Crazy Catholics and Italian Talkers

So I dragged Thomas to my cousins wedding over the weekend.

My family is Roman Catholic. . . It was the longest wedding of the century.
Im pretty sure it was longer than the Royal Wedding.

Oh yes.

There ceremony itself managed to span across almost an entire 2 hours.

Dont worry Mary, my wedding will NEVER be that long, nor will it be catholic.

I also did not realize until it was too late that my camera was going to be stupid.
I fixed it today.
But not all of the pictures came out as nice I would have liked them to.

But here is a photo overview!

 

My cousin Christie walking down the isle with her daddy

 

 This priest would not shut up. . 

I'm pretty sure he extended it like 30 minutes with random crap.

None of it made any sense to me.

 

The Italian American Community Center

A friend of mine had her reception here last year.

Delicious food!

 

The first dance.

Oh and the center pieces lol

This is where they practiced, an opening dance.

Oh yes. . . 

Bride

Groom

Wedding Party

Parents

Grandparents

did an opening dance that even included. . . 

wait for it

wait for it

The Superman

Yes as in the rap song.

I nearly peed myself.

CAKE!

Can you tell Christie's favorite color is pink?

Didn't think so.

 

Thomas looks soooo good dressed up :-D

He was so excited that I told him he was allowed to wear his boots.

So yes, this was my saturday. The entire day. Ceremony from 1-3ish. . .reception started at 5:30 for coctail hour. . . then we went into the room and sat down at 6:30, listened to not 2 but 5 speeches, and started eating dinner at 8:30!!

So yeah.

Maybe one day I will get to stop adding to my dress collection and finally be a bride.

That would be nice.

Oh wait I forgot the best picture.

Tom and my cousin Gina camped out at the bar

They got a little disgruntled that the bar tenders said no shots.

So they got creative and ordered a drink on the rocks, with straws.

Yup Straws.

Then they did their "shot"
It was rather amusing.

And that is what I leave you all with for now!

xoxo

Heather

Terrific Pins Tuesday!!

Hey ya'll its TUESDAY AGAIN!

 

And once again Mary beat me to picking out her pins for this week. I have been soooo busy it has been insane. Plus she has the pleasure of being able to sit at home monday evening and pick them while I am either in class attempting to further my teaching education, or doing just that, teaching teenagers the finer points of EMS. Which is where I was last night, teaching, while sick. . .Oh well such is life! I am literally picking mine while writing this!

But on with it shall we!

Mary here. Last week I was all about Christmas pins - but this week, I've decided to focus on Thanksgiving! We have probably 8 containers of Christmas decorations, not to mention everything that doesn't fit in containers (like wreaths, rugs, etc.)...there's a lot. And we have a tiny apartment. But for all the Christmas decorations we have, I think we currently own like 2 Thanksgiving things: turkey candle holders and a cross-stitched picture.

It's rather underwelming.

But with the obsession with pinterest, I figured I could work on improving our woefully inadequate decorations!

 

 Via Our Best Bites and Pinterest!

Every Thanksgiving, we make a pumpkin pie that only my dad eats and a chocolate pie that everyone eats. At the risk of bucking tradition, I thought we might try a new "pie": pumpkin pie cheesecake.

 

 Via eighteen25 and Pinterest!

I have followed Eighteen25 for almost a full year - I was referred to their site right about the time they started posting their subway art. And now, a year later, I am just getting around to printing them out! I have the order submitted - so all I need now is a frame. Clearly, a Michael's trip is needed this weekend!  

 

 Via The Country Cottage and Pinterest!

Another subway art inspired decoration. I probably won't get this made this year (plus our table is made for only 4...I'd rather wait until we have a larger dining room table if I'm going to put this much work into a decoration!), but it's just so rustic and fall and PERFECT for Thanksgiving.  

 

Via The Ribbon Retreat and Pinterest!

 I nearly squealed when I saw this hairbow. 

I MUST have a little girl to put this precious bow in her hair. 

 

Via The Herman Farm and Pinterest!

Again, no need to make this onesie this year, but definitely inspiration for the future. There is no tutorial this time, but I'm thinking it wouldn't be too difficult to make. (famous last words)

My parents are heading down this weekend and we have lots planned (besides Thanksgiving, of course!) We have sewing projects...black Friday shopping...a half marathon.

Wait. What?!

Yup. Darren, my dad, and I are all running a half marathon 3 days after Thanksgiving. Are we crazy? Probably. :)

Until next week! ~Mary

And once again I am sitting here wondering when the hell Mary is going to bless me with Nieces and Nephews!!

Ok so I was having a hard time decided what to pick. . . And then I realized I have a HUGE decision to make this week. 

Baby J is turning 1 on Thursday. . . .Party is on Saturday. . . I have been tasked with making his cake!

I dont know whether to make a cake, cupcakes, cake balls/pops, a combination, rice crispy treats!!?? SO MANY OPTIONS!! So this weeks post is going to lay a few of them out on the table and then I guess I will have to decide.

 

Via Taste of Home and Pinterest! 

Candy Land Themed Cake!!

The themed cake is always an option.

For B's 6th Birthday, 

I made him a mini golf themed cake!

 

Via Love From the Oven and Pinterest!

Then there is always the Cake pop or cake ball idea.

B is very into the cake balls.

I took him to starbucks over the spring and got him a cake pop.

Best thing since baked pretzels!

 

 Via I am Baker and Pinterest!

There is also the cake/cake ball combo.

Oh and the option of a fall theme for the cake.

 

And there are themed cupcakes.

Im not sure I have these kids of skills.

But its possible.

 

Via Disney Family Fun and Pinterest! 

And last but not least.

Rice Crispy Treats!

B's cake had a giant golf ball made from them on his.

SO MANY OPTIONS!

HELP!

Until next time

xoxo

-Heather

Halloween Wrap-Up

Mary here. And yes, I realize we are almost halfway through November, but I finally uploaded my pictures from Halloween! We didn't actually have any terribly exciting Halloween plans this year - we stayed at home and watched 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!'

...I know. The thrilling life of a young, married couple.

While I do not have pictures of us lounging on the couch watching TV, I do have pictures of us carving our pumpkins. :)

We always try to support local church youth groups when we buy our pumpkins as Darren's youth group growing up used Halloween as a fundraiser for all their winter trips. They had a pretty nice selection - and it took us about .5 seconds to find the perfect sized pumpkins for our patterns.

Once we got home, we set up our pumpkin carving station and got to work.

First, we got all the pumpkin seeds out and set them aside to make roasted pumpkin seeds. (love Alton Brown)

Then we outlined our pattern on our pumpkins.

Carefully cutting out our pattern...

The finished product!

And so you can better see the pattern. Of course - mine is the Disney inspired pattern and Darren's is the creepy Halloween grave scene.

Our pumpkins lasted about 24 hours in the Florida heat - just long enough for Halloween night!

Happy Halloween!

Stationery card

Vintage Ribbon Christmas Card

Seasons greetings with personalized Christmas cards from Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Terrific Pins Tuesday!!

Hi ya'll, Heather here. It is Tuesday once again, so we all know what that means. . . .

That Mary and I are slackers because our posting has become rather scarce. But other than that. . .

 

It is in fact time for 

Terrifin Pins Tuesdays

Mary emailed me her Pins LAST NIGHT!! As of right now I still have no idea what I want to pick. So therefore, she has finally beaten me to the punch, and hers are coming FIRST!!! YAY! haha. She'll be excited.

Hello all! I spent the weekend in East Tennessee and got a little taste of fall. Just for reference, the high tomorrow is 82 while the high this past weekend in Knoxville was in the 60s. It was wonderful. Unfortunately, this taste of cooler weather has made me more ready for Christmas! I have a "no Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving" rule that I am having a hard time abiding by this year! However, I do not have a "no Christmas pins until after Thanksgiving" rule...so I present to you 5 of my favorite Christmas pins from this past week!

First up are two decorations I love!

 

 Via We Heart Minnesota and Pinterest!

I love how simple it is to make this custom canvas. We have absolutely no wall space for any more pictures - I have far too many cross-stitch Christmas patterns, but when we move into a house we should have plenty of room...right?!

 

 Via Better Homes and Gardens and Pinterest!

 
This centerpiece is also simple to make - a mason jar, greenery, handful of cranberries, and floating candle. But it's so colorful - and I love candles.

This week I have also been obsessed with Red Velvet.

 

Via Une-deux Senses and Pinterest!

 

Via Thats So Yummy and Pinterest!

 Red velvet pancakes - I'm imagining a Christmas morning tradition with our kids. What says Christmas more than red pancakes?!

And finally, I leave you with a Christmas gift idea-

 

Via Make-It-Do and  Pinterest!

Christmas stove top potpourri! We've used a similar recipe and the apartment smelled amazing for hours!

That's it for this week! 
~Mary

I wish I loved Christmas as much as Mary. It is growing on me more and more every year though now that I am not the kid getting shuffled between the two parents every other year. Mary's future children will never have to be those kids though, I LOVE HER AND DARREN! haha, they will make wonderful parents!

This is the part where I tell Mary to HURRY UP and have babies so I can be the auntie that spoils them relentlessly!

But moving on :-D

Here are my pins!

Since Mary's entire collection was Christmas, I decided to mostly stick with a Holiday theme!!

I however, am starting with Thanksgiving!!

 

 Via Babble and Pinterest!

How cute is that pie!? I want to make an apple pie and top it like that. My grandmother used to bake ALL the time for EVERY holiday. She has since decided she has other things to do, like be retired and all haha. She was banned from hosting Thanksgiving dinner after the year she bought the premade boxed dinner from Wegmans.

 

 Via My Baking Addiction and Pinterest!

My job around Thanksgiving and Christmas is to make Pumpkin Bread. This year I may do something different though, especially because these cookies look amazingly delicious!

And now, on to Christmas. . .

 Via Breyers and Pinterest!

These are adorable. Best of all, the kids I nanny for would LOVE them. Except I need to find something other than peanut butter cups to put on top, hmm maybe rolos? Little Miss E is allergic to peanut butter.

 

 Via Martha Stewart and Pinterest!

I love these stockings. So cute, so personal, so functional! Cannot wait to make them!
That Martha is a crafty bitch.

And last but not least.
While I got almost nothing done in the past week beyond working, working, working and cooking, I did manage to fit at least one small project in yesterday.

 

Via Jo Jo and  Pinterest!

And it did in fact come from Pinterest!

 

I made this.

It does not look this nice.

Via Frugal Family Fun

 

But it did come out cute.

At least for what I had to work with.

And it is plenty functional!

And that is all for today.

Hope everyone has a fabulous day!

xoxo Heather

WIWW

This week I am going to link up for The Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesdays!

 

With it being the Halloween Holiday Weekend, I did not get dressed on Saturday or Sunday other than costumes for parties and what not. Yeah I was lazy alll day, but I did get alot of cleaning and laundry done so I was allowed to be lazy. I do however have a few outfits to show you all :-)

 

This was Friday nights outfit.

Shirt- Forever21, Leggings- Walmart, 

Shoes- Black Ballet Flats- Target, Necklace- Upcycled from an estate sale

 

 

Here is Monday

Sweater- Old Navy, Pink Plaid shirt- JCPenny, Jeans- Charlotte Russe

Paired with

 

Moccasins- Target

Then the "Im lounging but still appearing in public outfit"

 

This is Sabres Country- Target haha

I would post the costumes and all the fun from the weekend.

But it is not over yet.

More parties this weekend!

I will post it all next week!

xoxo

Heather