday morning. Then we got to cooking. My kitchen is much too small to hold more than two people at a time so while some were cooking some were watching tv, all 9 Thanksgiving episodes of Friends to be exact!

Everybody sitting down to eat!

The dessert table:
vegan apple pie courtesy of Whole Foods
delish Holiday Bundt Cake courtesy of Natalie over at Oven Love
turtle pumpkin pie courtesy of my sister and kraft foods

My lovely kitchen after the cooking!

On Friday the fam headed out for some Black Friday shopping- primarily to get Byran an iPhone (finally!). We also went to the mall where Bryan and I picked up our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. We all enjoyed dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, yum! We also found my mom's Mother of the Bride dress at the mall which was very exciting! AND- my invitations arrived from the printers!

Our first Christmas tree :)

On Saturday, I had my final dress fitting so that my mom, aunt, and sister could see my dress (and learn the bustle). Since my mom had her dress and my sister's was at the shop we were able to all try on our dresses together. It all looks so good! Sorry, no pics will be posted so if you wanna see, email me :) After the fitting, we headed to Philadelphia and enjoyed lunch at Continental Midtown- one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. Bryan and I snapped this pic in Love Park. My aunt and sister had to fly out that afternoon (boo). Then the rest of us went home and watched the Gators beat up on the Seminoles!

My mom and brother left Sunday morning for the long drive back south and Bryan and I went to church and had another pre-marital counseling session. We did a little invitation envelope stuffing and had a quiet night. It was an amazing couple of days and I am so happy I was able to spend it with family!

Day 2: Shopping off the List

Candy Cane
Originally uploaded by Pisces Romance (very busy)

For day 2, Collins talks about looking at our Christmas gift shopping as a blessing rather than a duty. He encourages us to look over our list and add to the top someone who isn't on anyone else's list, to shop for those less fortunate. He cites Matthew 25:34-40

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

For this tip of the day he encourages us to pick a person off an Angel Tree at the mall, or buy a gift for Toys for Tots, or for our church to adopt a family for the season.

Tonight I am headed to the mall and the Angel Tree!

Merry Christmas!

Day 1: Rediscovering Advent

From "25 Days, 26 Ways to Make This Your Best Christmas Ever" by Ace Collins:

"Let’s take a look at why the meaning of Advent has been lost for so many. Before 1940 the retail holiday season was relatively short. Many people didn’t even think about Christmas
until around December 20. A great deal of the shopping and almost all the decorating were done on Christmas Eve. What transformed this time-honored week of Christmas into a full six-week holiday experience was World War II. With millions of Americans fighting the war in foreign lands that lay beyond two oceans, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked folks to shop and mail their gifts early. To ensure that loved ones overseas received their packages by Christmas, these parcels were to be given to mailmen no later than the first week in December. Thus, in 1942 the Christmas rush began before Thanksgiving. Four years later, after the war ended, the mold was cast. Christmas had grown into more than a month of sales, songs, and entertainment."

He says to consider three things about the season of Advent:

1.) Reflect on what it means for God to come to earth in human form as a baby. Remember what it means for God to love us so much that he placed himself in a body like ours.

2.) Consider how accepting Jesus as Savior changed your very existence. Think about the power and influence of Jesus' life in yours.

3.) Know that Jesus is coming back. "That’s why it’s important to consider what Jesus would think if he spent some time with you during this holiday season. Would he see your excitement
in the way you greet others? As he observes you preparing for the special day, would he recognize your faith in the way you reach out to others? Would he see you living out his commandants to reach out to the least of these?"

Over the next 25 days, I will use the part devotional/part practical tip words of this book to enhance the spiritual aspects of Christmas in my life and hopefully in the lives of those around me.

Tip for the day: "The gospel of Luke has twenty-four chapters. Read one chapter a day during December, using this book as a biblical Advent calendar that puts your focus on the birth, life, and promise of Christ."

Blessings,
Mary

These are a few of my favorite things

I know I need to blog about Thanksgiving but I am waiting for the pictures before I do that... so this will be a little out of order.

I just wanted to post about some of my favorite things for this holiday season! (Click on the pics for the link)

Yummy Starbucks Espresso Truffle

(so bad for you but so good)

Super cute mittens from Anthropologie to hold my yummy Espresso Truffle

Sufjan Stevens' "Songs For Christmas" is 5 discs of holiday music awesomeness

(check out track 9 on Vol V Peace)


So adorable Charlie Brown Christmas Tree from Urban Outfitters
(currently the only Christmas decoration up in my house)

Finally, I will be using this book as a living Advent calendar to prepare for the season!

I am really excited about this last thing. The book gives some history of the season of Advent and some practical things you can do to bring joy and peace to Christmas! Ill be blogging about it this month!

More to come!

South Carolina visit

Bryan and I went to my Dad's house in Columbia, SC recently to visit my Dad, stepmom, brother, and two younger sisters. We had a wonderful visit!! On Saturday we tailgated at the Florida/South Carolina game near the stadium. We had a couple of my Dad's best friends from school in town with us as well. After eating some yummy chicken and brownies we headed over to a reception held by the President of of the University. The marching band performed and then we all walked to the stadium.

Mimi, Grace, and me in our Gator gear!

Chase, Bryan, and me on the field before the game

My Dad was able to get us passes so that we could go on the field for pre-game. It was by far one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my entire life! We just stood on the sidelines and watched the Gator football players warming up. It was like seeing a ton of celebrities because that is the kind of family i have. :) We kept exclaiming "there's Riley Cooper!" "there's Joe Haden and Brandon Spikes!" "OMG- its Tim Tebow- he's huge!" You get the picture...

This continued on for a while longer until it was time for the SC band to take the field and begin the pre-game festivities. My Dad is the Dean of the College of Music and he conducted the band as they played the Alma Mater. It is always amazing to see how crazy awesome my Dad is. After the pre-game we moved over to sit with the SC band and watch the game. The Gators won the game (who hoo 10-0!) but it was nerve-racking at times, especially because Caleb Strugis missed 3 out of 4 field goals... not cool. Regardless, it was an amazing day and an amazing trip!

More to come!

Maryel

A day off from work!

So, I had a weekday off from work recently and had a wonderful little day. It was so fall and rainy, but still kind of delightful. I woke up and had my coffee. Then I cleaned my house, which with how busy I have been has gotten a little out of control, clutter-wise. I was starting to wake up in the middle of the night and feel anxiety about the state of my bedroom. It felt really good to get everything put away. I stopped by the bridal shop and picked up my little sisters' bridesmaid dresses and then hopped on the train to Philadelphia. I enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving style lunch at a restaurant and then stopped by this super cute fabric store called Spool and bought some fabric for a project I am planning (because apparently I need more to do) :) After the shop I went to Lithe for the Arm-istice class and then just relaxed at home for the rest of the day. It was fantastic.

Everyone loves a spa weekend

Last weekend my Aunt from Boston met me in Connecticut and treated me to spa weekend that was incredible. We stayed at this very cute bed and breakfast in Branford, CT called By The Sea Inn and Spa. I arrived late Friday night and we just stayed up and chatted for hours. On Saturday we woke up pretty early, and enjoyed a quiet coffee and then began our spa treatments. We each got a massage and a facial, then we had lunch, and had our manicures and pedicures after lunch. It was soooo relaxing. After the spa day we drove to Milford in order to watch the Gator football game. After a self-love day with a healthy lunch we both had a craving for cheeseburgers so we watched the game at the Buffalo Wild Wings. I also tried a new beer cocktail that was very interesting- it was called and Electric Blue Moon. It was Blue Moon with cointreau and orange juice. It was actually delish. It was an amazing weekend and I am so incredibly grateful with that time with her!

Wedding Planning update!

While I am still trying to catch up with all of the updates of my travel stuff, I thought I would throw in an update of wedding planning stuff because there has been a lot going on. First off, I updated our inspiration board because our ideas for things have certainly evolved since we began. I think we definitely have a more focused look now.

If you have been to the website recently, you will tell that Bryan has made some pretty awesome updates. Our invitations came in from our calligrapher and I sent those off to the printer to get printed. Our envelopes came in and I shipped those off to the calligrapher to be addressed. The bridesmaid dresses are in and I was able to bring the two for my little sisters to my Dad's house this weekend and have them try them on. So cute! I had another dress fitting that was amazing and will be able to pick up my dress at Thanksgiving in order for my Mom to drive it down to Florida.

More to come!

Mary

Dayton Trip

I recently went to visit Bryan in Dayton. It was Halloween and Florida/Georgia weekend so we had a packed weekend. On Friday I had the girls over to watch Twilight. The first time I saw it was on those tiny screens in the seat in front of you on an airplane, so I wanted to see the first movie on a real TV before the second one comes out. Of course it was way better!

On Saturday, Bryan and I had our AFIT family over to the house for the football game. Bryan worked really hard cooking up some delish food for everyone. He made ham and bean soup and this amazing low country boil with shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. I made the cornbread :)

Our amazing friend Natalie owns Tickled Pink Cupcakery and made these awesome cupcakes for our little rivalry. Our friends Russ and Julie are big Georgia fans, so we had a great time!!

The Florida cupcakes are vanilla cake with apple pie filling and tinted vanilla frosting. The Georgia cupcakes are cinnamon walnut cake with tinted maple frosting and the mixed cupcakes are carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The apple pie cupcakes were my favorite, convenient that they were the Florida cupcakes :)

Julie and me with our opposing team cupcakes.

Our amazing family of friends at AFIT.

Most of the folks headed out around the third quarter to go do their trick or treating, but everyone came back over later to watch the World Series games as some of our friends are Phillies fans. Tanner is the shark, Evan is a fireman, and Hank is Tigger. They were so cute!!

The Death Bridge...

... and other assorted goodies! My Alpha Chi little sister, Kristen, and my grandlittle, Alex came up to visit me recently and we had a delightful weekend. On Saturday, I took them up to Princeton for brunch. It was a typical cold, rainy, fall day, which made the trip to Princeton that much better because I believe Princeton is best enjoyed in that weather. The trees are amazing- black tree trunks and bright orange leaves. We enjoyed breakfast at PJs Pancake House, a Princeton staple. Unfortuantely, their machine that makes their unbelieveable orange freeze drinks (they taste like orange creamiscle posicles) was out of order!! I had to have a plain ol' root beer float instead :(

Both Alex and Kristen got mini makeovers at Blue Mercury. That's where we found the coolest candle. It was called "tree house". Although wise Kristen says, "You really shouldn't burn candles in a tree house, thats a fire hazard". Awesome.

After Princeton we wandered down to Washington Crossing but since it was raining, decided not to get out of the car and continued into Pennsylvania. We were forced to cross the death bridge (see above) in order to get there. One of the most horrific experiences of my life. :)

Once we made it to Philadelphia we stopped by City Tavern and enjoyed their beer sampler of receipes from Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Franklin. It was delish! We finished off the night with the Gator football game, another win of course! Go Gators!!

Bryan's visit

I am sorry, I have been slacking with blog updates. Things have been getting pretty crazy busy, but actually not with wedding stuff- just life stuff in general.

Bryan was here to visit for Columbus Day weekend. We were able to take care a lot of random wedding details. The big thing was that we finally registered! Check out our website for the details, but we have registered at Target (see picture above of Bryan's skills) and with a website called justgive.org that allows you to build a wedding registry for charity. Bryan and I picked a few charities that we support and are encouraging our guests to make donations!

We also discussed and worked out most of the ceremony and reception details including the timeline. Very exciting!

Lastly, we attended our second pre-marital counseling session. It went very well :) Basically, the priest went over the test that we took separately and discussed the items where we had differing answers. Funny enough Bryan and I had already gone through all of those answers, so we just got to talk about it all over again.

Happy Birthday to my Grandlittle!

Happy Birthday Tony!!!
Originally uploaded by ilovestrawberries (Carmi)

My grandlittle's (from Alpha Chi) birthday was on Thursday, so I went to DC for the weekend to celebrate. I joined four of my favorite Alpha Chis for a delish tapas dinner at La Tasca- they have the yummiest sangria! We had a wonderful time!

Last week i also took a new class at Lithe called "Cowgirl". The best part about this class is that we used a hula hoop! I don't know about the rest of you, but it has been quite a few years since I have tested my hula hooping skills, but no joke, it is just like riding a bike. It's got to be like muscle memory or something because I was having flashbacks of elementary school roller skating parties where there were also hula hooping competitions (which I believe I was the champion of) :) The class was an amazing full body workout and and I will definitely be taking that class again.

The only thing that really got me was in the last set of hula hooping the instructor asked us to try hooping in the opposite direction. I am not sure if you have ever tried this before, but I swear, the way direction you start your hula has got to have something to do with being right-handed or left-handed. I could not for the life of me keep the hoop up if i sent it to the left. My brain stopped working, it was really discouraging, so I stopped :)

Things coming up this week:
Lithing
Schoolwork
Trying out a new recipe
Second dress fitting :)
Bryan coming to visit for the long weekend!

Off to practice my counter-clockwise hula hoop!

Maryel

Planning Update

Bryan took this picture in Sausalito during our recent trip to California.

So, this week I had a chat with the caterer at Sweetwater Branch Inn and made our menu selections for the reception! We also sent out the save the dates and publish our wedding website- check it out here.

I also recently had my first dress fitting. The story of how I got my dress is so amazing. Thanks to this organization, I was able to get my wedding dress for free!! It's a sample Lazaro couture gown from 2004 and it is beautiful! Although it needed to be altered just a tad ;) Sylvia is the lady at the store where I am having my alterations done and ordered the bridesmaid dresses. In order to permit me breathing during the wedding, we have to have the back of the dress restructured (more details after the wedding because to be honest, Bryan reads this). I am very excited about it and about the work they are doing on the bustle. I go for my next fitting on October 8th!

Other notes include purchasing my shoes and working with a calligrapher in Gainesville to create the invitation suite (very, very excited about this) and figuring out how to get them printed.

Bryan and I are spending a spontaneous weekend together just relaxin' and watching the Gators beat Kentucky (although we are still trying to catch our breath after that whole Tim-Tebow-laying-on-the-ground-motionless-injury-ESPN2-cutting-to-commercial-thing).

More to come!

Maryel

Goin' back home to the west coast

Bryan and I recently returned from a trip to Northern California. The purpose of our trip was that Bryan was a groomsman in a wedding of our dear friend Matt and his lovely wife Emily. Bryan and I both love California. I swear I feel pure bliss when I am in California. The weather was beautiful, although it is crazy hot during the day and quite chilly at night in Davis, exactly what you would expect from north-central California.

We started the trip with lunch in Sausalito with Clarissa. She and I have been friends since the first grade and since she lives in San Francisco, I only get to see her every three years or so. It was so good to see her again! We had a wonderful lunch (and ice cream of course), and spent most of the time reminiscing about our times together.

Matt and Emily live in Davis. Matt was in ROTC with Bryan and me at Florida and Bryan and Matt were roommates when Bryan was stationed at Beale. The first night we were there, we had In n' Out Burger (a California highlight, trust me) followed by gelato in Davis. It was delightful.

On Saturday, the Gators gathered at The Graduate in Davis to watch the Florida/Tennessee game. It wasn't the prettiest win, but a win is a win. The top picture is at Matt and Emily's rehearsal dinner at Il Fornaio in downtown Sacramento. It was a delish italian restaurant with a patio with white twinkly lights.

Sunday was wedding day. Matt and Emily had an absolutely beautiful ceremony and reception at the Putah Creek Lodge in the UC Davis Arboretum. Their ceremony was underneath a huge tree that had two hearts carved into the trunk. The whole afternoon was filled with such joy and love and it was a blessing to be a part of it.

Tennis, Baseball, and Football, oh my!

Bryan came to visit for Labor Day and we had an amazing time. We spent Friday taking the 7 train from Manhattan to Queens for the day session at US Open Tennis and a Mets v. Cubs game at night. Both venues are at the same subway stop so it was quite convenient. I have never been to a tennis tournament before. It was awesome. We got to see Serena Williams and Andy Murray at Arthur Ashe Stadium. THe weather was beautiful!! The Mets game was pretty great and I love Citi Field, but the day was so long we ended up leaving the game early.

On Saturday we went to the Apple store and got Bryan a MacBook Pro!! Now we just wait for his cell phone contract to expire so we can get him an iPhone! After the Apple store we headed to the Philadelphia Gator Club to watch the Gators beat up on Charleston Southern. It was quite enjoyable. We Gators take our college football very seriously.

On Sunday, after church, we had our first pre-marital counseling session with the rector at my church here in NJ. Since we won't be able to get to Florida more than once between now and the wedding, we are able to meet with my church up here instead.

Monday, we went to Six Flags, but we both got sick on our third ride... so we went home early from that.

We had planned to get some wedding stuff done but we were exhausted from all of the sports... next visit for sure.

More to come!
Maryel

Random Acts of Homemaking

So each time Bryan comes to visit, I try out a new dessert recipe and let him try it. For his last trip I made a peach custard pie which he says he liked, but I am not sure I believed him :) For his Labor Day trip I made an Apple upside-down pie. You can find the recipe here. Of course what I made looks nothing like the picture, but Bryan ate it up. The recipe said to fold the crust over the sides, but as you can see in the picture that creates a crease all the way around, so I think next time I make it, i'll bring the bottom crust up over the top one (which ends up being the bottom once you flip it, does that make sense?).

I seem to practice homemaking in manic spurts. I'll pick a recipe, prepare it, and then while whatever's cooking is cooking, I do laundry, clean the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room- whatever else needs to be done. My back usually ends up killing me by the time everything is finished, but I feel accomplished! I am just trying now to learn and cultivate the skills i'll need for later ;)

More to come!
Maryel

Bridesmaid dress picked!

Seriously this time... I finally found it. This is just a picture of the sample, the ones we order will be tea-length. Searching for the bridesmaid dress was by far the most difficult decision I have had to make. There are soooo many options I just couldn't decide. I had an aha moment at a bridal store last week and decided on this dress. And... it fits in with the idea i had in my head at the beginning of this whole adventure :)

I love, love this time of year. It is the week of the first Gator football game!! The past 10 days have been filled with such anticipation. As I scroll down the status updates of my friends on facebook, all of my Gator friends have their countdown until the first football game. I love that this happens every year. It's like Christmas! Merry football season everyone!

More to come!

Maryel

Best. Breakfast. Ever.

This is the Lazy Breakfast from Max Brenner. It is delightful and by far one of the best breakfasts I have ever tasted. The little dishes are butter, peanut butter, chocolate, and apple jam. It also comes with a basket of raisin cinnamon bread. This pic is from a visit with Bryan and our friend Sarah to NYC. I can't wait to explore the Philadelphia location!

Anyway, enough with the chocolate. I went to Lithe at the beginning of the week and felt 100 times better coming out of the class than I did last week. I feel back to normal, but that first class after my break really took its toll on me.

I ended up getting a 95% and 100% on my two papers due at the end of last week for my most recent seminar so that is very exciting. Now I have one more week off before I begin my very last seminar to complete my master's coursework!

In wedding news, Bryan and I have decided to change the location of our reception. Based on trusted observations by my future mother-in-law and her dear friend we have decided that Plantation Hall is not the best location for us. Instead, the reception will now be at the Sweetwater Branch Inn in Gainesville. We are very excited about this change.

This week I will be busy at home preparing for Bryan's visit for Labor Day and assembling some general order in the apartment. Bryan and I have a packed... I mean PACKED... Labor Day weekend. Lots of sports and lots of wedding stuff! The to-do list includes: US Open Tennis, Mets v. Cubs game, and the first Gator football game of the season!

More to come!

Maryel

Quick update

Pink Peonies bouquet
Originally uploaded by L'esprit Sud Magazine

The past week has been a bit crazy. I went to my Lithe class, which is this amazing evolved-pilates class I go to in Philadelphia (blog fithiphealthy over at the right). I haven't been to class in about a month, so it was crazy difficult. My legs are like stone for the rest of the week. The plus here is that I found the Max Brenner in Philadelphia so when you come to visit, expect a trip there!

I wrote my 6 page Leadership Development Portfolio (the paper I have to write at the end of each seminar) and my 14 page Applied Organizational Analysis and uploaded them to my school website on Saturday. I started writing at 0700 and was done just in time to get in the car and drive to DC at 4pm. I was exhausted!!

Saturday night was the Frustrations final show. My Alpha Chi little sister, Kristen, is a rock star and has been singing in a band for two and half years. It was a fantastic show. Sunday, she, my grandlittle Alex and I enjoyed a wonderful brunch outside and then a little bridesmaid dress shopping. Kristen and I also enjoyed a Chopt salad and a couple of epsiodes of Mad Men before I drove back to NJ.

Wedding planning was put on hold while I finished up my school work. But now I have two weeks off before I start my next and final seminar, so hopefully I will accomplish a lot before then.

More to come!

Maryel

The Story

Our Engagement!
Originally uploaded by miss maryel

For those of you who haven't seen pictures or haven't heard the story... this post is for you.

Bryan and I were at my annual family reunion at Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, Virginia. It is a conference and retreat center for the Epsicopal Diocese of Virginia and my family has been visiting for over 15 years. There is a gorgeous outdoor chapel at the top of the hill that is made of stone.

On Saturday, my Aunt Monty, Uncle Gene, and sister Maddie walked with Bryan and me to the chapel to take some pictures. We spent about 10 minutes being goofy taking silly pictures and then we sat down at the altar. All of sudden, Bryan took out his bible and turned to Ephesians. He read from Chapter 5:25-29

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church"

I could tell this was the moment when he took out the bible because his hands were shaking. I turned towards him and tried to stay in the moment so that I wouldn't ever forget it. While he was reading I could hear Aunt Monty crying and each of the three of them snapping away (they each had a camera). As he turned the page I could see that he had the ring tied to the ribbon that marked the page. When he finished reading, he asked me to marry him and everybody started crying. I was still in shock until I turned to stand up and realized that my Dad had been hiding behind us the whole time. The moment he hugged me, I started to cry.

The six of us stayed up at the chapel for a little while taking more pictures and letting it all sink in before we headed back down the hill to share the news with the 75 other family members who were waiting!

A couple of cool things to note:
- Bryan actually flew to my dad's house in SC earlier in the summer just for the day to ask his permission to marry me.
- Bryan had Uncle Gene carry the bible up the hill in his cargo pocket. During the photo shoot, Uncle Gene slyly passed it back to Bryan and I never had a clue.
- My little sisters, Mimi (13) and Grace (9 1/2) have known since Bryan flew to SC and were able to keep it a secret, despite staying in the same room as me for 2 days before he proposed!
- There are officially 408 photographs of our time up at the chapel.

It was a beautiful moment along a beautiful journey and I am so grateful to everyone who played a role in carrying out His plan!

More to come!

Maryel

Bridesmaid Dress picked!

Just kidding... he he he. Mom was in Philadelphia this week for work, so we met up for dinner last night and a little MOB dress window shopping. Meanwhile, we found this fabulous little number... two of them actually!

We also enjoyed some yummy California Pizza Kitchen and chatted about a number of wedding details. This week is a little crazy as I finish up my Master's class with a 6-8 page paper and 12-15 page term project. After this, it's only one more class to go!!

A real quick thank you to everyone who is working so hard to help. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am to have such wonderful people in my life!

More to come!

Maryel

What a lovely weekend!

Boat lanterns
Originally uploaded by diskychick

Bryan came to visit this weekend and we had a lovely time! We enjoyed deliciousness at Bonefish (one of our faves). We started Saturday off as usual with coffee and Sportscenter. Then on a whim, we decided to head down to Annapolis, just to check it out. That town has one of the cutest historic downtown mainstreets I have ever seen. It also has two circles at the center of town, one with the Maryland state capitol and the other a hisitoric Episcopal church (go figure). On Sunday we went to church and spoke with the secretary about setting up pre-marital counseling with the Rector there since we won't be able to do it at Holy Trinity in Gainesville. Looks like it'll work out! We also accomplished a few other wedding tasks and will be putting down deposits on quite a few things this week.

More to come!
Maryel

Unplugged

a lazy spring morning
Originally uploaded by se7enmad

Bryan is coming to visit this weekend! This was a last minute-planned trip, so I am so exctied that he is able to visit. The past two weeks have been an absolute whirlwind and we plan on taking the weekend for ourselves. Besides a bit of schoolwork we both need to do, there will no internet and no phone for the WHOLE WEEKEND! Please feel free to email or leave comments but know that we will not get to them until Monday. Thanks for understanding!

More to Come!
Maryel

The Inspiration...

I wanted to let everyone know about the overall stlye for the wedding. The ceremony will most likely start at 1pm on Saturday, February 13th, 2010. Fell free to book hotel rooms, but if you would like to wait, we will be securing blocks of hotel rooms at a couple of hotels in Gainesville.


The ceremony will take place at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Gainesvilel and for those of you who haven't been there before, the church is absolutely breathtaking. I am going with a neutral color palette. Bryan and his groomsmen will be in Air Force Mess Dress, except for my brother Chase, since he is not in the Air Force :) He and my Dad will be in gray suits. My bridesmaids will be in a yet-to-be-determined dress, most likely in ivory or champagne (yes, people have asked if I am concerned that the bridesmaids will look too much like me in my dress. The answer is no, I am not concerned). The flowers will be cream and very light peach roses that we are ordering in bulk direct from a grower and putting into bouquets ourselves! Bryan and I have yet to discuss the details of the actual ceremony, but are planning some special music pieces.


The reception will take place at Plantation Hall at Haile Plantation. As it will be an afternoon wedding, we are planning on having a more social, mingling reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres as opposed to a sit-down dinner. I like the idea of winter citrus, like clementines, as the main decor- bunched together in a bowl or glass container. Instead of one large tiered cake, we also like the idea of having a bunch of smaller cakes and pies in varying flavors. Bryan and I will still have one cake that we will cut, so don't worry about that.


We anticipate everything being over around dinner time. We are working on our guest list and budget right now and then soon to follow will be the save-the-dates.


More to Come!
Maryel

So... we're engaged! Now what?

I have had about a week now to let this whole "being engaged" thing set in and I have to tell you, I still can hardly believe it is real! Bryan and I have had some time together to go over the big picture stuff and I will use this blog initially as a way to keep everyone informed and involved. I would love to hear your ideas and suggestions... and your comments to keep me sane as I try to plan a beautiful wedding but also try to keep my eyes on the prize as Bryan and I begin our married life together!

We have the date: Saturday February 13th, 2010

We have the location: Gainesville, Florida (Go Gators!)

We are still in the process of securing the church and the reception location.

Bridal parties have been set! (Love you girls)

More details to come!

Maryel